AZ Prepper
11-01-2009, 01:17 PM
Egg Laying Chickens
http://www.byexample.com/homestead/livestock/egg_laying_chickens.html
http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn ... plans.html (http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn/chicken_coop_plans.html)
http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn ... boxes.html (http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn/chicken_nesting_boxes.html)
We've had our egg laying chickens for about 8 months. It's my first experience raising chickens and there has been a lot to learn.
Egg Laying Chickens for Beginners
When we first decided to raise chickens our coop was not yet constructed, but we went ahead and made arrangements to buy a half dozen pullets (young hens) from a nearby farm. Since our farm was not equipped with a space suitable for raising baby chicks, buying pullets was our best option even though it cost a bit more than if we had bought the chicks ourselves. Most of the farms in this area get their baby chicks by mail order and our chickens are no different...they came to Concho by mail.
Our chickens were raised by Moonrise Farms until May, when they were 8 weeks old and in their pullet phase. Spring has a way of sneaking up and we were still clambering to get our chicken coop together in time to receive our chickens on delivery day. With a few extra hands to help and a lot of long days we managed to get the coop fully built on time.
When the time came to pick up the chickens, we realized that we hadn't really worked out a good method for transporting the pullets. In a pinch, we emptied out our largest plastic storage containers and used those for carrying the chickens. Thankfully the chickens only had to ride in the back of the station wagon for a couple miles.
We've since bought a large animal crate that will work much better for transporting chickens. We're also fixing up an old truck, which will be better suited to our farm needs.
Chicken Feeders
When we first brought the pullets home, we put them on a diet of chicken starter crumbles. When they started to lay eggs we changed their feed over to chicken layer pellets. Our chickens seem to prefer the pellets, though other folks say their flocks prefer the crumbles. We use a 40 pound hanging feeder, it works great because it prevents chickens from stepping into the feed trough and fouling the food. Hanging the chicken feeder will also keep mice from getting into it.
Currently we supply fresh water to our chickens using a five gallon galvanized chicken waterer on simple cinder block platform. Having the waterer up off the ground keeps the water supply clean by preventing chickens from easily stepping into the trough. We've done our best to discourage our hens from sitting on top of the waterer and have placed a chicken wire "crown" on top of it.
Availability of fresh water affects egg production and we frequently wash out and refill the waterer. Our flock is particular about their water and if the waterer runs dry they make quite a fuss until the matter is addressed. We are moving towards an automated watering system. Once it is in place we will eliminate the task of filling the chicken waterer and our chickens will always have access to an uncontaminated water supply.
Chicken Roosts
At night chickens like to roost. We've given our chickens several bars to stand on while they sleep. The roosting bars are all at the same height (about three feet off the ground) and provide enough space for all the chickens to stand comfortably, shoulder to shoulder. We originally used a ladder like design for our roost, but all of the hens wanted to be on the top rung!
I've read that sometimes you need to show your chickens where to roost if they don't do it instinctively, but our chickens had no problems finding their roost.
Egg Laying Chicken Breeds
After getting our first flock settled we expanded almost immediately by adding another 6 pullets for a total of 12 egg laying hens. The addition of new chickens caused a degree disruption in the hen house that we weren't really expecting. In the future we'll merge 2 flocks by keeping them side by side in a divided coop until they became familiar with one another.
The dozen chickens that we have are of two breeds: Leghorn and Rhode Island Reds. The Leghorns are white and have proven to be very good producers. They started laying eggs about a month before the Reds and consistently produce large or extra large white eggs. The Rhode Island Reds have a more friendly disposition and lay brown eggs. They are a little larger in size than the Leghorns and seem to be moderate producers.
Because of their continuously high productivity, we've already determined that our next flock will also be Leghorns. The chart above compares our 2 breeds and illustrates the superior production levels exhibited by the Leghorns.
Chicken Egg Laying Behaviors
Egg Production
We've been monitoring egg production for the last 2 months and have been amazed that our number of eggs per day have been fairly steady even through the winter. We'd heard about chickens not laying eggs or only laying a very few eggs through the cold winter months. We have been surprised to find that our chickens have continued to produce eggs and attribute it partly to the warmth of our insulated passive solar barn. Winter temperatures inside the barn, which is partially devoted to our chicken coop range from 35 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. We will continue to monitor egg laying behaviors in order to learn more about how different factors effect egg production.
This chart shows the seven day average, which is simply the average for the last 7 days. In the above graphs the 7 day average is shown for each day of the month. By looking at the 7 day average, trends can be more easily observed when compared to daily graphs like this:
How Many Eggs
In theory each chicken can lay one egg per day. In our flock if a dozen eggs are laid in one day it represents 100% productivity. At our current average of 80% productivity our 12 hens lay 9 to 10 eggs per day. In early November our average productivity was higher at 90%. We believe that the reduction in egg productivity can be attributed to the colder winter temperatures and shorter daylight hours.
Chicken Feed
We've also begun to track food consumption. In our insulated passive solar barn our 10 month old hens now consume layer pellet at a rate of 2 ounces per chicken per day. In the morning we throw about a pound of scratch onto the ground in the outdoor chicken yard. Throwing it onto the ground encourages the chickens to scratch for bugs and forage for food. We also throw table scraps to the chickens several times through out the day, including vegetables, meat and anything that we would eat even if it is slightly spoiled. They seem to like variety.
Supplemental Chicken Light
As light began to fade this fall we installed an automated light system to supplement the sunlight coming through the South facing window of the barn. The chickens now get a total of 13 hours of light inside the chicken coop. The automatic light system consists of a photocell that senses light, a plug-in timer and a light fixture with a compact fluorescent bulb. The timer is set to turn on the light at 5 a.m. and shut off at 6 p.m. However, when the photocell senses daylight coming through the window, it cuts power to the light. For an off grid homestead this chicken light system works great, because it minimizes power consumption and you don't even have to flip a switch.
We think that the steady supply of light in our chicken coop has contributed to good wintertime egg production. If you are interested in giving it a go, a quick and easy automated chicken light timer like one these two solutions should do the trick:
Automatic Chicken Light Timer - Method 1
Set a basic plug-in timer to come on at 5 a.m. and off at 6 p.m.
Next plug in a dusk-to-dawn photocell (plug in type) into timer.
Then plug in a trouble light and place the light in the chicken house.
Make sure your timer and photocell are placed where the photocell can be activated by Sun light.
The timer will provide for a 13 hour light cycle and the photocell will shut off the light when it detects sunlight.
Automatic Chicken Light Timer - Method 2
Set a basic plug-in timer to come on at 5 a.m. and off at 6 p.m.
Next plug in a trouble light and place the light in the chicken house.
Then screw in a duck-to-dawn photocell (screw-in type) into your trouble light's light socket.
Make sure your photocell points away from the reflector on your trouble light or the light will flicker.
The timer will provide for a 13 hour light cycle and the photocell will shut off the light when it detects sunlight.
Chicken Nesting Boxes
Though we first installed communal nest boxes in the chicken coop, we quickly modified the nesting boxes to achieve better results.
We've modified our chicken nesting boxes and it has made a huge difference in the behavior of our egg laying chickens.
Low Egg Production
This past fall our egg production numbers fell significantly when our chickens developed a habit for routinely eating eggs. After a bit of research we decided to modify the nesting boxes, from large communal boxes to shoe box size nesting spaces.
The birds actually seem to be more comfortable with the smaller nesting boxes. In fact, we had a few birds who used to lay their eggs on the floor instead of in the communal nesting boxes. After modifying the nesting boxes, all of the birds lay their eggs in the nests.
The smaller nesting boxes also prevent the chickens from fouling their nests and kicking the straw onto the floor. As a result we are getting eggs that are much, much cleaner than before and we are using less straw.
Since we made the changes to our nesting boxes 3 months ago we also haven't seen any signs of egg eating by our chickens. We believe that the smaller nesting boxes are the main reason for the improvement of our flock's behavior. With the new nesting boxes in place egg production levels have returned to normal.
Dimensions of Chicken Nesting Boxes
After observing our chickens we would agree that the new dimensions of the nesting boxes seem to suit our small flock. We have a dozen chickens total and two breeds: Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds.
After subdividing the 2 large communal nesting boxes into 6 smaller nesting boxes the approximate dimensions of each nesting box are:
Width: 12"
Depth: 12"
Height: 9"
The entrance to each of the nests is smaller still:
Width: 9"
Height: 6"
The smaller entrances serve several functions. We have found that we need about 2" of straw in the bottom of each nest to keep the eggs from being accidentally cracked when they are laid. The smaller entrances help to hold the straw in the nest and keep the eggs safe. They also give the nest boxes a dim, cave-like feel. Our chickens do seem to prefer the small, dark and cozy nest boxes. Since they are several feet above floor level, we also provided a perch in front of the nest box entrances to create easy access for our chickens.
When building nest boxes it makes a lot of sense to size the boxes to the birds that will be using them. We chose the nesting box dimensions above to prevent the birds from standing in the nests. In our experience standing in the nest encourages several undesirable behaviors: egg eating, scratching straw onto the floor and fouling the nests. The shorter nest boxes prevent these behaviors and reduce dirty, cracked and pecked eggs.
Nest Box Plans
There are plenty of nest box plans out there and most of them are pretty basic. Some nest box plans are more sophisticated and even incorporate "egg chutes" for moving eggs out of the nest to prevent egg eating. Once we managed to eliminate egg eating within our flock we decided to stick with our fairly simple nest box design. However we made one more major improvement to our chicken nesting boxes that has made daily egg collection an even simpler task.
Our nest boxes are located inside the chicken coop, which is inside our passive solar barn. In the first version of our nest boxes, eggs could only be collected by entering the chicken coop. The frequent intrusions into the coop not only disturbed the birds, but almost always left my shoes covered in muck.
To improve the situation, we built doors on the back side of the nest boxes that allow egg collection from outside of the chicken coop. When we first discussed this plan, I was worried that the eggs might roll out onto the floor when the doors were opened for egg collection. To prevent this from happening, we included a 2" lip on the back of each of the nest boxes to keep the straw and eggs in the nest.
The nest box doors make egg collecting easy and clean. I would recommend a similar configuration to anyone looking for nest box plans that are both simple and functional.
Our Chicken Coop
Outdoor Chicken Yard
We want our chickens to be happy, but safe. In our region there are many predators that endanger free roaming chickens. Besides coyote which are prevalent in the area, there have been sightings of both mountain lions and wolves in the vicinity. Several of our neighbors have lost hens to these predators, even chickens that were thought to be protected by fenced-in yards.
In addition, we took the threat of avian flu into consideration when designing our outdoor chicken habitat. With rampant news about the dangers and spread of avian flu we decided that our coop needed to be enclosed on the top as well as the sides to prevent migrating birds from entering the coop in search of food and water. In the future we plan to provide a watering hole on the other side of our property for migrating birds.
Building a Secure Chicken Yard
You might remember our experiments with geodesic domes... We used our geodesic dome tent as a storage space for more than a year. During that time the tarp cover succumbed to the harsh elements and eventually shredded. We agreed that while the dome shape made a decent temporary shelter, the effort that would be required to make another cover was not worth the gain. Instead we decided to re-appropriate the dome frame for our outdoor chicken habitat.
To cover the dome we cut chicken wire into triangles and attached each triangle to the dome with tie wire. We interlaced each of the seams to securely enclose the dome. Around the outside of the base of the dome, we dug a trench about 6" deep and 8" wide. We lined the bottom and one side of the trench with chicken wire, overlapping the dome frame with the chicken wire and securing it to the frame with tie wire. We filled the trench with sharp metal scraps left over from other projects and then covered it over. The trench is designed to deter any animals that might try to dig their way into the chicken dome.
The chicken dome looks cool, but rectangular structures offer adequate stability for a lot less work and effort. In addition, we've discovered that its quite a challenge to catch a chicken in a round space. In a rectangular space, chickens can be easily cornered and caught. The verdict...no more domes.
Chicken Coop
The chicken dome abuts the barn and there is an entryway leading from the outdoor chicken yard to the interior chicken coop. The passage way has a guillotine style door that can be raised or lowered from inside the barn via a rope and pulley system. We looked into using a doggie door, but our research showed that chickens weren't prone to push through a door.
Nesting Boxes
The interior chicken coop also houses the nest boxes. We first experimented with communal nesting boxes, which are large and unsegmented. This has not really been that successful. We've had trouble keeping the straw in the boxes, as well as keeping them clean. We have several improvements planned for our nest boxes. First, we will segment the nest boxes so that each compartment is just large enough for one bird. In addition the boxes will be shorter, which we theorize will keep the chickens from standing in their nests and thereby from fouling their nests. Next, we will make the lip on the front of the boxes higher in order to keep the straw from being pushed out so easily.
When our chickens first started laying, we immediately had problems with the chickens eating their eggs! To correct the problem we identified and quarantined the instigating chicken. It was easy to tell which one she was by the egg on her beak and feathers. We also placed burlap curtains over the nest boxes to reduce the light in the boxes. In my research I found that while chickens need ample light to maintain their health, too much light in the nest boxes can cause them to be anxious and break their eggs and then learn to eat them. To break the egg eating habit we collected eggs every half hour for about a week. We've pretty much taken care of the egg eating problem and now only find pecked eggs on occasion.
Chicken Roost
Our chicken roost is also a work in progress. We first started with a roost that looked a bit like a ladder. As it turned out the birds all fought for the top rung, which created discontent within the flock. Now our roosts are all on the same level and order is restored to the flock, but the birds are able to stand in the droppings that collect under the roost. We'd like to prevent this unsanitary behavior and will be rethinking the roosts.
Passive Solar Barn Plans
Barn Construction
The design and construction of our passive solar barn has many of the same features as our passive solar greenhouse. It is stick-frame construction and will be insulated with blown cellulose (hopefully before winter hits). There are three double-pane windows and 2 doors that provide ample ventilation when open. The interior is painted with white exterior house paint in order to protect the walls from animal droppings, as well as to brighten the space. The chicken coop occupies one side of the barn and is situated on a concrete pad that can be easily sanitized.
Egg Laying Chickens & Breeding Rabbits
We designed this barn to house our chickens, as well as our rabbits. The chicken coop is located on one side of the barn, while the rabbits cages will be placed on the opposite side of the barn. We plan to keep between 10 and 20 egg laying chickens in the coop for a steady supply of eggs.
Benefits of a Passive Solar Barn
The roof overhangs the South side of the structure and its placement is designed to let light in during the winter and to block light during the summer. One of the South facing windows is located in the chicken coop. During the winter light will pass into the chicken coop and heat the concrete pad. The thermal mass of the concrete pad will store the heat and help to keep the chickens warm during the winter months. Once the structure is insulated the daytime heat will be stored within the barn to offset colder nighttime temps. We hope that during the winter the warmer temperatures and extra light will keep our chickens happy and that we will continue to get eggs throughout the colder seasons.
On the other hand, rabbits don't like to be too hot. The ventilation provided by the windows and doors should keep the rabbits cool during the summer. In addition the roof overhang will block out solar heat during the hottest months, which will also contribute to the coolness of the structure.
Barn Construction Photos
Food Storage
We've also installed shelves above the chicken coop and the rabbit cages that will provide space to store animal food and hay for the chickens and rabbits. The food will be kept dry on the lofts and will be relatively safe from scurrying mice.
Automated Watering
Though still in the planning stages, we will be installing automated watering systems for both the rabbits and chickens. During the winter the watering system will be warmed by a solar hot water heater to prevent freezing.
The same system will also deliver water to our garden beds. The drip irrigation system will be equipped with temperature sensitive valves that will manage and control drain back of the outdoor irrigation lines to prevent freezing.
http://www.byexample.com/homestead/livestock/egg_laying_chickens.html
http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn ... plans.html (http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn/chicken_coop_plans.html)
http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn ... boxes.html (http://www.byexample.com/homestead/barn/chicken_nesting_boxes.html)
We've had our egg laying chickens for about 8 months. It's my first experience raising chickens and there has been a lot to learn.
Egg Laying Chickens for Beginners
When we first decided to raise chickens our coop was not yet constructed, but we went ahead and made arrangements to buy a half dozen pullets (young hens) from a nearby farm. Since our farm was not equipped with a space suitable for raising baby chicks, buying pullets was our best option even though it cost a bit more than if we had bought the chicks ourselves. Most of the farms in this area get their baby chicks by mail order and our chickens are no different...they came to Concho by mail.
Our chickens were raised by Moonrise Farms until May, when they were 8 weeks old and in their pullet phase. Spring has a way of sneaking up and we were still clambering to get our chicken coop together in time to receive our chickens on delivery day. With a few extra hands to help and a lot of long days we managed to get the coop fully built on time.
When the time came to pick up the chickens, we realized that we hadn't really worked out a good method for transporting the pullets. In a pinch, we emptied out our largest plastic storage containers and used those for carrying the chickens. Thankfully the chickens only had to ride in the back of the station wagon for a couple miles.
We've since bought a large animal crate that will work much better for transporting chickens. We're also fixing up an old truck, which will be better suited to our farm needs.
Chicken Feeders
When we first brought the pullets home, we put them on a diet of chicken starter crumbles. When they started to lay eggs we changed their feed over to chicken layer pellets. Our chickens seem to prefer the pellets, though other folks say their flocks prefer the crumbles. We use a 40 pound hanging feeder, it works great because it prevents chickens from stepping into the feed trough and fouling the food. Hanging the chicken feeder will also keep mice from getting into it.
Currently we supply fresh water to our chickens using a five gallon galvanized chicken waterer on simple cinder block platform. Having the waterer up off the ground keeps the water supply clean by preventing chickens from easily stepping into the trough. We've done our best to discourage our hens from sitting on top of the waterer and have placed a chicken wire "crown" on top of it.
Availability of fresh water affects egg production and we frequently wash out and refill the waterer. Our flock is particular about their water and if the waterer runs dry they make quite a fuss until the matter is addressed. We are moving towards an automated watering system. Once it is in place we will eliminate the task of filling the chicken waterer and our chickens will always have access to an uncontaminated water supply.
Chicken Roosts
At night chickens like to roost. We've given our chickens several bars to stand on while they sleep. The roosting bars are all at the same height (about three feet off the ground) and provide enough space for all the chickens to stand comfortably, shoulder to shoulder. We originally used a ladder like design for our roost, but all of the hens wanted to be on the top rung!
I've read that sometimes you need to show your chickens where to roost if they don't do it instinctively, but our chickens had no problems finding their roost.
Egg Laying Chicken Breeds
After getting our first flock settled we expanded almost immediately by adding another 6 pullets for a total of 12 egg laying hens. The addition of new chickens caused a degree disruption in the hen house that we weren't really expecting. In the future we'll merge 2 flocks by keeping them side by side in a divided coop until they became familiar with one another.
The dozen chickens that we have are of two breeds: Leghorn and Rhode Island Reds. The Leghorns are white and have proven to be very good producers. They started laying eggs about a month before the Reds and consistently produce large or extra large white eggs. The Rhode Island Reds have a more friendly disposition and lay brown eggs. They are a little larger in size than the Leghorns and seem to be moderate producers.
Because of their continuously high productivity, we've already determined that our next flock will also be Leghorns. The chart above compares our 2 breeds and illustrates the superior production levels exhibited by the Leghorns.
Chicken Egg Laying Behaviors
Egg Production
We've been monitoring egg production for the last 2 months and have been amazed that our number of eggs per day have been fairly steady even through the winter. We'd heard about chickens not laying eggs or only laying a very few eggs through the cold winter months. We have been surprised to find that our chickens have continued to produce eggs and attribute it partly to the warmth of our insulated passive solar barn. Winter temperatures inside the barn, which is partially devoted to our chicken coop range from 35 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. We will continue to monitor egg laying behaviors in order to learn more about how different factors effect egg production.
This chart shows the seven day average, which is simply the average for the last 7 days. In the above graphs the 7 day average is shown for each day of the month. By looking at the 7 day average, trends can be more easily observed when compared to daily graphs like this:
How Many Eggs
In theory each chicken can lay one egg per day. In our flock if a dozen eggs are laid in one day it represents 100% productivity. At our current average of 80% productivity our 12 hens lay 9 to 10 eggs per day. In early November our average productivity was higher at 90%. We believe that the reduction in egg productivity can be attributed to the colder winter temperatures and shorter daylight hours.
Chicken Feed
We've also begun to track food consumption. In our insulated passive solar barn our 10 month old hens now consume layer pellet at a rate of 2 ounces per chicken per day. In the morning we throw about a pound of scratch onto the ground in the outdoor chicken yard. Throwing it onto the ground encourages the chickens to scratch for bugs and forage for food. We also throw table scraps to the chickens several times through out the day, including vegetables, meat and anything that we would eat even if it is slightly spoiled. They seem to like variety.
Supplemental Chicken Light
As light began to fade this fall we installed an automated light system to supplement the sunlight coming through the South facing window of the barn. The chickens now get a total of 13 hours of light inside the chicken coop. The automatic light system consists of a photocell that senses light, a plug-in timer and a light fixture with a compact fluorescent bulb. The timer is set to turn on the light at 5 a.m. and shut off at 6 p.m. However, when the photocell senses daylight coming through the window, it cuts power to the light. For an off grid homestead this chicken light system works great, because it minimizes power consumption and you don't even have to flip a switch.
We think that the steady supply of light in our chicken coop has contributed to good wintertime egg production. If you are interested in giving it a go, a quick and easy automated chicken light timer like one these two solutions should do the trick:
Automatic Chicken Light Timer - Method 1
Set a basic plug-in timer to come on at 5 a.m. and off at 6 p.m.
Next plug in a dusk-to-dawn photocell (plug in type) into timer.
Then plug in a trouble light and place the light in the chicken house.
Make sure your timer and photocell are placed where the photocell can be activated by Sun light.
The timer will provide for a 13 hour light cycle and the photocell will shut off the light when it detects sunlight.
Automatic Chicken Light Timer - Method 2
Set a basic plug-in timer to come on at 5 a.m. and off at 6 p.m.
Next plug in a trouble light and place the light in the chicken house.
Then screw in a duck-to-dawn photocell (screw-in type) into your trouble light's light socket.
Make sure your photocell points away from the reflector on your trouble light or the light will flicker.
The timer will provide for a 13 hour light cycle and the photocell will shut off the light when it detects sunlight.
Chicken Nesting Boxes
Though we first installed communal nest boxes in the chicken coop, we quickly modified the nesting boxes to achieve better results.
We've modified our chicken nesting boxes and it has made a huge difference in the behavior of our egg laying chickens.
Low Egg Production
This past fall our egg production numbers fell significantly when our chickens developed a habit for routinely eating eggs. After a bit of research we decided to modify the nesting boxes, from large communal boxes to shoe box size nesting spaces.
The birds actually seem to be more comfortable with the smaller nesting boxes. In fact, we had a few birds who used to lay their eggs on the floor instead of in the communal nesting boxes. After modifying the nesting boxes, all of the birds lay their eggs in the nests.
The smaller nesting boxes also prevent the chickens from fouling their nests and kicking the straw onto the floor. As a result we are getting eggs that are much, much cleaner than before and we are using less straw.
Since we made the changes to our nesting boxes 3 months ago we also haven't seen any signs of egg eating by our chickens. We believe that the smaller nesting boxes are the main reason for the improvement of our flock's behavior. With the new nesting boxes in place egg production levels have returned to normal.
Dimensions of Chicken Nesting Boxes
After observing our chickens we would agree that the new dimensions of the nesting boxes seem to suit our small flock. We have a dozen chickens total and two breeds: Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds.
After subdividing the 2 large communal nesting boxes into 6 smaller nesting boxes the approximate dimensions of each nesting box are:
Width: 12"
Depth: 12"
Height: 9"
The entrance to each of the nests is smaller still:
Width: 9"
Height: 6"
The smaller entrances serve several functions. We have found that we need about 2" of straw in the bottom of each nest to keep the eggs from being accidentally cracked when they are laid. The smaller entrances help to hold the straw in the nest and keep the eggs safe. They also give the nest boxes a dim, cave-like feel. Our chickens do seem to prefer the small, dark and cozy nest boxes. Since they are several feet above floor level, we also provided a perch in front of the nest box entrances to create easy access for our chickens.
When building nest boxes it makes a lot of sense to size the boxes to the birds that will be using them. We chose the nesting box dimensions above to prevent the birds from standing in the nests. In our experience standing in the nest encourages several undesirable behaviors: egg eating, scratching straw onto the floor and fouling the nests. The shorter nest boxes prevent these behaviors and reduce dirty, cracked and pecked eggs.
Nest Box Plans
There are plenty of nest box plans out there and most of them are pretty basic. Some nest box plans are more sophisticated and even incorporate "egg chutes" for moving eggs out of the nest to prevent egg eating. Once we managed to eliminate egg eating within our flock we decided to stick with our fairly simple nest box design. However we made one more major improvement to our chicken nesting boxes that has made daily egg collection an even simpler task.
Our nest boxes are located inside the chicken coop, which is inside our passive solar barn. In the first version of our nest boxes, eggs could only be collected by entering the chicken coop. The frequent intrusions into the coop not only disturbed the birds, but almost always left my shoes covered in muck.
To improve the situation, we built doors on the back side of the nest boxes that allow egg collection from outside of the chicken coop. When we first discussed this plan, I was worried that the eggs might roll out onto the floor when the doors were opened for egg collection. To prevent this from happening, we included a 2" lip on the back of each of the nest boxes to keep the straw and eggs in the nest.
The nest box doors make egg collecting easy and clean. I would recommend a similar configuration to anyone looking for nest box plans that are both simple and functional.
Our Chicken Coop
Outdoor Chicken Yard
We want our chickens to be happy, but safe. In our region there are many predators that endanger free roaming chickens. Besides coyote which are prevalent in the area, there have been sightings of both mountain lions and wolves in the vicinity. Several of our neighbors have lost hens to these predators, even chickens that were thought to be protected by fenced-in yards.
In addition, we took the threat of avian flu into consideration when designing our outdoor chicken habitat. With rampant news about the dangers and spread of avian flu we decided that our coop needed to be enclosed on the top as well as the sides to prevent migrating birds from entering the coop in search of food and water. In the future we plan to provide a watering hole on the other side of our property for migrating birds.
Building a Secure Chicken Yard
You might remember our experiments with geodesic domes... We used our geodesic dome tent as a storage space for more than a year. During that time the tarp cover succumbed to the harsh elements and eventually shredded. We agreed that while the dome shape made a decent temporary shelter, the effort that would be required to make another cover was not worth the gain. Instead we decided to re-appropriate the dome frame for our outdoor chicken habitat.
To cover the dome we cut chicken wire into triangles and attached each triangle to the dome with tie wire. We interlaced each of the seams to securely enclose the dome. Around the outside of the base of the dome, we dug a trench about 6" deep and 8" wide. We lined the bottom and one side of the trench with chicken wire, overlapping the dome frame with the chicken wire and securing it to the frame with tie wire. We filled the trench with sharp metal scraps left over from other projects and then covered it over. The trench is designed to deter any animals that might try to dig their way into the chicken dome.
The chicken dome looks cool, but rectangular structures offer adequate stability for a lot less work and effort. In addition, we've discovered that its quite a challenge to catch a chicken in a round space. In a rectangular space, chickens can be easily cornered and caught. The verdict...no more domes.
Chicken Coop
The chicken dome abuts the barn and there is an entryway leading from the outdoor chicken yard to the interior chicken coop. The passage way has a guillotine style door that can be raised or lowered from inside the barn via a rope and pulley system. We looked into using a doggie door, but our research showed that chickens weren't prone to push through a door.
Nesting Boxes
The interior chicken coop also houses the nest boxes. We first experimented with communal nesting boxes, which are large and unsegmented. This has not really been that successful. We've had trouble keeping the straw in the boxes, as well as keeping them clean. We have several improvements planned for our nest boxes. First, we will segment the nest boxes so that each compartment is just large enough for one bird. In addition the boxes will be shorter, which we theorize will keep the chickens from standing in their nests and thereby from fouling their nests. Next, we will make the lip on the front of the boxes higher in order to keep the straw from being pushed out so easily.
When our chickens first started laying, we immediately had problems with the chickens eating their eggs! To correct the problem we identified and quarantined the instigating chicken. It was easy to tell which one she was by the egg on her beak and feathers. We also placed burlap curtains over the nest boxes to reduce the light in the boxes. In my research I found that while chickens need ample light to maintain their health, too much light in the nest boxes can cause them to be anxious and break their eggs and then learn to eat them. To break the egg eating habit we collected eggs every half hour for about a week. We've pretty much taken care of the egg eating problem and now only find pecked eggs on occasion.
Chicken Roost
Our chicken roost is also a work in progress. We first started with a roost that looked a bit like a ladder. As it turned out the birds all fought for the top rung, which created discontent within the flock. Now our roosts are all on the same level and order is restored to the flock, but the birds are able to stand in the droppings that collect under the roost. We'd like to prevent this unsanitary behavior and will be rethinking the roosts.
Passive Solar Barn Plans
Barn Construction
The design and construction of our passive solar barn has many of the same features as our passive solar greenhouse. It is stick-frame construction and will be insulated with blown cellulose (hopefully before winter hits). There are three double-pane windows and 2 doors that provide ample ventilation when open. The interior is painted with white exterior house paint in order to protect the walls from animal droppings, as well as to brighten the space. The chicken coop occupies one side of the barn and is situated on a concrete pad that can be easily sanitized.
Egg Laying Chickens & Breeding Rabbits
We designed this barn to house our chickens, as well as our rabbits. The chicken coop is located on one side of the barn, while the rabbits cages will be placed on the opposite side of the barn. We plan to keep between 10 and 20 egg laying chickens in the coop for a steady supply of eggs.
Benefits of a Passive Solar Barn
The roof overhangs the South side of the structure and its placement is designed to let light in during the winter and to block light during the summer. One of the South facing windows is located in the chicken coop. During the winter light will pass into the chicken coop and heat the concrete pad. The thermal mass of the concrete pad will store the heat and help to keep the chickens warm during the winter months. Once the structure is insulated the daytime heat will be stored within the barn to offset colder nighttime temps. We hope that during the winter the warmer temperatures and extra light will keep our chickens happy and that we will continue to get eggs throughout the colder seasons.
On the other hand, rabbits don't like to be too hot. The ventilation provided by the windows and doors should keep the rabbits cool during the summer. In addition the roof overhang will block out solar heat during the hottest months, which will also contribute to the coolness of the structure.
Barn Construction Photos
Food Storage
We've also installed shelves above the chicken coop and the rabbit cages that will provide space to store animal food and hay for the chickens and rabbits. The food will be kept dry on the lofts and will be relatively safe from scurrying mice.
Automated Watering
Though still in the planning stages, we will be installing automated watering systems for both the rabbits and chickens. During the winter the watering system will be warmed by a solar hot water heater to prevent freezing.
The same system will also deliver water to our garden beds. The drip irrigation system will be equipped with temperature sensitive valves that will manage and control drain back of the outdoor irrigation lines to prevent freezing.