Mary Allen
Chickens are wonderful animals that make you happy every day and often give us an egg. Before purchasing the feathered animals, however, there are a number of things to consider and prepare – especially when it comes to the right chicken coop.
The days are getting longer and warmer, and it’s turning lush green around the house. Many are now wondering whether they would like to fulfill their wish of having a few chickens and their own eggs. Why not? After all, chickens are great animals. Nevertheless, as a beginner, you should first have a few thoughts.
The first thing to consider is which zone you live in before you buy or even build a chicken coop yourself. While it is not strictly forbidden to keep chickens in the residential zone, in the agricultural zone you are only allowed to do so in an existing building. Only a farmer is allowed to build new buildings there, or if it can be proven that the yield of the chickens contributes significantly to the income of the keeper. A new building just for the hobby is still not allowed there.
Once the living area has been decided, the location of the henhouse should be carefully considered. The front of the stall should not face the weather side. If this is unavoidable, an appropriate canopy must be planned. And now the second hurdle has to be cleared – namely the question of how big the barn should be and whether a building permit is required. The best thing to do is to go to the municipal administration first and get your bearings there.
The neighbors are often the biggest hurdle to overcome. While some are happy that more life is moving into the quarters with the chickens, others are annoyed when a chicken cackles loudly when it lays its egg. And if you want to treat the future flock of hens to a rooster as boss, it’s definitely worth talking to your neighbors first. If these talks go well, planning can begin.
The Number Determines the Size
Would you like to get as many eggs as possible with as few hens as possible and therefore buy laying hybrids? Or should it be purebred chickens that don’t lay as many eggs but are more long-lived and that contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and the preservation of old breeds? Should it even be one of the only three genuine Swiss breeds, the Appenzeller Spitzhaube, the Appenzeller Barthen, or the Swiss chickens? Or would you like to keep a miniature breed, for example for reasons of space? There are innumerable possibilities. However, they must be clarified before you start buying or building a house.
The size of the barn is not only determined by the chicken breed. If you later want to raise chicks or have a mother hen in charge, you need a stall with several compartments or several smaller stalls. But the outlet is also important. Although this is not mandatory by law, for a hobby owner it is unthinkable that he cannot let his animals outside every day.
However, if you keep too many chickens in too small a space, the turf will soon be destroyed, the run brown and without any vegetation. Not only does it look ugly, but it can also become a source of disease. And the neighbors would not be happy about this sight either. As a rule of thumb, there should be at least ten square meters of green space for each chicken. During the main growing season, you may have to cut the grass. However, one should not forget the early spring and autumn, when it is wet and humid and the grass grows little or not at all. Then you are happy if the turf still holds in the outlet.
Ideally, you dig the fence about 30 to 40 centimeters into the ground so that the fox has no way of getting into the yard, and cover the outlet with a suitable net that also protects the animals from birds of prey. There are clear legal regulations for the size of the barn. A maximum of six chickens that weigh more than two kilograms or seven animals that weigh less than two kilograms are allowed per square meter. However, the hobby owner will not want to reach this maximum number. Three to four animals per square meter are still enough. In the barn, there must be seating for the chickens at least two different heights. The distance between the perches must be at least thirty centimeters.
Every Beginning is Complex
Space must be available above the seating: fifty centimeters for the heavier breeds, 40 centimeters for the lighter ones. The same applies to the distance to the bow for both weight classes. Each animal must have at least 14 centimeters of space on the seats. A table with the legal requirements can be found on the Small Animals Switzerland website.