A Family Guide To Keeping Chickens by Anne Perdeaux Read Free Book Online

50 cm – remember the area under the door
    • Movable housing has many advantages
    • Unlimited free-range may not be practical in an average garden
    • Free-range hens might need protection from daytime predators
    • Electric poultry netting allows chickens to be moved around and keeps predators out
    • Mains power is more reliable, otherwise 12-volt batteries will be required
    • Make sure the energizer is powerful enough to run an efficient fence
    • The correct earth and proper connectors are essential
    • Keep electrified wires away from any material not insulated from the ground
    • It’s important to keep vegetation trimmed and to test the fence regularly
    • Correctly installed electric fencing is safe – but netting may be hazardous to some animals
    • The house should be large enough for all the chickens to roost comfortably, but not so big they can’t keep themselves warm
    • Position the chicken house in a well-drained spot with shade and shelter
    • Check poultry arks for ease of access and headroom for the birds
    • A house raised above ground makes good use of space and avoids creating a home for vermin
    • Cheap housing can be poor economy
    • Look for solid construction and pressure-treated timber in a wooden henhouse
    • In plastic housing check especially for stability, insulation and ventilation
    • The house must be watertight with a roof angled to shed water easily
    • Roofing felt is a haven for red mite
    • Second-hand housing may harbour disease and parasites
    • Both house and run must be secure and strong enough to keep out predators
    • Check for weak spots, especially around doors and nest-boxes
    • Look for sturdy fixings and bolts
    • Chicken wire isn’t strong enough to keep out predators
    • Good ventilation is essential
    • There should be at least one pop-hole as well as a large door
    • The house should have separate nest-boxes with outside access
    • Nest-boxes should be lower than the perches
    • Check manoeuvrability if the house will be moved regularly
    • Make sure the house is easy to clean thoroughly

Quiz
    There are lots of different ways of keeping chickens – how will you keep yours?
    Question One
    If your garden is small, should you:
    (a) Keep as many chickens as you can squeeze in?
    (b) Have just a few chickens and give them as much room as possible?
    (c) You can’t keep chickens unless you have a very large garden
    Question Two
    What happens to the grass in a chicken run?
    (a) The chickens scratch it up and eat it
    (b) It grows very long and has to be cut regularly
    (c) The chickens keep it short by nibbling the tips
    Question Three
    What would be the best place for a henhouse?
    (a) A wet area where there are plenty of puddles
    (b) In the middle of a sunny lawn
    (c) In the shade of a hedge or fence
    Question Four
    Why is it important for a chicken house to be strong and secure?
    (a) To stop the chickens from escaping
    (b) To keep the chickens safe from foxes
    (c) To keep out the cold night air
    Question Five
    What is a pop-hole?
    (a) The little door the chickens use
    (b) An opening for ventilation
    (c) The door to the nest-box
    Answers
    One (b); Two (a); Three (c); Four (b); Five (a)
    Did you know all the answers – or do you need another peek at Chapter 3 ?

Chicken Chat
    ‘Cooped up’: A chicken house is often called a coop. We talk about someone being cooped up if they are shut in a confined space. For example: ‘I wish we didn’t have to be cooped up in this stuffy classroom on such a lovely day!’

Chicken Jokes
    What do chickens have to eat at parties?
    Coop cakes!
    What do you call the door to the chicken house?
    The hen-trance!
Something to do . . .
    Think about how you could keep chickens in your own garden. Find out as much as you can about the various types of chicken housing. If you look on the internet you will find lots of different chicken houses. Study them carefully and see which you like best. Or ask your parents to