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Things used to be different: people from humble backgrounds had a vegetable garden with a few chickens alongside their work. No attention was paid to the conditions in which they were kept. The chickens were often crammed into small aviaries. Fortunately, this is no longer the case today and it is no longer considered species-appropriate. However, if you let your chickens run free in outlying areas, you will occasionally have to go in search of the odd escapee. And foxes and martens also pose a risk to the flock of chickens. Aber was nun? Hühner fühlen sich so richtig wohl, wenn sie tagsüber in einem möglichst großen Auslauf scharren, weiden und ausruhen können. Und nicht nur das: Mit genügend Auslauf sinkt die Gefahr, dass die Hühner einander ihre Federn rupfen. Ein wahrer Pluspunkt für das harmonische Zusammenleben der Hühnerschar. Das wohl sicherste Konzept für die Hühnerhaltung besteht aus einer Deckung in der Hühnerweide und dem sicheren Stall für eine ruhige Nacht. Birds of prey tend to try their luck from the air during the day, while foxes and martens use the twilight hours to find their way into the chicken coop. We reveal what this can look like below.
Cover for the chicken pasture
Happy chickens love a large pasture or alternatively an alternating pasture. The alternating pasture has the advantage that one side recovers while the other is grazed. And what chicken doesn't love fresh meadow grass? A bush provides a high level of security. A bush every two meters offers great protection for the clucking roosters. It can often be observed how cockerels always scan the sky for danger in an exemplary manner. In case of danger, they make a warning sound to their female hens. This gives them the chance to take cover in the bushes before the bird of prey can pose a threat. Wintergreen plants are perfect for this. How about an airy bamboo, for example? With wintergreen hedge plants, make sure that you choose a variety that is not poisonous and therefore not dangerous to the chickens. A tall currant bush, for example, is a great idea: in winter it provides cover and in summer it supplies the chicken farmer with juicy currants. Other berry bushes, sea buckthorn, rowan and rosehip are also interesting, but some of them grow very tall. This should be considered before planting. The big advantage is that there are many interesting plants for the chicken pasture. If you prefer to plant ornamental plants, you should ask in the garden center about their growth characteristics and toxicity. Not only do chickens peck extensively in the chicken coop, they also like to bathe in the dust bath. Happy chickens are offered a dry place for dust bathing in addition to the cover. A small sloping roof or even a garden table will do the trick if the area underneath is slightly raised. Rainwater has no chance and the bathing area remains dry.
Safety in the henhouse
Safety in the henhouse is the be-all and end-all. Cheap, rickety models are definitely no fun. They do not provide good security for the chickens, as thin wooden boards, which with bad luck will warp when wet, are no obstacle for mice, rats or other intruders. Once there is a hole in the wood, martens and weasels can also enter unhindered, which can be dangerous for the flock of chickens. Not to mention regular repairs and a high probability of chicken mite infestation. It makes sense to invest a little more money in quality and also to secure the ventilation well so that climbing artists such as mice don't stand a chance here either. Many commercially available chicken coops are equipped with a small enclosure. Here it is important to ensure that the mesh size of the wire is as small as possible, which should not exceed 19 x 19 mm. Good quality and strength are also important. The wire should be spot-welded and hot-dip galvanized and have a thickness of at least 0.9 mm. This means that martens and rats don't stand a chance and the chickens can lead a peaceful life. Very inexpensive chicken coops can also simply be tunneled under. And then, unfortunately, even the best wire-covered wooden frame won't help if rats and foxes simply tunnel under it. A heavy chicken coop on a solid foundation is a good choice here and offers a high safety factor. Happy chickens spend the day outside. After a long day of pecking and clucking around, it is all the more important to provide them with a quiet, safe place to rest. At dusk, all chickens should be in the coop and the chicken flap to the outside area should be closed.
Covered aviary is sufficient for compulsory stabling
Unfortunately, there are repeated outbreaks of avian flu in some regions of Germany. Migratory birds infect domestic birds during their stopovers. The droppings of an infected bird on the chicken pasture or under the soles of their shoes are enough to cause an infection. As soon as poultry flu is reported, the authorities draw a protection zone around the reporting point, in which compulsory stabling is declared. If you own a small, low-cost poultry house, you have the major problem that your chickens cannot stay locked up all day during a regional compulsory confinement period. But what now? It is better to offer the animals a little more space in the coop with a covered aviary right from the start. The advantage of this covered aviary is that it is ideal for housing the flock of chickens next to the coop. And not just when it is compulsory to keep chickens indoors. Quite simply also in everyday chicken life. If you offer your feathered friends a safe coop for the night, possibly add a covered aviary and provide a large chicken pasture with cover for plenty of exercise during the day, you can look forward to happy and contented chickens.