What is the most important aspect of chicken housing?
Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. We cannot stress the importance of well ventilated housing enough, in maintaining a healthy flock. All our large coops are raised off the ground and floorless. This provides fresh air, eliminates the possibility of trapped toxic air and the big bonus is no cleaning – just move the chicken house to a new area. It’s is however important not to let droppings build up as they are so high in nitrogen and will foul the ground. Only our small houses have floors but one third of the side wall is weldmesh. This is for the safety of smaller birds. Summer or winter this method keeps our stock healthy regardless of temperatures. A remarkable book, “Fresh Air Poultry Houses,” by Prince Tannat Woods, M.D., has made a comeback since its original printing in 1924. It’s available in paperback from Amazon for £8.95. This Canadian website say’s it all.
