Mary Allen
Anyone who wants to buy chickens for the garden is confronted with many questions. Some are obvious, others sometimes only arise in the course of chicken farming. Below is a short checklist.
Stable
A chicken coop should be well ventilated but without drafts. According to the law, seven animals up to two kilograms or, if heavier, a maximum of six are allowed per square meter of stable space. Hemp litter, wood shavings, or crushed straws are suitable as bedding.
Interior Design
In the wild, chickens sleep in trees to protect themselves from predators. This instinct is also present in domesticated animals. The law requires at least two perches placed at different heights. They must be at least 50 centimeters from the floor and ceiling (40 centimeters for bantams) and 30 centimeters from the back wall. A chicken is entitled to 14 centimeters of space. One laying nest is required for every five hens.
Outlet
If you want a green chicken coop, each hen offers between five and ten square meters of exercise. There is no legal minimum area and no compulsion to let chickens out at all. For the sake of animal welfare, however, this should be done. The grass must be cut regularly. Depending on the breed, the fence can be between 80 and 200 centimeters high. Hens are happy about a covered sand bath in which they can care for their plumage. This increases their well-being.
Feeding
Because chickens cannot sweat, they cool their bodies with water. This must be fresh and available not only in the chicken coop but also on the run-on warm days. Drinking troughs and feed containers should be positioned at the animals’ shoulder height. By law, a chicken is entitled to 3 centimeters of space around the feeder and 1.5 centimeters at a round drinker.
Health and Authority
Breeding poultry is very resistant. However, it should be well protected from the red mite. A blood-sucking parasite that likes to nest in the coop and “attacks” the chickens while they are sleeping. If nothing is done, the little animals multiply quickly. A severe infestation can mean death for the chickens. In particularly warm and humid times, checks and, if necessary, treatment with commercially available products are indicated. Another disease, bird flu, has meant that every chicken farm has had to be registered with the cantonal veterinary office for a number of years. In some cantons, this is associated with an annual fee. In Zurich, for example, it is 30 francs.
Choice of Breed
From the 500 gram Serama to the five-kilos Brahma, chickens come in all shapes and colors. The plumage is no longer just black, white, or brown. An example is chickens with silver bands: their basic color is silver-white, but each feather is decorated with a filigree black drawing. Anyone who wants to do something good acquires rare, original breeds and thus contributes to their preservation. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether it should be a laying breed or a meat breed. Books about chicken breeds or visiting a poultry exhibition can help.