![]() ![]() If you’re like me, you want the very best for your chickens, and you know chicken coop bedding plays a strong role in the health and comfort of your girls and roos. If you consider these Tractor Supply chicken coop options, you will be sure to have a healthy and safe environment ready for your feathered friends.UPDATE: Before reading this post any further, please first check out my more recent article, Pine shavings in the coop: The secret chicken killer? Raising chickens as part of your homesteading livestock can be seen as a tall task at first! But once the best materials are in place for a chicken coop, any worries you had before will fade away. Read More – 115+ Funny Chicken Names for Your Hens – and Roosters! Conclusion It is also possible that if they coop up for too long, boredom will set in, and the hens will start pecking at their eggs. ![]() If kept cooped up (I said that intentionally!) inside a small cramped space for too long, and if left unchecked, serious injuries can occur to the less dominant hens of your flock. ![]() The pecking order develops over some time. Keep in mind there is a pecking order between flocks of chickens. In any other situation – chickens can remain in their coop all day! But, we don’t recommend keeping them inside all the time. If it is raining heavily outside, temperatures are tremendously low during the winter (or an extreme wind chill), and if there is a lot of snow on the ground, then your chickens should stay in the coop all day. There are certain situations where it is necessary to keep chickens in all day. Chickens love to stay cozy and warm – and to keep their feet off of the frosty ground! This wintry chicken doesn’t mind standing in the snow for a few minutes – especially during lunch! But – after a while, it wants to return to its coop. We recommend setting these boards anywhere from six to 24 inches below the roosts. Droppings boards are sheet materials that clean easily. Perch clasping is a vital thing chickens do as part of their slumbering. ![]() Roosting bars should be strong enough to support the weight of a chicken upon the ball of its foot – but still thin enough to allow the toes to curl underneath. You need roosting bars (also known as perches) and a droppings board (a cleanable tray that you can easily slide into and out of the coop). There are two essential things you need inside a chicken coop. With a coop rising off the ground, it not only prevents a buildup of droppings and dust mites but also makes it difficult for predators to achieve their goal. Some predators such as foxes, wolves, and coyotes can dig their way inside the coop and wreak havoc upon your flock! The second reason is for the protection of chickens from predators. Coops that rest directly on the ground are left vulnerable to bacteria, mold, and disease. The first reason is for the health of the chickens. There are two good reasons why chicken coops (whether built or bought) should hover off the ground. Also – remember that some chicken breeds are heavier than others! Regardless – we suggest you err on the side of a spacious coop. Overall the chicken coop must be at least 18 square feet to hold six chickens. The more space you provide your chickens – the happier they will be! For an absolute minimum, consider at least three square feet per chicken in the coop and six square feet per chicken in the open run area. How Big Should a Coop Be for Six Chickens? In the long run – building a chicken coop is the cheaper option. There are many materials – whether wood, metal, or plastic – you can use that are free of charge to build the chicken coop the way you want. Buying a chicken coop is initially more convenient and practical, but the downside is that you can rarely change store brand coops DIY style. If you are resourceful and creative, you can save yourself considerable amounts of money by building your chicken coop. You may have questions about chicken coops and what goes into making one, so we’ve got you covered here! Is It Cheaper to Build or Buy a Chicken Coop? (Honestly, nobody likes a disgruntled chicken!) But – they also deserve a fitting, safe, and clean coop!Ĭhickens are delicate farm animals to take care of, so when you search for the best Tractor Supply chicken coop, the number one thing to remember is how comfortable your chickens will feel in the chook coop. We believe that all healthy and happy chickens need some time to run freely, scratch, stretch, and forage. ![]()
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