Chicken Coop

If you want fresh eggs at home, you need a chicken coop.  A do-it-yourself hen house is easier than you think.

With Ondura roofing panels or Tuftex PVC roof panels (SeaCoaster™ or UltraVinyl™) and the help of some basic building materials, you can create a predator-proof project that gives you and your family fresh eggs throughout the year.

Most areas allow for people to raise chickens on their property. Urban areas tend to restrict the number of chickens allowed, typically do not allow roosters, and may have further rules for historical areas. You may also be required to get a permit or license. It is important to check on the rules and regulations for your local area. If you are leasing, it is also important to check your lease agreement.

Because of limited space and the likelihood of housing fewer birds, urban chicken coops tend to more compact in design. Depending on the region and city, some urban areas are less prone to normal predators. Domesticated animals like cats rarely attack adult chickens, but precautions should be used for juvenile birds.

It is good etiquette to speak to your neighbors as well. Though many cities do not allow for roosters, hens make noise too. Speaking to your neighbors and asking them to contact you if they have any issues, is one way to keep your coop going strong. Offering your neighbors some eggs might also help keep them happy with your hens. During peak production and depending on how many hens you have, your hens should be able to produce more than enough for you and several other families.

Certain hens, under specific conditions, can lay eggs all year. The rest cycle for hens is based on the seasonal daylight and the need to raise baby chicks. Without baby chicks, the need to stop producing eggs is less essential. Specific egg laying breeds such as Golden Comets and Leghorns can help boost efficiency. These breeds are typically kept until their second molting cycle, since younger birds are more productive.

Chickens increase egg production in the spring as the hours of daylight increases. Using artificial light in the winter can prompt the right breeds to continue to produce eggs. Chickens still need at least 8 hours of darkness per day to stay healthy. Consider adding artificial light on a timer, even during sunny months. Even sunny areas in the USA might only have 10.5 hours of sun per day.

For both safety and cost efficiency LED bulbs are the best option for your coop. An LED light panel only needs about 2 watts of power to provide the same value of light as a 40-watt incandescent bulb. LEDs are also less prone to breaking and fires. But for safety, keep wires and fire hazards inaccessible to chickens. Though LEDs cannot start fires under normal circumstances, to fully secure the lighting element, it is best to have a door with a release that hides the light panels aside from when the lights on. This is essential if using an artificial lighting source other than LEDs.

For their health, adult birds need to molt every 12-18 months. During this time, hens will not lay eggs. But outside of this time period and provided the lighting conditions are met, birds can be active egg producers year-round.

Keeping your hens happy is a busy job. Make sure you are ready for the time commitment which includes tasks done monthly, weekly, and daily. It is also important to have plans in place for various normal events like vacations, what to do if a chicken gets sick or injured, and how to manage culling birds when necessary. Having a written plan and a regular checklist of activities will help keep your coop productive and healthy.

When maintaining your hen house, it is important to wear a mask and gloves. Your coop likely contains bacteria which can be harmful to humans. Consider specific clothing and shoes for the project to avoid tracking these germs into your house. Remember to use natural, animal safe cleaners. Constantly check for wear and tear on the coop. Holes can lead to escape and sharp edges can hurt your flock. Don’t wait for a tragedy to happen to one of your birds to indicate a problem. Consistently check the structure.

Daily Tasks

- Start the day with fresh food and water.
- Clean up droppings. Chicken poop contains bacteria and should be removed daily.
- Collect eggs to avoid breakage which can cause further problems.
- Check for the condition and cleanliness of the feeding boxes when you are starting – if they get dirty by mid-week, consider that the weekly “clean the feeding and water boxes” activity may need to be done twice a week.
- Remove extra food each night. This keeps the food fresh and helps keep predators away.

Weekly Tasks
- Refresh the nesting materials to keep your hens happy and healthy. You can also add fresh herbs in the mix to help deter lice, mites, and rodents.
- Clean the feeding and water boxes using a light and natural cleaning solution which is safe for your birds. Consider a solution of equal parts water and vinegar.
- Remove cobwebs and debris, and dust the surfaces inside the coop.

Monthly Tasks
- Clean the hard surfaces inside the hen house by wiping them down with a natural, animal-safe cleaner.
- Clean your Tuftex Polycarbonate windows and skylights. If you have other forms of daylighting, clean them as well. Natural light helps to keep your flock happy.
- Chicken feces will build up, so make sure you remove it from all surfaces. Now is the time to scrape the roosting bars. After scraping, use your natural cleaning mixture to disinfect them in an animal-safe manner.

Every six months it is important to dedicate some serious time to cleaning and maintenance. Schedule time when the weather shifts from cold-to-hot and hot-to-cold to check the weatherization of your coop and do a deep clean. During this maintenance period you should…

- Fully clean out the coop. Shovel out all the droppings, feathers, dirt, nesting materials, etc. You can use much of this material in composting elsewhere in your garden.
- Hose down the coop to remove any leftover dirt or debris.
- Hand-clean all the surfaces and disinfect.
- Clean the nesting and feeding boxes.
- Hose out the chicken coop once again.
- Dry the chicken coop.
- Prepare the coop for your hens again by adding fresh materials for nesting.

Onduline has a dedicated team of customer service professionals here to help you with planning your chicken coop material needs. Our Ondura Premium Series offers a strong and quiet roofing to keep your hens calm and happy. Our Tuftex SeaCoaster create great cladding for the interior that is easy to clean, survives in caustic environments, and will not rot, rust, mold, or mildew. Our Tuftex PolyCarb™ panels and ridges offer great solutions for adding natural light. Our US-based customer service is available from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday except for major US holidays. +1 540 898 7000 [email protected]