Recent content by Elowen

Hi everyone, At what point did you feel it was worth automating parts of your poultry setup? I can understand doing things manually with a small flock, but I’m curious when automatic feeding, manure removal or egg collection starts to save enough time to justify the extra cost and maintenance...

Hi everyone, I’m trying to learn more about keeping the area around a chicken run dry and manageable. What has worked best for people when the ground becomes muddy? I’m wondering about gravel, wood chips, sand, paving, drainage channels or putting a roof over part of the run. I’d like to avoid...

Thanks, Chris. This is exactly the kind of practical experience I was hoping to hear. I hadn’t really thought about how many compromises are involved in coop design, especially the way ventilation, floor height, access and mobility can affect each other. The point about adjustable vents and...

Hi everyone, I’m comparing a few chicken house designs and was wondering what features people find most useful day to day. Is walk-in access worth having? How important are ventilation, easy cleaning, dry bedding and secure fencing? For anyone who has had chickens for a while, is there anything...

I don’t think there is one best option for everyone. I’d compare the actual floor space, run size, ventilation, cleaning access and how secure the coop is from predators. I’d also check how easy it is to get replacement parts and whether there is enough room for the hens to move around...

Hi everyone, I’m looking at different chicken house layouts and would like to hear what has made the biggest difference for people in everyday use. Is walk-in access more important than keeping the design compact? I’m also wondering about ventilation, drainage, feed storage and having easy...