Chicken Coop Accessories
By now you will be well aware of the basics that you will need to build a chicken coop;
The obvious questions of light air, shelter and protection for your chickens are ones that will have taken up most of your time and energy over the last few days.
Now we have a think about your chicken coop accessories.
When I first started out I was so relieved to have built the coop that when someone asked about the types of chicken coop accessories I had used I nearly threw my paintbrush at them!
Nesting boxes and roosts? Well, to me they were the same thing.
Water troughs and feeders? Wouldn’t ice-cream containers do?
“Crikey” I thought, “They are just birds, chicken coop accessories – who ever thought! I’m sure they can just sleep on the floor and eat off the ground like most animals!”
And then I did think about it some more.
Chickens are animals and their needs are basic. They follow their instincts which tell them to nest, sleep and eat where it is safe and comfortable. That is it.
If you want eggs, then you need to make your chickens comfortable so that they give you those eggs with as little drama as possible.
Maybe it’s the mother in me, maybe not, but I began to imagine being a chicken that was being farmed for her eggs … what I would need to feel comfortable and safe? And I began to see the sense in having chicken coop accessories.
Here is a quick run down on chicken coop accessories to make your girls feel safe and secure;
Nesting Boxes are for laying;
These can be made out of pretty well anything. But just ensure that if it absorbs water and is biodegradable – like cardboard – that you replace it regularly. They can be lined with straw, paper, shavings or hay, but this also needs to be replaced often.
I know that we go on about chickens needing their space, but when it comes to the nesting box they definitely like it cosy, so allow for 4 or 5 chickens per box rather than designing individual nests.
The Roost is where the sleeping is done.
This is the equivalent to a high branch in a tree, so it really only needs to be a sturdy beam that can hold the weight of the chickens. Almost anything that is strong enough will be OK here, just make sure that they can get their talons around it securely and that each chook has enough space to sleep.
An important note when installing a roost is that just as in nature, chickens will fight over the highest branch, so make all the roosts the same height. This will prevent major squabbles and help promote a peaceful environment.
A big tip here; Do not place your nesting boxes or any other chicken coop accessories under your roosts! Chickens do most of their pooing while they sleep – and I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be that keen on laying an egg in a dirty nesting box!
Feeders and Waterers.
These are pretty self explanatory and there are a great variety of automated systems available that will ensure that your flock has a ready supply of fresh food and water.
Sand Baths
These are pretty well the only ‘luxury item’ in the coop. Most people put sand in the bottom of the coop which acts as flooring as well.
Heaters.
If you live in extremely cold areas then these may be installed in your coop with relative ease. There are many heaters available, but many also pose a huge fire risk so installing a heater in your coop should really only be done if absolutely necessary.
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