Raising hens as domestic fowl has been with us for over 10,000 years. I do not think you 'll find any mention of say in the Old Testament where most people think the saying "cleanliness is next to Godliness" comes from. However, even in ancient times there was was extra attention given to keeping the flock clean.
When planning your chicken house, make sure the area you assign them to scratch at the ground to find seeds, insects and even larger animals such as lizards or young mice to eat. Many breeds of hens will live as long as five years and some up to eleven years old if you keep it clean and healthy! (I think the Guinness record was a 16 - year hold hen.)
If you have a family, we cherish our family members, we are producing as many as 300 eggs a year. Obviously, egg production decreases after each year, but keeping them clean and healthy is a key to full egg production.
Another thing to consider in your "social" atmosphere of raising hens. Chickens are a communal-type bird, and they generally live together in flocks. They have a communal approach to the incubation of eggs and raising young chickens. Individual hens within a flock will will try to dominate the other hens, therefore she establishes the "pecking order." The dominant hens will be first in line when it comes time to feeding and nesting.
You have to be careful with young hens added to an existing flock because this pecking order behavior can cause a sort of chicken rivalry, and young chickens can be injured.
Keeping the nesting area clean is a must. Your hens will actually try to lay eggs in a nest that already has an egg or more already within the nesting box. Hens will Even go so far as to move Eggs around, moving eggs from one nesting box and moving them into the nesting box where they laid their own eggs. place some placebo or fake eggs (like plastic eggs or even a golf ball) to entice their hens to lay eggs in a particular nesting box.
Once in a while a hen will not want to leave her nesting house so you can clean it. If this is the case, you can try to use something to shoo the hen out, but be careful she does not trample on any of the young The other thing you can not wait until the hen leaves to defecate or eat; then close off the nesting area while you clean it.
If you have chickens, it is very necessary to keep away from your chicken, it is very necessary to for yourself. Chicken house regularly to minimize Red Mites. You will know if your chickens are infected with red mites egg production will drop and the chickens will peck at each other in an attempt to get a mites. Keep a close watch for this type of pecking, or watch your chickens for any bald patches or bloody patches.
Clean for Red Mites
That can be live in the chicken house just as well as on the chickens themselves. That & # 39 ; s why you must clean your chicken house and treat your chickens as well.
One very effective pest control is is "There is a lot of insecticides available to minimize and eliminate external parasites. permethrin. "Permethrin does not have a long residual time in this it is effective. directly on the hens or roosters.
There are new products, such as Poultry Protector, some other cures you may be used to treat mites or even lice would be the use of wood ashes and diatomaceous earth (or DE) This is considered a non-chemical treatment that smothers the mites. which are a natural enzyme treatment.
For example, having a hinged door over the nesting boxes for for quick collection of eggs, but it also possible for quick and easy cleaning of the nesting box area. Likewise, a well designed chicken house will have easy access areas to clean the coop flooring, the perches, the ramp and any chicken run or play area.
Children love to play with the chicken while the hero is cleaned, and with best Cleanness may be next to Godliness, but when it comes to your chicken house, it just means happy, healthy chickens and a good production of fresh eggs.
