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experience!

    Chickens with fox-proof fencing
Security
    Keeping chickens inside is fairly easy. Keeping predators out is more challenging.
    When assessing a chicken house (and run), imagine a really determined large animal trying to gain access. Could you get in by using brute force?
    Foxes and badgers have incredibly strong jaws and teeth – they can bite through flimsy wood, even wire. Check for any weak spots, particularly around the doors and nest-boxes.
    Fixings, hinges and bolts should be robust. Bolts are important – foxes have been known to turn swivel catches. You may also need to add padlocks to prevent human predators from helping themselves to eggs or chickens.

    Check for robust fixings

    A wire ‘skirt’ makes it more difficult for animals to burrow underneath
    Any windows or ventilation holes should be covered in small-gauge welded mesh to keep out rodents.
    If the house has a run attached, it should be constructed of strong wire mesh (not chicken wire) and have solid supports. There should also be a roof to prevent predators from climbing in.
    A wire ‘skirt’ can be laid horizontally around the bottom of the run, making it difficult for animals to burrow underneath.
    See also the section on ‘Predator-proof chicken runs’ earlier in this chapter.

    It’s about time they installed air-conditioning in here!
Ventilation
    This is vital to the health of your chickens. Being shut in an airless coop all night doesn’t sound much fun, and poor air quality will cause sickness in the flock. While good airflow is essential in summer, even on the coldest nights the chickens will require adequate ventilation.
    Chickens can tolerate cold fairly well, but draughts are a different matter, so ventilation holes shouldn’t be positioned opposite each other. Some houses have sliding vents that allow the airflow to be adjusted – check they are easy to open and close.
    There may also be a wire mesh window, with a see-through cover that can be opened to increase ventilation. Not all these plastic ‘windows’ open – some simply allow some light into the house. They look attractive but in summer your chickens are likely to be awake long before you are!
Design features
Doors
    There should be at least one small door (pop-hole) for the chickens. There must also be a larger door so you can easily clean them out.
    Some pop-hole doors pull down to form a ramp, while others slide vertically or horizontally (horizontal doors can become clogged up and difficult to use).
    You can buy a device which opens and closes the pop-hole automatically (see Chapter 5 ). Not all doors are suitable for automation, so you may wish to consider this when choosing your henhouse.

    Our henhouse stands in a wooded area at the rear of the garden. One pop-hole door pulls down to form a ramp and one slides vertically
High-rise living
    Having the house raised above ground level allows air to circulate and stops vermin from making themselves comfortable underneath your chickens. If the house is raised high enough, it provides an outdoor shelter, with space for feeding or dust-bathing.

    If space is limited, think high rise

    Nest-boxes with outside access allow eggs to be collected easily
Nest-boxes
    Look for separate nest-boxes with outside access so eggs can be collected without opening the henhouse.
    Nest-boxes should be in the lowest, darkest part of the house. If they are higher than the perches, the hens will roost in them, leading to mucky eggs. Sometimes nest-boxes can be closed off at night.
Perches
    Chickens don’t perch comfortably on broom handles! They need 5 cm square perches, with the top edges rounded off.
    Allow about 25 to 30 cm per bird. Although they often squash up, the lower-ranking hens may not be tolerated too close to their betters and can end up on the floor.
    Low perches are needed for heavy breeds who can injure themselves by jumping down from high roosts.
Manoeuvrability
    If the housing is to be moved regularly, look for