If you raise chickens, you know how fussy and messy they can be. Keeping your chicken coop clean and your birds protected is a constant chore. The good news is there are a few things you can do to make maintaining your chicken coop a bit easier. Try these four chicken coop hacks.
1. Use plastic nesting boxes
Chickens often sleep in nesting boxes, where they also defecate. Wooden nesting boxes are difficult to clean and take a long time to dry out. Additionally, cleaning a nest box regularly with a pressure washer, for example, can wear down the wood, requiring premature replacement.
Nesting boxes made of heavy-duty plastic are easy to clean and last for a long time. You can make your own by refurbishing an empty plastic kitty litter pail.
2. Install automatic chicken coop doors
Save yourself the time and hassle of opening the chicken coop door in the morning and closing it at night by installing an automatic door opener. The solar-powered openers use light sensors to open automatically at dawn and shut at dusk. After closing, the door is set to reopen for one minute to allow any chickens that may still be outside to enter. If you’re not home, you can rest easy knowing your chickens are safe inside a closed coop at night.
3. Build a covered run
Protect your chickens from the elements and birds of prey by building a covered run. You can use corrugated metal, plastic or PVC sheeting over a wooden frame. When it comes to size, a good rule of thumb is to provide at least three square metres of space for each chicken. For example, a flock of 10 chickens would need a chicken run area of at least 30 square metres.
4. Use water pans
Chickens walk through and splash around their water bowls, soaking the floor beneath. If your coop has a wooden floor, the constant moisture could rot and destroy it. Place a large metal pan under each watering station to catch excess water. Also, consider installing rubber sheets on the coop floor, as they’re easy to clean and replace.
Poultry Accessories and Farming Equipment in Southern Ontario
At Ontario Wholesale Farm Direct (OWFD), we offer a wide variety of equipment and poultry handling supplies, including crates, tubs and rubber sheets. We also have welded mesh panels suitable for coops, pens and shelters. Learn more about OWFD’s wholesale prices and delivery services in southern Ontario and contact us today. Start shopping now by visiting our online store.