Mini-poultry farms built on personal plots are calculated on such a number of individuals. A dozen laying hens are enough to provide the average family with an egg, to optimally equip the territory and not have problems with the owners of adjacent housing estates. How to build a small chicken coop with their own hands, without deploying large-scale construction, and will be the subject of conversation.
What to consider before the construction of
Those who have not been engaged in poultry breeding before, something should be explained. It is not difficult to build a chicken coop, in principle. One who is accustomed to do everything with his own hands, and not pay for the services of hired craftsmen, and this matter will be on the shoulder, especially since this construction is not an apartment house with its ceilings, internal walls, communications and so on.
The author specially accentuates the reader's attention. Knowing such nuances will help to remake any ready-made drawing at your discretion, if the scheme and dimensions of the designed chicken coop for some reason for local conditions are not suitable.
- Humidity. The room should be moderately dry. Raw chicken coop is one of the main causes of bird disease. Hence, it is necessary to consider how to properly organize ventilation.
- Temperature( ºС). Optimal values: in winter - within 12, in summer - no more than 24( its increase will sharply reduce the ability of chickens to sweep).
- Lighting. Birds love light, so you have to think about installing a lamp in the henhouse. If there is no great need in summer, then in winter, when the light day is significantly reduced, artificial illumination will necessarily be required. Given the number of chickens( 10) and the corresponding dimensions of the house, it is enough to place 1 light bulb in it for 60 - 75 W.
- Security. First, from extraneous annoying sounds: chickens do not like noise. Secondly, from predators and rodents. The first if they do not have time to strangle the chickens, then the laid eggs will be killed with a high probability. Rodents are no less dangerous, because they are the main carriers of infections, from which the chickens get sick and die.
- The ability to freely mix. To grow chickens and provide conditions for a good laying of eggs( there is such a term - egg-laying) of one house is clearly not enough. We also need a small playground for poultry.
Now you can go to the issue of building a chicken coop. As indicated - a small, 10 chickens.
Preparatory activities
Drawing
The experience of breeding chickens shows that for 10 individuals there is enough a house for 4 - 5 m².If possible, it is advisable to bring the area of the coop to 6 - 7. Firstly, for different breeds of chickens - its "standards"; secondly, if the number of livestock is slightly increased, there is no need to redo something.
The poultry field should be located on the side of the house, which is illuminated most of the day.
Basically, these are the main recommendations. All the rest is the architecture of the hen house, its exterior facing is at the master's discretion.
Site selection
One should be guided by such requirements:
- For 1 individual - not less than 1 m ² of the paddock area. Plus - the house itself.
- The segment of the territory on which the chicken coop is built should be well lit. Therefore, it is not recommended to place it in the shadow of high objects( houses, trees, solid fences).
- When choosing a place for a hen house, you must consider the probability of flooding the house and the site with rain( thawed) water. Proceeding from this, they can not be built in the lowland.
- It is advisable to place the chicken coop as far as possible from residential buildings and roads: the bird needs peace and quiet.
Selection of materials
It is difficult to give recommendations on this item. First, every owner in the reserve always has some material left from the construction of the house, the summer kitchen, the fence or something else. Secondly, an important detail - financial opportunities. But one piece of advice will not be superfluous.
For chicken coops, wood and polycarbonate are optimal. In the latter case, the sheets are cellular. They keep the heat well and ensure the constancy of the microclimate in the building.
The process of building a chicken coop
Layout of
The size of the chicken coop( house + playground) has been said. If there is a possibility, then the structure should be arranged so that the windows get as much light as possible.
Site preparation
- It needs to be aligned, and so that a small slope is obtained. This is necessary for the natural removal of water from the chicken coop during( and after) precipitation. Perhaps you have to think about the device on this segment of the drainage system.
- To protect against rodents from below, it is advisable to arrange a "barrier"( previously a small layer of soil is removed).Clay is taken, and a glass battle is added to it. This mass is laid out layer throughout the site.
- On top it is desirable to pour keramzit. It will provide additional warming of the bottom( floor) of the coop.
Foundation
In any construction, this is the most expensive stage. Given the small mass of the coop, the optimal solution is the foundation of a pile or columnar type foundation. It is not difficult to mount such a foundation with your own hands, and you will not have to do large-scale excavations, damaging the root system of the plantations.
Screw piles are simply screwed into the ground, and a headband is mounted on each. With the pillars is somewhat more difficult - you have to drill holes. As supports, it is possible to use pipes - metal or asbestos-cement pipes. Since seasonal soil displacements are not uncommon, they will have to be strengthened. Insert reinforcing rods inside the pipes( the central one should be slightly raised for binding to the support frame) and the concrete solution is poured.
House
The process of erecting walls and overlapping( roof) is not worth describing, because in fact - this is a small box( frame), trimmed with boards. But there are some features that require more detailed consideration.
Door
In the lower part of the canvas( or on the side) - a poultry hat is sufficient( 30 x 30 enough) with a small paddle.
Windows
The main requirement is that their total area should be at least 0.1 of the same floor parameter. And how many windows to put - 1 large or 3-4 small - the owner decides.
Walls
Regardless of the material, they need to be insulated. When choosing a heat insulator, you need to focus on its vapor permeability, otherwise the dampness in the henhouse can not be avoided. From these positions, polystyrene( expanded polystyrene) disappears. As a rule, a layer of mineral wool is laid, and on top - a thin board or multilayer plywood. This is enough to not think about the artificial heating of the chicken coop.
Floor
The principle is the same - double decking, between the layers of which a heater is laid. With the inclusion of expanded clay podsypki enough to keep the hen house warm.
Roof
Optimal schemes - single- or double-sided. Also - insulation and waterproofing.
Interior decoration
Ventilation
This can be both pipes and technological holes. But it is necessary with the ability to regulate air flow. Their location: supply - in any far corner, exhaust - over the roost.
El / wiring
Only outdoor, and in boxes. This is a standard requirement for all wooden buildings.
Nasties
Reiki, necessarily not just planed, but also polished. The height of the floorboards is about 75 cm. In the hen house there are few for 10 individuals of one perch, so at least three, at the same level, are set at intervals of half a meter. Under such conditions, chickens will not interfere with each other.
Layers for layers
One is enough for 3 - 4 birds. Consequently, for four chickens there will be enough of four. There are many options for their design, but the requirements are the same. The width and height are at least 35, but the depth is somewhat larger - about 40( cm).
Litter
This is not only convenience for laying hens, but also additional warming of the coop. Not only the nests are laid down, but also the floor in the room. Variants - straw, sawdust, peat. The main thing is to change it in a timely manner. Normal humidity and cleanliness are indispensable conditions for comfortable living of the inhabitants of the coop.
Poultry field
Its dimensions are already indicated. It is easy to equip - poles around the perimeter + grid-rabitsa. What to consider? For more intensive care of moisture from the territory, in addition to the slope of the site, care should be taken to ensure that the liquid is well absorbed into the soil. Therefore, it is impossible to concrete it or "roll it" into asphalt. The best option is to cover the ASG, only with fine filler fractions. Chickens like to peck pebbles( for better digestion of feed), so do not use something else for "flooring".
The basic recommendations for the construction and arrangement of the chicken coop are given. And which option to choose - entirely at the discretion of a respected reader. Success in the construction of a mini-house and a good "harvest" of eggs!
