Ask Danny | Ep. 27: Constructing & Sustaining a Yard Rooster Coop

Immediately’s Home-owner TV host Danny Lipford and Immediately’s Home-owner Media Manufacturing Supervisor Corey Wilson. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Elevating yard chickens generally is a enjoyable and rewarding expertise, offering recent eggs and even a supply of companionship. Nonetheless, earlier than you begin your yard rooster journey, it’s vital to know the fundamentals of constructing and sustaining a rooster coop.

Immediately’s Home-owner Manufacturing Supervisor Corey Wilson is becoming a member of me to talk rooster.

A small backyard chicken coop — A rooster coop’s measurement is dependent upon what number of chickens you personal, so one this measurement is ideal for a few chickens. (RandallJSylvia, Getty Photographs)

Coop Measurement

With regards to constructing or shopping for a rooster coop, measurement is a vital consideration. The quantity of house wanted for every hen will range relying on the variety of birds you intend to maintain, however a common rule of thumb is to supply 2-3 sq. ft of coop house per hen and 5-10 sq. ft of run house per hen.

Bear in mind —chickens sleep within the air, perched on a limb, so make certain to incorporate sufficient house for them to sleep comfortably.

Chicken coop or hen house — Hay flooring absorbs moisture so the underside of the rooster coop stays dry and smells recent. (GarysFRP, Getty Photographs Signature)

Coop Parts

A rooster coop sometimes consists of a number of key components: nesting containers, roosts, runs, and an enclosed space for sleeping and safety.

Nesting containers present a protected and safe place for chickens to put their eggs, whereas roosts give the birds a spot to sleep.

Runs are important for train and foraging. The enclosed space serves as a protected house for the birds to sleep, relaxation and take shelter.

With regards to flooring, use supplies like sand, hay or pine shavings. These supplies are comfy for the chickens and straightforward to wash. Additionally they take in moisture, which helps preserve the coop dry and smelling recent.

A well-built and maintained coop is essential for the well being and well-being of your chickens. Offering sufficient house, perches, and appropriate supplies for the birds, will be certain that they’re comfy and wholesome and may produce eggs effectively.

White hen laying eggs in a chicken coop — Egg-laying chickens lay as much as one egg per day at their peak. (georgeclerk, Getty Photographs Signature)

Egg Manufacturing

A wholesome hen will sometimes lay one egg per day, along with her reproductive cycle lasting between 24-27 hours. Nonetheless, the precise egg manufacturing can range relying on quite a few components similar to the quantity of daylight, consolation, predators, and diet.

Daylight: Chickens want at the very least 14 hours of daylight with the intention to lay eggs. Within the winter, when daylight are shorter, egg manufacturing will naturally lower. You should utilize synthetic mild to complement the daylight, nevertheless it’s vital to make use of the correct sort of sunshine and the correct quantity to keep away from stressing the birds.
Consolation: Chickens want a clear, dry and protected place to put their eggs. A well-maintained rooster coop with nest containers will present the consolation and safety that chickens want to put eggs.
Predators: Chickens that really feel threatened by predators won’t lay eggs. It’s vital to guard your chickens from predators by securing the coop and the encircling space.
Diet: Chickens want a balanced food regimen that gives the mandatory vitamins for egg manufacturing. Feed particularly formulated for laying hens will present the correct stability of protein, calcium, and different important vitamins.

Apparently sufficient, a rooster isn’t vital for a hen to put eggs. Hens will lay eggs whether or not or not there’s a rooster current. Nonetheless, if you wish to breed chickens, you will have a rooster.

Chicken feed with many different sorts of grain, corn and seed — Rooster scratch is a kind of feed that’s made up of complete grains similar to corn, barley, oats, wheat or different grains. (maerzkind, Getty Photographs)

Rooster Meals

There are a selection of forms of rooster meals accessible available on the market, every designed to satisfy the precise dietary wants of chickens at completely different levels of their life.

Starter feed: This sort of meals is formulated for chicks throughout their first six weeks of life. It incorporates a excessive stage of protein, round 20-24 p.c, to assist them develop and develop shortly.
Grower feed: Because the chicks develop, they want completely different meals. Designed for chickens between 6-20 weeks outdated, grower feed incorporates a decrease protein stage round 16-18 p.c as they don’t want as a lot protein as after they have been chicks however nonetheless want sufficient to assist their development.
Layer feed: Chickens are adults as soon as they attain 20 weeks outdated, in order that they now want a distinct sort of meals. Layer feed is formulated for egg-laying hens, so it incorporates the next stage of calcium to assist the formation of eggshells.
Pellets: These small, easy-to-eat items are handy to make use of and retailer, and are sometimes used as an entire feed for chickens.
Crumbles: Just like pellets, crumbles are additionally compressed, however they’re smaller in measurement and are typically extra palatable for chickens.
Mash: Mash is made by mixing collectively completely different grains and protein sources. It’s normally moist and straightforward for chickens to eat.
Scratch: Scratch is a kind of feed that’s made up of complete grains similar to corn and barley. Chickens are inspired to forage, so this kind of meals is can used as a deal with.

Chickens gathered along a fence outside their chicken coop — On common, a flock of 10 chickens will devour about one bag of feed each three weeks. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Price to Feed Chickens

With regards to feeding your chickens, rule of thumb is to plan for about one bag of meals each three weeks for a flock of 10 hens.

On common, a bag of rooster feed can value wherever from $40 to $50. This may occasionally look like so much, however when you think about the truth that chickens will lay eggs virtually daily, it’s a small worth to pay for the scrumptious, recent eggs they supply.

Along with common rooster feed, present your birds with oyster shells for calcium. That is important for sustaining the energy of their eggshells. You should purchase oyster shells in a bag they usually normally value round $10-15.