Many urban residents move into private estates, where it is trying to our economy: grow a garden, have chickens. But do not always understand that the high productivity of poultry depends on the conditions of their detention. Chicken, thanks to his instincts, developed in the wild, hiding and resting in the roost, as once in the trees.
Therefore, the birds could be in a comfortable environment and were protected from stress, it is necessary to organize the space of the coop correctly to install special equipment.
The arrangement of the house includes the making of roosts and neststhat meet certain requirements, the main condition of which is the ability of birds to move freely and to eat.
Equipment coop must meet certain size and placement. If you do not follow these requirements, then you can watch as the birds ignore the intended for them the roosts, sleep and go to different nooks.
Requirements to the device of the roost
Starting to make the roost your own hands, you must take into account the physiology, number and breed of chicken that you are going to contain.
As a design used in the daytime and at night, it should fit all adults.
Roost is designed for relaxing and sleeping birds, so it will be placed in a darkened and warm place that is protected from drafts. It is placed away from Windows and doors so the birds could feel safe.
The roosts in the form of sticks do not give chicken a rest, as this prevents the structure of the legs. When the bird sits down, her legs bent in the knee joint, tendons stretch, and muscles contract. With the result that the fingers are compressed and needs to cling to something. What happens if a bird settles on a wooden bar. She grabs his fingers, her claws clinging to the wood. The chicken in this position feels steadily and calmly asleep.
However, too wide planks and sticks, which the bird will not be able to embrace also not suitable. The optimal size for poles under the perch – bar-section 40×60 or 50×50.
One of the main requirements is the height of the perch. Chickens for a small construction height is 60-80 cm, heavy birds raise 80 cm of Birds settling to roost, jump up and fly up slightly, which should serve as a kind of a warm up for the hens.
However, they should not experience difficulties, so the height cannot exceed one meter in height. It is better to make a small staircase, so the chickens could get up without disturbing the neighbors.
The length of the perch corresponds to the width of the house, which, in turn, depends on the number of birds. Laying hens should be free to sit to be comfortable.
So, one individual accounted for approximately 20-30 cm, the distance between the poles is between 30-60 cm.
Too long the straps need to strengthen one or two props so that they do not SAG under the weight of birds. Strap must not exceed more than three meters.
The width of the poles must be done in a half open legs chicken so it will be easier to grasp. The lateral part of the poles must be round.
There are special recommendations on the poultry houses for different breeds of hens. According to them, the optimal size of the perch are: height 90 cm, width of the bar – 4×6 cm, the distance between the bars – 25-30 cm length of the poles I expect about 17-18 chickens, which is equal to 240 cm
The types of perches for the hens laying hens
The most simple device is a structure made of poles laid along the walls and arranged one above the other. In this situation the birds sitting on top will spoil their litter, those who are on lower levels.
Despite the simple design, this roost is not very convenient for laying hens. In such circumstances violates the hygiene content, conflicts can occur between birds for the top places.
The coop with the beams located on the perimeter of the buildings and a few levels more comfortable for the birds. The construction of such roosts will not take much time, their device is quite compact and is devoid of the aforementioned disadvantages.
If you do the mounts at different heights and the perches are removable, it will be much easier to adjust their location.
The portable perch is a kind of table with poles. The design is easily transported and its pretty easy to keep clean. In manufacturing it is more time consuming than fixed.
Box with perch is a variety of table and accommodates the rather limited number of birds.
The creation of a roost for chickens with their hands
To work you need the following tools and materials:
- plane;
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- nails or screws;
- screws;
- sandpaper;
- a wooden beam.
Hardwood timber is pre – treated with a plane, sanded with sandpaper surface, so the birds have not been damaged. The number of poles and their size is calculated in accordance with number, weight, age and breed of birds.
Install support bars (with a length of approximately 60 cm) to a height of 90 cm In cut a recess fixed poles. The distance between them and the wall should be 30-40 cm Design is thus to make it easier to clean the room.
Under the roost it is necessary to arrange the tray for droppings. To this end, on the side walls at a height of 40 cm is attached to the beams, which laid a flooring of boards. The top is a wooden or plastic pallet. The bottom is filled with sawdust or sand for ease of cleaning. If the perch to make a single-tier, the pallet is optional.
In some designs bar suit over the nest at a distance of 30 cm of the Nest in the form of plywood boxes are below, and their tin lids play a role pallets. The advantage of this device is to save space in the coop.
Corner roost is used, if the number of livestock is not very large – up to 20 individuals. The design can be made as single or multi-tiered. In the device it is quite simple, however, in operation, multi-tiered perch have difficulty in cleaning.
Manufacturer of portable roost for hens, hens with their hands
Materials needed:
- Board 15×2 cm – 4 pieces;
- plywood – 1 sheet;
- mesh.
Pre-made box made of boards with a plywood bottom on which you install the grid. On the sides of the box are fixed two bars with notches for poles. Then they laid poles.
Another option perch made from an old table or cobble together new ones. The bench is fixed two plates with notches. After the installation of the poles satisfied the pallet with a net.
Teach the chicken to roost
In order to accustom the bird to the perch need to put a lot of effort, otherwise the chickens will sleep and carry in various angles, ignoring prepared a place for them. If the perch is made all the rules, then you can start to tame him chickens.
Every evening you need to plant hens on perches and gradually the birds begin to develop the reflex – they will settle on the perch. Such attempts may continue for about a week or more.
Nests for chickens with their hands
The arrangement of the socket with your hands allows the hen to hatch eggs in the same place, which allows not to fear for their safety and relative purity. As different species can’t lay at the same time, the nests can be done for 3-5 chickens.
Set nests as well as perches, in a quiet and remote from the door the place does not get direct sunlight. Feature boxes on some height from the floor, as damp and coolness in birds can lead to various diseases.
The function of the nest differ from the roost, so this type of construction has the shape of a box. For this purpose you can use simple cardboard boxes, wicker baskets, wooden or plastic boxes. The size of the container is approximately 30х30х30 cm for medium breeds of hens.
For making nests with your hands you will need the following materials:
- OSB with a thickness of 8-10 mm, plywood;
- screwdriver;
- jigsaws, nail file wood;
- screws, nails;
- blocks of wood 25 mm;
- sandpaper.
The bars cut into pieces of 15 cm (the height of the nest) and treated with sandpaper.
Cut four blanks from plywood or OSB size 15х40 cm, the bottom is made of a square of side 40 cm All items are collected and bolted to the rails with screws or nails.
Complete box set at an angle of approximately 10 degrees. The bottom of the nest is made of straw, hay or sawdust.
Its layer should not be too thick and not to interfere with the movement of the balls.
The design of the box provides a slot and under the bottom you need to make a tray for collecting eggs. The tray is lined with a soft and thick layer of litter so that eggs are not damaged. Upon completion of the box set on a special stage, or attached to the wall. Properly constructed nest provides high productivity of laying hens.
There is a wide variety of structures of the roosts, which involve the use of different materials in order to save on the construction of bird’s “place of rest”. However, the main rule is the creation of comfort and safety for birds. Only in these conditions we can expect good health and increase egg production.
