Chicken Coop & Chickens

What is a chicken coop?

A chicken coop or hen house is a building where female chickens are kept. Inside hen houses are often nest boxes for egg-laying and perches on which the birds can sleep, although coops for meat birds seldom have either of these features. This was another vital component to the school's farm and ecological and financial sustainability.The eggs feed the children and are sold to the community to support the school's expenses as the milk is. The daily harvest of these eggs also contributes to the students' agricultural training.

A chicken coop usually has an indoor area where the chickens sleep and nest as well as an outdoor area where chickens will feed and spend the majority of the day. Inside the chicken coop are dropping boards or litter (such as straw) to collect chicken feces. A chicken coop should be cleaned every two to three weeks and the litter shifted every day, like a cat's litter box. A coop should be locked at night with all the chickens inside of it so that the chickens are protected from predators.

Purpose

The purpose of a chicken coop is to protect chickens from bad weather – heat, cold, wind and rain. One method to protect chickens is to put an isolation material between two layers of wood or bricks. Because chickens don't like heat, windows should be oriented in such a way as to prevent overheating. Proper ventilation is also important to protect the chickens from overheating and infectious bronchitis. Another purpose for chicken coops is to protect the hens from predators–especially foxes and cats. The hens can be released outside by daylight but should be locked in a coop at night, as their predators generally hunt at night.

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