Farm Animal Information - Chickens
· A secure door to shut hens in at night
· Space – at least 30 square cm per hen (1 square foot)
· Shelter from wind and extremes of hot and cold
· Nest boxes will result in cleaner eggs and fewer broken ones. These can be build along the walls, preferably in the darkest area, at least 25 cm above the floor, and at least one per 4 hens. Check out the books at the local library for building ideas
· Litter 10cm deep of absorbent material such as straw, wood shavings, or shredded newspaper
· Fresh clean drinking water must be available at all times
· Always thoroughly clean and disinfect the hen house before introducing a new group of hens
Keeping nests clean is important for egg hygiene. You can train your chooks to stay out of the nests at night by closing off the nests in the evening before they roost, and reopening them once they are asleep for the night. A week or two of training should set the pattern so that they do not seek the nest at night.
2. Begin training the pullets to the nest before they start to lay
3. Clean out the nests and hen house once a week
4. Gather eggs twice daily
5. Dirty eggs should be ‘dry’ cleaned if possible with a scouring pad
6. Only wash really dirty eggs, in water that is 400C, rinse each egg in clean water and air dry. This is to prevent bacteria being absorbed through the shell
7. Do not soak eggs before or during washing
8. If you are getting a lot of dirty eggs you need to review your management