Mary Allen
The Animal Welfare Ordinance not only regulates the minimum area for a chicken, but it also makes regulations for the interior design of a chicken coop. The “animal world” reveals which aspects need to be taken into account when building a do-it-yourself stable.
A square meter. Six chickens with a bodyweight of over two kilograms must have at least this much space. This is stipulated by the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance (Appendix 1, Table 9-1). But she goes even further. She specifies 50 centimeters as the minimum height for the chicken coop. So that the chickens can perch up at night, they need a perch area 14 centimeters wide. The position of the perch is fixed at a minimum distance of 30 centimeters from the wall. The ordinance also stipulates the space required at the feed/water trough: the minimum for each adult animal is three centimeters at the round automatic feeder and 1.5 centimeters at the round drinking trough. And so that the hens can go about their egg-laying business with peace of mind, at least one laying nest is needed for every five hens.
Everyone must comply with these regulations. However, some breeders of poultry go a step further and have their own principles when building chicken coops. Owners of breeds with feather feet choose a slightly larger chicken door so that the animals can get out of the coop more easily. Some install devices with chains to prevent sparrows from entering the coop through the chicken door. For others, the fully automatic slide that opens the door in the morning and closes it at dusk is the be-all and end-all. The list of important points is long.
Location and Direction Decide
A look at the professionals shows what is important in large chicken coops. Commercial poultry farmers are very concerned with the planning of the barn because when caring for thousands of animals, even the smallest detail in the husbandry can have a significant impact. In the teaching aid for poultry farmers, which is published by Aviforum, the competence center for the Swiss poultry industry, the checklist begins with the choice of location. The location, the cardinal point, and the associated solar radiation can certainly also be taken into account by hobbyists, because wind exposure is not suitable for a conservatory, for example. The floor, walls, and ceiling must be able to be washed with a high-pressure cleaner. This also enables thorough disinfection of the stables. A smooth and joint-free surface is recommended. This prevents bugs from nesting.
In commercial poultry farming, attention is also paid to the thermal insulation of the stables so that the stable temperature remains as balanced as possible and ensures the highest performance of the animals. A protected outdoor climate area is often included in the design of the barn so that the chickens can still get some fresh air in bad weather.
The manure removal from the laying stall is different for professionals than for hobby breeders. It can happen that the manure stays in the manure pit of the stable for up to a year. This has adverse effects on the barn climate and the decomposition process of the released ammonia. An entire training chapter is therefore devoted to the ventilation system. Natural ventilation is based on gravity, which causes warm air to rise and cold air to fall. In some stable construction variants, the air is discharged via chimneys on the ceiling. The movement of the wind on the roof of the stable provides the necessary draft. Quite a good choice for the hobby chicken house. Because mechanical ventilation with fans, as used in the professional sector, is out of the question there. A third ventilation variant would be cross ventilation, which also works when the barn is occupied by young animals and has a lower ventilation rate. Air flows must be taken into account when building the barn so that there are no “dead spots” in the barn.
Artificial lighting is another chapter of professional poultry farmers. The hobby breeder should also think about this because with a lamp the days can be lengthened in the winter months. This ensures a sufficiently extensive laying performance. The Animal Welfare Ordinance states that the length of the day may be supplemented with artificial light to a maximum of 16 hours per day. There is also the point brightness (Art. 67): It prescribes a brightness of at least 5 lux.
Interior Design Has it All
The interior design includes the laying nests, which, according to the professionals, should be installed at a maximum height of 80 centimeters from the ground to make it as easy as possible for the hens to fly to them. When positioning, it is also important to ensure that no direct light enters the laying nest. The hens love slightly darkened corners, which provide a retreat for laying. Wide approach balconies in front of the nests also help the hens to visit them more easily and prevent them from laying their eggs anywhere in the coop. A laying nest should always be easy to clean, which is why durable inserts such as a lawn carpet are particularly suitable. Wood shavings or grain chaff are also suitable for group nests. A good laying nest is easy to clean, so the hen always has a clean place to lay her eggs.
The second interior item in a henhouse is the perch with a dropping board. The chickens spend the night on the porch and also do their business there. Accordingly, most of the dirt collects on the dropping board underneath. To prevent the chickens from hitchhiking in there, it is advisable to cover it with a grid.
The feed and water trough are the last important pieces of furniture in the chicken house. For easy feed intake, both should always be attached at the shoulder height of the animals. This is possible on the one hand by placing wooden boards underneath or hanging them up on a chain. The positioning of the food source should be chosen in such a way that the animals cannot scratch in the litter. Whenever possible, choose a place below the droppings board. This acts as a protective roof and prevents unwanted soiling.