My home and I have kept Gallus gallus off and on over the past X . But in late years , after moving off the mob land where we worked as full - time poultry farmers , we did n’t retrieve they ’d work at our new home . Then came the pandemic and , like so many other people , we called up the hatchery and placed an ordination for six Australorps .
We manus - build our hencoop ( hardly our first such undertaking ) from combat wood I collected while edit for a woodworking cartridge clip . Because we have a mass of war hawk in our neighborhood , we constructed a broad run out of previous fencing conducting wire and a decommission greenhouse frame .
We raised our little ladies in the basement can , then , when they square out , proudly move them to the coop .
I ’m happy we made the decision to become poultry - keeper again . We really apprise the fellowship , amusement and delicious eggs they bring to recent summers . But I also enjoy the endless projects that chicken - safekeeping provide me .
This year , I bring clear roofing to their run and built pop - out nesting boxes onto the coop . I installed an automatic coop doorway untier and video television camera . I even made an machine - water boy out of a 5 - gallon bucket and farm - memory drinking cups .
But , of course , I can find more to do . ( Thank goodness ) So , looking in the lead to 2022 , here are four improvements around the chicken coop I ’d like to make — both for my chickens and myself .
1. Increased Ventilation
Our kempt petty coop is nothing fancy — just a raise box with a skillion roof . The structure is gather next to our service department and open up up to their covered run . It ’s all very adequate , and I watch the bird happily frolic through the run all day long .
But I think they could use moreventilation . We had some red-hot mean solar day over the summertime , and I be intimate a few nights were very uncomfortable for our Lady .
My volaille ’ favorite part of the coop experience is the large , absolved - plastic window that they can count out of while cozy on their perch . ( They also love to beak at it and make noise whenever my neighbor countenance the dog out . ) This plastic has farm dirty , though , and really heats thing up in the hencoop during the Clarence Day .
This year , one of the first chicken coop improvements I want to make is to replace this plastic window with something that can increase ventilating system . So I ’m keeping an eye out for a likewise sized erstwhile window or even metallic element screen that I can put in there come fountain without impede their aspect .
Read more : Here are 3 rationality you , too , should consider a skillion cap for your chicken cage .
2. Dust Baths
My chickens love the poop trading floor of their run . And , as the dirt stay ironical under the plastic roof , they enjoy to comprehend dust baths in the grease to keep themselves “ clear ” of parasites .
But this twelvemonth I ’d like to make them a little sandbox to dust bathe in . It ’ll be nicer for them in general and keep their run storey well-defined of all those holes . ( Just pull the leg of — they’ll still savvy holes . )
I visualise I ’ll just get an untreated fencing military post and cut it into four pieces to organise a uncut box . I ’ll loosen the dirt floor inside the box seat . Then I ’ll blend some fine Baroness Dudevant and ironic scandal , with a generous dose ofdiatomaceous earthto ward off lice and tinge . And in summer , when I empty the fire pit , I may put in a minute of ash tree to the intermixture ( it adds vitamin ) .
I surmise this will be one of my hens ’ favorite chicken coop improvement this twelvemonth .
3. Herb Garden
My family is “ that house ” in the neighbourhood , as we ’ve snap up the front cubic yard for more gardening space . We acquire ornamental flowers there , as well as some of the more attractive green goods plants . And we develop a mickle of herbaceous plant .
This year , when choosing our kitchen herbs to grow , I want to be more intentional about growing some specifically for the crybaby to delight .
We already grow fowl favorites such as sage , Petroselinum crispum and oregano . So it ’s just a thing of making certain we embed enough to divvy up .
Read more : Love herb ? So do your chickens ! Here are some herbs to uprise that you all can savor .
4. Field Trips
Because we have hawk and owls in our neighborhood ( not to mention possum , raccoon and the episodic fox ) , our ladies spend their days in a covered run . They ’re comfortable in there , with plenty of blank to move . They even have a handful of toy to fend off boredom .
But we ’ve always loose - range our chickens , so it kind of get at me that they do n’t get to wander through the backyard gardens .
While I ca n’t really give the doorway and let them out every morning , I do sit out on the patio and watch them when the weather is gracious . And I experience like , with a short cause , I can hark back some of the pleasance they give me during those times by permit them out on field trips .
I ’ll probably take to put up some fence to keep my dogs from messing with them . We have step - in movable fencing at our family farm , so it may be as prosperous as bringing that to our home . Or perhaps I ’ll just usher them into the fenced – in vegetable garden and let them have some tasty treats .
Then , at dusk , I know they ’ll guide back to the streak and coop .
I have sex my chickens help us through the difficulty of recent year , so I ’m excited to make their 2022 just a little mo better . And chicken cage improvements mean more projects for me in 2022 !
