Getting chickens: what do you need to get started?

Chicken coop: make it yourself or buy one?

The choice is yours. Making a chicken coop naturally requires some skill, but the advantage is that you can fully adapt it to your own wishes. Plus, it's a lot cheaper than buying a chicken coop, especially if you're using recycled materials. Count on an area of about one square meter per three chickens.

A raised loft on legs is easier to clean. It’s also best to make or buy a chicken coop with adequate ventilation. Place a stick in it so that your chickens have a safe place to sleep at night. Are there foxes in the neighborhood? You see this predator more and more. Although they are very helpful hunters, foxes are a threat to chickens. So in the evening when your animals go to roost, shut the chicken coop.

How to maintain a chicken coop

Chickens do their business. Often. So you have to sweep out the chicken coop regularly. Keep this in mind if you want to start with laying hens, for example, because the coop needs to be clean for nesting. Straw, sawdust and wood shavings are good materials to use as a foundation for the loft. Be careful though because red mites like to hide in them. Disinfect the cage regularly to keep it hygienic and treat it with a special spray treat it with a special spray.

Chicken coop: what requirements should it meet?

The size of the coop depends on the number of fowl you want to start with. As a rule of thumb, provide at least two square feet per chicken for the outdoor run. Very large breeds need more space. A covered outdoor chicken run is the best choice. It gives your animals less chance to escape. However, it’s still a good idea to provide dry shelter.

Chicken wire is the ideal fencing. Low-key chickens that cannot flutter very high are safe within a fence that is less than 1.5 meters high. For more athletic chickens, you will need a fence that is two meters high.

What do chickens need in terms of food and water?

Chickens are very happy eating kitchen scraps. But beware: they are omnivores, that does not mean that they’re allowed to eat everything. Do not give them avocado, onions, tomato leaves or vines or nuts. And of course sweets such as candy or chocolate. Serve leftovers as treats and base their diet mainly on quality foods that are age-appropriate.

Like other animals, chickens should always have access to water. Provide fresh water daily, and in winter, check regularly to make sure it’s not frozen.

How do you encourage a chicken’s natural behaviour?

Chickens love to forage and can spend hours looking for worms, spiders and insects. Make sure they have vegetation in their chicken run to bring out their natural instincts. Butterfly bushes, nasturtiums, marigold, and echinacea are all safe, as are herbs such as lavender and rosemary. Finally, what you also need is a sand bath: chickens use it to bathe and get rid of parasites.

How do you make your chickens feel at home?

First become a member of the Welcome Home Nature Club, and then download our handy checklist for optimal housing!