As a new chicken keeper, creating a proper home for your flock is one of the most important things you should do. The needs of your chicken coop remain the same, although there are a lot of decisions to make. To ensure that your chickens remain healthy, happy, and safe, here is a list of essentials.
All living things require water to survive. Make sure your coop is equipped with a waterer. Ensure that the waterer you choose is both secure and durable. Make sure that you elevate any open pans or troughs you may have so your chickens cannot knock bedding into them. To ensure your birds have access to fresh water, you can use a fountain or an automatic waterer. Whatever type of waterer you use, always ensure that it's clean.
In case of spills or malfunctions, you may need to consider purchasing more waterers for your chickens. During cold weather, you can also purchase heated waterers to keep the water supply from freezing if your coop is not heated.
Check out GREAT DIY Waterer ideas as created by our members HERE!
There are several types of feeders you can purchase for a chicken coop, just as there are different styles of waterers. Placing an open feeder on bricks or another type of stand will keep your chickens' feed free of contamination. You can also get hanging feeders that keep the food safe and prevent birds from roosting on them. Make sure your birds can't spill their food on the ground if the feeder is close to the ground.
Additionally, make sure your chickens do not get their water into the feeder. Moisture can cause mold to grow on feed, leading to other problems. Also, be sure to provide equal access to food to all your chickens. Often, birds squabble around the feeder as a result of flocks' pecking order. Make sure everyone has enough food available at all times to prevent bullying.
Check out AWESOME DIY Chicken Feeders as created by our members HERE!
Bedding plays an important role in keeping your birds healthy and free of disease. Having enough clean, dry bedding in the coop makes cleaning it easier because it soaks up moisture and odors. During the winter, bedding also helps insulate the coop. Furthermore, your chickens will enjoy pecking at it all day long as they scratch and claw at it.
Learn more about bedding for your chicken coop HERE!
It is essential that hens lay their eggs in a safe and secluded area. Nest boxes must be provided to them in sufficient numbers. It makes it easy for you to collect eggs in the morning because your hens will lay in designated areas when they use these boxes. A nest box need not be complicated. It is simply a matter of providing your hens with a comfortable and covered space. Maintain a clean box, provide dry bedding for your birds, or use a chicken nesting pad if they need it.
For your flock, there should be enough nesting boxes-one per five hens is a general rule, but you should keep an eye on your flock to ensure everyone has enough space. Squabbling and overcrowding can inhibit laying, resulting in fewer healthy eggs and unhappy birds.
Learn more about nesting boxes HERE!
Many chicken breeds like to sleep in high places. Among other things, this instinct protects them from predators, and it also helps reduce their risk of contracting diseases as opposed to sleeping on the floor with their litter and dirty bedding. To keep your chickens comfortable at night, get them a roosting bar or other perch. Make sure you provide plenty of perching spots for your flock. Chickens will fight over roosts too, so make sure each bird has a safe, secure place to sleep.
In the same vein, you should keep the roosting bars clean. You also might want to smooth out the bars on the top so that your chickens have a more comfortable resting place.
Further Reading:
Here's another interesting discussion around the topic:
Chickens are extremely hardy creatures, with the ability to regulate their temperature naturally. Nevertheless, you should still monitor the temperature of your coop. Winter winds as well as other harsh elements can be kept out by a well-insulated coop.
In addition, you should have some kind of heating element if you have or plan to have chicks. Heat lamps and thermometers in their brooders are vital for the proper care of chicks because they cannot regulate their own body temperatures.
Further Reading:
The chicken is a clever bird, and it loves playing just as much as us humans do. While you might not consider toys a necessity for chicken coops, they do make great ways to entertain your birds during the day. A popular option for chickens is the chicken swing since it appeals to both their playful and desire to be up high.
Giving them balls or plastic children's toys is another option, which will keep them occupied. Providing treats for your birds is also a great way to keep them entertained. A head of lettuce or cabbage can be hung and used as a pinata in the coop.
Further Reading:
Dust bathing is important for chickens because it keeps them clean. The dust removes excess oil from the chickens' skin and can even kill parasites. Dust bathing kills parasites by covering them in dust which suffocates them. You have to make sure your run has an area of dry loose dirt and sand that your chickens can dust bathe in and you also have to make sure that the area is protected from becoming a big muddy mess in the rain.
To keep the dust bathing area from getting wet try to put a roof over it. Those hens with access to the outdoors will have no problem finding dust bathing spots.
Further Reading:
What makes ventilation so important? It's because chickens produce a lot of moisture, ammonia, and heat.
There is no need for a run at all if your birds can't free-range, but it's a good idea if they can't. When you're not able to keep an eye on them, a run provides your chickens with an area to roam, scratch, and play. Ensure your chicken run is spacious enough that all of your chickens can freely roam without encountering conflict. Furthermore, the run should ideally be predator-proof. In order to keep out large predators like dogs, your fence should be sturdy enough to provide protection.
As a precaution, you should bury your fence posts at least a few inches underground so that predators will not dig beneath and get to your chickens. Additionally, to keep hawks and other aviary predators from getting into the run, you can install mesh and fencing overhead.
Further Reading:
All of these are great essentials for your chicken coop to keep your flock healthy and happy. Which ones do you have? Let us know in the comments!
If you liked this list, check out some of the other great lists we have here: BYC Top Lists!
Chicken Waterers
All living things require water to survive. Make sure your coop is equipped with a waterer. Ensure that the waterer you choose is both secure and durable. Make sure that you elevate any open pans or troughs you may have so your chickens cannot knock bedding into them. To ensure your birds have access to fresh water, you can use a fountain or an automatic waterer. Whatever type of waterer you use, always ensure that it's clean.
In case of spills or malfunctions, you may need to consider purchasing more waterers for your chickens. During cold weather, you can also purchase heated waterers to keep the water supply from freezing if your coop is not heated.
Check out GREAT DIY Waterer ideas as created by our members HERE!
Chicken Feeders
There are several types of feeders you can purchase for a chicken coop, just as there are different styles of waterers. Placing an open feeder on bricks or another type of stand will keep your chickens' feed free of contamination. You can also get hanging feeders that keep the food safe and prevent birds from roosting on them. Make sure your birds can't spill their food on the ground if the feeder is close to the ground.
Additionally, make sure your chickens do not get their water into the feeder. Moisture can cause mold to grow on feed, leading to other problems. Also, be sure to provide equal access to food to all your chickens. Often, birds squabble around the feeder as a result of flocks' pecking order. Make sure everyone has enough food available at all times to prevent bullying.
Check out AWESOME DIY Chicken Feeders as created by our members HERE!
Chicken Coop Bedding
Bedding plays an important role in keeping your birds healthy and free of disease. Having enough clean, dry bedding in the coop makes cleaning it easier because it soaks up moisture and odors. During the winter, bedding also helps insulate the coop. Furthermore, your chickens will enjoy pecking at it all day long as they scratch and claw at it.
Learn more about bedding for your chicken coop HERE!
Nesting Boxes
It is essential that hens lay their eggs in a safe and secluded area. Nest boxes must be provided to them in sufficient numbers. It makes it easy for you to collect eggs in the morning because your hens will lay in designated areas when they use these boxes. A nest box need not be complicated. It is simply a matter of providing your hens with a comfortable and covered space. Maintain a clean box, provide dry bedding for your birds, or use a chicken nesting pad if they need it.
For your flock, there should be enough nesting boxes-one per five hens is a general rule, but you should keep an eye on your flock to ensure everyone has enough space. Squabbling and overcrowding can inhibit laying, resulting in fewer healthy eggs and unhappy birds.
Learn more about nesting boxes HERE!
Roosting Bars
Many chicken breeds like to sleep in high places. Among other things, this instinct protects them from predators, and it also helps reduce their risk of contracting diseases as opposed to sleeping on the floor with their litter and dirty bedding. To keep your chickens comfortable at night, get them a roosting bar or other perch. Make sure you provide plenty of perching spots for your flock. Chickens will fight over roosts too, so make sure each bird has a safe, secure place to sleep.
In the same vein, you should keep the roosting bars clean. You also might want to smooth out the bars on the top so that your chickens have a more comfortable resting place.
Further Reading:
Here's another interesting discussion around the topic:
Temperature Control
Chickens are extremely hardy creatures, with the ability to regulate their temperature naturally. Nevertheless, you should still monitor the temperature of your coop. Winter winds as well as other harsh elements can be kept out by a well-insulated coop.
In addition, you should have some kind of heating element if you have or plan to have chicks. Heat lamps and thermometers in their brooders are vital for the proper care of chicks because they cannot regulate their own body temperatures.
Further Reading:
Chicken Toys
The chicken is a clever bird, and it loves playing just as much as us humans do. While you might not consider toys a necessity for chicken coops, they do make great ways to entertain your birds during the day. A popular option for chickens is the chicken swing since it appeals to both their playful and desire to be up high.
Giving them balls or plastic children's toys is another option, which will keep them occupied. Providing treats for your birds is also a great way to keep them entertained. A head of lettuce or cabbage can be hung and used as a pinata in the coop.
Further Reading:
Chicken Toys: Why They're Important & How To Provide Them!
Dust Bathing Spots
Dust bathing is important for chickens because it keeps them clean. The dust removes excess oil from the chickens' skin and can even kill parasites. Dust bathing kills parasites by covering them in dust which suffocates them. You have to make sure your run has an area of dry loose dirt and sand that your chickens can dust bathe in and you also have to make sure that the area is protected from becoming a big muddy mess in the rain.
To keep the dust bathing area from getting wet try to put a roof over it. Those hens with access to the outdoors will have no problem finding dust bathing spots.
Further Reading:
- Dust Baths: What they are and why they are important
- Why Chickens Bath In Dust And Not In Water
- Dust bathing – Why, where, and how? Keeping your flock clean and happy.
Coop Ventilation
What makes ventilation so important? It's because chickens produce a lot of moisture, ammonia, and heat.
- Proper ventilation removes moisture, dampness, and humidity from the coop. Chickens generate lots of water vapor, partly through breathing out, and largely through pooing (chickens do not urinate as such - all the water they would be peeing out if they were any other sort of animal is contained in their poo). You might be surprised at how much water they process. Due to all this water, the coop air tends to be humid. As a result of high relative humidity (especially in cooler temperatures), chickens are more susceptible to respiratory diseases and frostbite. Unless the air is clammy, chickens can withstand much cold without frostbite.
- Ventilation is necessary to remove ammonia gas from the coop. The coop's atmosphere will contain some ammonia unless you sit there all the time, ready to whisk each plop of poo to the compost pile as soon as it comes out of the chicken. It does not take that much ammonia to cause subclinical damage to the tissues of the chicken's respiratory tract, which means the chicken will be more susceptible to any respiratory 'bugs' floating around in the environment. If you can smell ammonia, there is enough of it to harm lung tissues.
- During the summer, ventilation helps keep the coop from becoming too hot. In general, chickens thrive in temperatures below about 75 degrees F; over 90 degrees F, they suffer from heat stress, and they can even die if they get too hot, especially larger breeds and heavier-feathered ones. As long as you have proper ventilation in your coop, you should not have any problems with the heat from outside.
- Chicken Coop Ventilation - Go Out There And Cut More Holes In Your Coop!
- Some Thoughts On General Coop Hygiene And Ventilation
The Run
There is no need for a run at all if your birds can't free-range, but it's a good idea if they can't. When you're not able to keep an eye on them, a run provides your chickens with an area to roam, scratch, and play. Ensure your chicken run is spacious enough that all of your chickens can freely roam without encountering conflict. Furthermore, the run should ideally be predator-proof. In order to keep out large predators like dogs, your fence should be sturdy enough to provide protection.
As a precaution, you should bury your fence posts at least a few inches underground so that predators will not dig beneath and get to your chickens. Additionally, to keep hawks and other aviary predators from getting into the run, you can install mesh and fencing overhead.
Further Reading:
- Simple Predator Proof Poultry Run
- Accessorizing Your Run- How to Make Your Run More Fun For Your Chickens
- How To Fix A Muddy Run Chicken Coop
- How To Stop Hawks for 30 cents
All of these are great essentials for your chicken coop to keep your flock healthy and happy. Which ones do you have? Let us know in the comments!
If you liked this list, check out some of the other great lists we have here: BYC Top Lists!
