Wondering how to convince your family (or roommates) to let you get chickens? You aren’t alone. There are many misconceptions about chickens and their care that cause many people to baulk at the idea of owning them. But, like most reservations, most of these concerns are unfounded. Here is our best advice on how to get others on board with the idea of getting chickens. Bust common myths and put care concerns to rest — and you’ll soon have your entire household clamoring to keep chickens.
6 myths about keeping chickens
Debunking some common myths about keeping a backyard flock will be your first step in convincing your family to let you get chickens. While this is not an exhaustive list, these are the main concerns raised when families consider keeping chickens.
Myth #1: Chickens smell bad
While it’s true that hens’ droppings smell, hens themselves have no odor. If their coops are kept clean there will be virtually no stench from your chickens’ setup. Our easy-to-clean chicken coops ensure that your hens’ home stays fresh and clean from just minutes of cleaning each day.
Your hens will keep themselves clean by preening their feathers and taking chicken dust baths. Choose odor-absorbing material like pine pellets, sand, or finely crushed rock for the base of your chickens’ run to eliminate any outdoor odors. Finally, use a pressure washer or soap and water on the interior surfaces of your chicken coop once a week, and you should experience little to no odor from your backyard flock.
Myth #2: Chickens take up a lot of space
Depending on the breeds of chickens you keep, most of them don’t require much space. Of course, your flock will be happiest with the most space possible, but there are options that will make the best use of the space available. Mobile chicken coops allow you to move your hens’ home to the most convenient spot, or relocate them whenever you need to. Your backyard flock can help you mow your grass, control the bug population, or enjoy shady areas through the use of a mobile chicken coop.
Don’t want your flock to have access to the entire backyard? Chicken fencing or a walk in chicken run enables you to customize your flock’s area within the space available in your yard.
Myth #3: Chickens are noisy
Most of the time, when people think of noisy chickens they conjure up the image of a crowing rooster. While roosters are in fact quite loud, hens make quiet noises that are not likely to disrupt the neighborhood. Occasionally, hens may make louder sounds, but these are usually reserved as warning cries. When they “sound the alarm”, it’s usually because of a perceived threat.
Some breeds are more vocal than others, so if noise is a concern, it’s best to do some research beforehand. Faverolles, Polish, and Wyandottes are among some of the more boisterous breeds that you may want to avoid if noise is of concern. There are also some hens that will loudly proclaim that they have laid an egg. The ruckus is short-lived, but they will often get the entire flock going for a few minutes in a celebratory cheer. This behavior is most common in young hens that are just beginning to lay.
If you have dogs or cats that patrol your yard, your risks of dealing with chicken predators are greatly reduced. And, for those that would strike your chickens’ coop after dark, an automatic chicken coop door can be added to your hens’ house to help keep them safe from nocturnal intruders.
Myth #5: Chickens will prevent me from traveling
Chickens are surprisingly self-sufficient, especially compared to other types of pets. Their main needs are:
Safe housing
A secure run
Free-choice feed
Fresh water
An established roost-to-rise routine
Assuming these are met, you can safely leave your flock overnight. If you’re going to be gone longer than a day or two, it’s a good idea to get a chicken sitter. This is especially true if weather conditions are below freezing or uncomfortably hot to make sure your flock’s water remains palatable.
Daily chicken care doesn’t take all that long, and usually, chicken sitters are happy to be compensated in eggs for their time. A neighbor or local friend or family member are great resources when looking for someone to check in on your flock while you’re away.
Myth #6: Chickens need a rooster in order to lay eggs
This is one of the most common misconceptions that exist about chickens. But to put this notion to bed: hens do not need a rooster in order to lay eggs. Most hens ovulate every 24-36 hours, which means they can produce one egg roughly every day and a half — with or without a rooster.
Roosters are only necessary if you’d like fertilized eggs to incubate or sell. Most areas restrict ownership of roosters due to their crowing, so be sure to consult your city or HOA for laws regarding keeping chickens.
Winning your family over
Next, it’s time to present all of the ways in which chickens benefit their owners. Many hens are social and bond with their owners — some even capable of learning tricks. But personalities aside, there are several other reasons to own chickens.
Fresh eggs
Probably the most obvious reason for keeping chickens is the prospect of providing fresh eggs for your family. The difference between store-bought eggs and fresh eggs is startling. Many families need only to see the difference between the two eggs to be fully convinced of the higher nutritional value of fresh eggs.
To show your family the difference between the two, simply crack a fresh egg into a bowl next to a store-bought egg. Eggs bought in a store are lighter and thinner in appearance, while fresh eggs have a deep, rich color to their yolks and a thicker consistency.
Strategically placed chicken fencing or chicken runs can allow your chickens to prune overgrowth and provide weed control in your yard. And, mobile chicken coops let your flock graze different sections of your yard to help with mowing.
Chickens as family pets with Omlet
Like other pets, chickens require time and responsibility, and it’s right that families take owning them into careful consideration. But with quality chicken-keeping products from Omlet, you’ll be able to start out strong and enjoy keeping chickens for years to come. Our chicken coops, chicken toys, and chicken runs are all designed to last a lifetime and bring joy to both flocks and their families.
As long as your chickens are laying, you can hatch and incubate chicks all year round. However, traditionally the most popular time to breed your own chickens is in the spring. Hatching and rearing your own chicks from eggs is an incredibly exciting and rewarding process. There is nothing better than seeing your tiny chicks grow up in the knowledge that they are getting the best possible life from start to finish.The incubation period for chicken eggs is usually 21 days. The most reliable way to incubate your fertilised eggs and maximise the chance that they will hatch into healthy chicks is to use an artificial incubator. Here’s our step-by-step guide to hatching chicks:
1. Long Term Plan
Before the hatching starts, you will need to have a plan in place as to what you are going to do with the chickens once they hatch. It is a safe estimate that 25-50% of eggs will not hatch due to either not being fertilized or due to some mishaps during incubation. Among those which will hatch, approximately 50% will be cockerels and 50% will be hens. Everybody wants hens and hardly anyone needs cockerels, so there is a question of what to do with the latter. In many breeds, cockerels do not tolerate each other and they will fight vigorously unless they are completely separated.
2. Eggs
First of all, you need to be as sure as it is reasonably possible that the eggs are fertilized, so getting them from a good breeder / farmer is crucial. Eggs of some breeds are quite expensive, so every egg that will not hatch costs you money. A breeder can never give you a 100% guarantee that the egg is fertilized, but an experienced one can be quite confident they are.
The eggs should not have any deformations or bear any other visible defects. Any cracks in the eggshells are a no-go. Any defect of the eggshell might result in the chick having difficulty in hatching, being deformed, or not developing at all.
Once you have the eggs, it is a good practice to wash them with an egg disinfectant. Eggs are porous and the embryos get oxygen and water through their eggshells. If there are any toxins or bacteria on the eggshells, that might endanger the embryos.
3. Keep a Diary
It is a really good idea to keep a diary of hatching. This includes numbering the eggs and keeping a daily record of each eggs weight. A developing egg will gradually lose weight in its 21 days of incubation. It will lose about 10-15% of its original weight over time. When the egg in the incubator is not losing weight it usually means it is not developing.
4. Incubator
Turning
Choose your incubator carefully. Some incubators, such as the Brinsea Mini II Incubator have an Auto-turn mechanism built-in. Auto-turn saves you a lot of time and effort. Every egg during the incubation time needs to be turned every 90 minutes in order for the embryo to be positioned perfectly in the egg. A broody hen naturally turns all the eggs she is sitting on as she moves around the nest, so the turning simulates what naturally happens when a hen takes care after eggs. If the incubator does not have the Auto-turn option, you will need to turn the eggs manually. It is therefore a good practice to mark all eggs with a non-toxic marker just to be sure that every egg is being turned every time you visit them.
Temperature control
A good incubator will be able to keep a steady temperature within. One that we recommend is the Brinsea Mini II Incubator. The optimal temperature for hatching chicks is 37.5 degrees Celsius. A good incubator will set its alarm off if the temperature within drops below or rises above a certain threshold. Temperature in the room where the incubator is placed is crucial here, as it heavily influences the temperature in the incubator. You will be opening the incubator during routine controls of the eggs, so it is really important the eggs don’t get a temperature shock in the process – such a shock might kill the fetuses. We advise keeping a steady temperature of approx. 25 degrees Celsius in the room with the incubator. The room should also be draft free.
Humidity control
A good incubator will be able to provide a good humidity inside. Optimal humidity for the eggs during hatching is around 40-50% but needs to be increased on Day 19 in order to soften the eggshells and help the chicks to hatch out. With some Incubators such as the Brinsea II Mini Incubator, there are two water containers inside. Fill one up every day, and fill both of them from Day 19 onward. You can fill up the water container in the Brinsea without the need to open it which is very useful, since you generally don’t want to open the incubator too often. It is perfectly normal that some condensation starts to build up in the incubator after a few days due to high humidity.
5. Daily routine
Cooling
Day 7 is an important threshold. First of all, you need to start cooling the eggs for half an hour a day. It’s best to do this around the same time each day. A good incubator has a fan and you can set an automatic cooling time. If not, you need to cool the eggs down manually by taking them out of the incubator. The cooling temperature should not be shockingly different – a difference of 2 to 5 degrees Celsius will do.
Developing eggs keep their own temperature when exposed. That is how a hen tells the difference between a developing and a dead egg. When the hen gets off the nest to eat and drink, the dead eggs will go cold almost instantaneously. The hen will then get rid of the dead eggs from the nest.
Candling
You also need to start candling the eggs on Day 7 at the latest. Candling will show you which eggs are developing and which are not. If an egg does not show any signs of development on Day 7, it will not hatch. It is essential to take out any eggs which stop developing as they will start to decompose if left in the incubator. From Day 7 onward you should continue candling on a regular basis. It’s not necessary to do it every day, as you won’t see any significant progress on day-to-day basis, but it is a good practice to do it every third or fourth day. Weighing and candling combined are usually good indicators if the egg is developing or not.
From Day 7 up to Day 19 tasks should continue in a routine manner: daily cooling, weighing, and occasional candling.
6. Hatching
Day 19 marks the next important stage. You need to stop turning the eggs and cooling them, and lay out a hatching mat in the incubator (so the chicks won’t slip on the incubator’s surface on their first day of life). You also need to increase the humidity inside up to at least 65%. When using the Brinsea Mini II Incubator you can achieve this by filling up the second water container inside.
At some point during that period the eggs will start wiggling: the chicks will be moving around the egg to position themselves perfectly to hatch out. You might feel the temptation to check on the eggs often, but at this time it is best to leave them be and inspect the eggs every 6 hours or so.
Around Day 20 the chicks should peck out a small hole in their eggshells to catch their first breath of fresh air. It’s best to leave them be. Do not help them by making the hole bigger or breaking the shell apart. They will do it themselves in their own time. In that time they will also consume all the nutrients in their eggshells, so it is vital for them to stay inside for the time being.
Most of the chicken breeds hatch on Day 21 with only a handful of breeds hatching on Day 20 or 22. Do not help the chicks in hatching, they should be able to do it themselves – it’s their first test of strength. Only give a helping hand when a chick is really late (in comparison with its companions in the incubator) and/or the eggshell is really thick and the chick is evidently struggling to get out for a prolonged period of time.
Once the chicks hatch out, leave them in the incubator for another 24 hours. They should be well fed having eaten all the nutrients from their eggs. Apart from that, the incubator provides them with the optimal temperature and humidity.
Now watch our eggcellent egg hatching video to see how easy it is to hatch chicks!
On average backyard chickens live to an age of six to eight years, but there are of course exceptions. How old a chicken will become depends amongst other things on the breed and how a chicken is kept. Heavy layers exhaust themselves with a lifespan of just three years, others can live up to ten years. According to the Guinness World Records world’s oldest chicken is Matilda, a Red Pyle hen from Alabama that died at the age of sixteen (1990-2006). A hen is considered a senior around the age of five. If you are not sure about the age of a chicken, there are signs that will tell you your hen is getting older.
As a chicken gets older the texture of the comb will slightly change and she will likely have some scars from being pecked by other chickens. The feet and legs tend to thicken and if your hen has spurs, you know she’s not a youngster anymore (generally chickens grow spurs around three years of age). Arthritis may cause your older chicken to move stiffly, and you might notice she walks a bit slower and more carefully. And of course, the egg production of an older hen will decrease. The average chicken lays eggs for four to five years on a regular basis, with the peak of the egg production around 18-24 months. Already after two years, the egg production tends to drop. When you start seeing soft or thin-shelled and misshapen eggs, you know your hen is about to retire from egg laying altogether. But with most breeds living to age seven or beyond, you’ve got a few more years to enjoy the companionship of the hen that has served you and your family so well.
CARING FOR OLDER CHICKENS
Caring for older hens isn’t difficult and really isn’t much different than caring for them when they’re younger but there are a few things you can do for them to make sure they are healthy and comfortable.
Lower the perch in the run and/or coop Senior chickens can start having mobility problems due to arthritis or joint inflammation. By lowering the height of the perch to one or two feet of the ground its easier for your old hen to hop onto it, protecting her joint. Building a ramp up into the coop might be necessary.
Predator proof run Old chickens don’t move as fast as they used to. Providing them with a predator proof space is important to keep them safe. It’s best to supervise your chickens when they are free ranging. You may want to provide your older chickens with a separate coop and run to prevent younger, more aggressive hens from pecking them.
Accessible food and water Make sure food and water containers are easily accessible. This means the food and water containers must be on a easily accessible height. It can also be a good idea to have two sources of food and water: one in their run area and if they are free ranging one outside. Older chickens may not be able to range as far for food and water.
Feeding older hens If your entire flock is older and none of the hens is laying any longer, you can give the whole flock a chicken grower feed since they don’t need the additional calcium that a layer feed provides. If you are feeding different age groups together or ad new chicks to the flock, the entire flock can be fed the chicken grower feed from the time the new chickens are eight weeks old up until the laying age of 16 to 18 weeks old. After that the new layers will need a laying feed. The layer feed won’t hurt the older hens, as the calcium is good for their bones.
Nail clipping Older chickens may not be wearing down their nails with activity like foraging and scratching. If the claws are curling round then they will need trimming. Consider nail clipping as part of caring for old chickens if your chickens have long nails.
A good vet Try to find a vet near you who specialises in poultry. Do this and register in advance of having problems. Arthritis, egg failure, joint inflammation, gout, ascites, tumors, adenocarcinoma and salpingitis are issues that can come up with chickens of any age, but more so in old chickens.
BENEFITS OF OLDER HENS
In their own way, older hens contribute well past their productive egg laying years. Older hens still produce manure, which is a great fertilizer for your garden. Older hens still like to eat bugs. You’ll notice a reduction in the number of ticks and snails in your garden when you keep a flock of chickens. Furthermore, older hens are more likely to go broody and be available to raise the chicks you purchase or hatch.
Nathalie is the owner of the Instagram account My Backyard Paradise. Together with her husband and their three teenage daughters she runs her own ‘mini backyard farm’ in Belgium. The beautiful pictures she shares with her Instagram followers show that this truly is a backyard paradise. In June 2018 Nathalie decided to extend her mini farm with three ex-battery hens. Follow their journey to recovery in the two-part photo diary she kept for us.
A laying hen, one that can lay up to 300 eggs a year, is what we were missing. During autumn, our purebred chickens don’t lay any eggs for a long time. They instead take spend their time and energy renewing their plumage and waiting for the days to get longer again. Last year we didn’t have any eggs for over 3 months despite having more than ten hens! We decided that if we wanted fresh eggs during autumn, we had to buy laying hens.
We always buy our new chickens from a smaller trader or a hobby breeder, so we can actually see the chickens and know they have access to grass, clean water and decent housing. But we like the idea of rescuing a few laying hens destined for slaughter by giving them a good life in our garden. The life of battery hens ends after just sixteen months. Their bodies need time to recover and their egg production will stop. This means a loss for the industry. Besides that, after each moult the egg production will drop, and the industry does not accept that!
So that’s what we did. First thing to do was find a place where you can rescue commercial laying hens from slaughter. The first option we came across was www.redeenlegkip.be (‘Save a battery hen’), a Belgian website where you can buy or adopt a laying hen. If you decide to adopt a hen, you’ll pay a monthly contribution of €5 and get 24 egg per month in return. When you adopt or buy a chicken, the organization ensures the chickens are collected from the companies and given appropriate first aid. However, we wanted to experience this ourselves. After continuing my search, I came across another Belgian website www.lespoulesheureuses.org (recently also available in France). They give you the opportunity to collect the chickens yourself, so you’ll know the address and code (the one you can find on the egg) of the company.
We then had to wait for the right weather. The best time to save a laying hen is when you can give her the ideal conditions to recover. They often don’t have many feathers left and have probably never been outside their barn, where the temperature is always at least 18 degrees! They’ve never seen rain and you should also be careful with draught and wind. You don’t want them to get ill, they have experienced more than enough stress already.
Week 1
On June 16th 2018, it is finally happening. I reserved three Isa Brown chickens from a code 2 company. Code 2 means the eggs from this company are sold as free-range eggs. Sounds good, you might think…
Free-range eggs from the commercial industry come from chickens that only have access to barns. They have perches, nesting boxes and scratching areas with some straw on the floor. There is a maximum of nine chickens per square meter and debeaking is allowed. This is probably not what most of us have in mind when we think of free-range chickens…
My youngest nine-year-old daughter is joining me on my way to pick up the chickens. I tell her in advance that the chickens will be in a bad shape and will look nothing like the chickens we have at home, that she isn’t allowed to pick them up and cuddle them, and that we have to take care of them first. We are not the only ones here today to buy chickens. An older couple buys two chickens and there is someone with a trailer with 50 chicken cages. People keep on coming. We ask a staff member if we can have three chickens. He looks at my daughter first before turning around to get them for us. Of course, we are not allowed in the barns, we’re not even allowed to take a picture. The chickens we get are in a much better condition than the ones the older couple got, ours still have a lot of feathers. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken my daughter with me, to get a more honest impression of the condition of an average laying hen. The man probably had our daughter in mind when he chose our chickens. After paying €3 per chicken, the life these chickens deserve can finally begin. At home everything is ready for them. After driving 10 minutes, my daughter and I look at each other. It’s smelly in the car. And it’s a strange smell, not like normal chicken manure, but a chemical, unnatural smell. The chickens are quiet, I hope they will survive the one hour drive home…
When we get home, we inspect them carefully. They seem numb, or are they frozen with fear? They still have lots of feathers, but they are dull and not shiny like the feathers of a healthy chicken. Their feathers are tangled and the tail feathers don’t look good at all. Their gaze is blank and their comb is very pale. Their toenails are way too long and curly, and there is manure stuck under them. Clearly, they haven’t been able to scratch around that much. The beaks of our chickens have been trimmed. This means the top of the beak has been cut off when they were only ten days old. This is very painful and is done to prevent feather pecking. Chickens do this when they are stressed, for example due to limited foraging opportunities.
It’s time to treat them against parasites such as lice and worms. We use Diatom Earth, a natural product used against all kinds of parasites. They need to be quarantined first. For this, we give them a temporary home in our Eglu Classic from Omlet. It has a 2 meter run and we can easily move it around in the garden so they have access to fresh grass every day. It’s also very easy to clean. We lift the chickens out of their cage and watch carefully how their feet touch the grass for the very first time. They seem surprised and for a few minutes they just stand still, until one hen realizes she can, and is allowed to, move. Slowly but surely, they cautiously start to explore their run. While the children are watching the chickens, I add the first dose of medication to their drinking water. We use Avimite, a product against lice and mites. The first week they need this on a daily basis, then weekly for the next five weeks. They soon find their water and it looks like they haven’t had any for days. Usually we don’t feed our chickens layers pellets so I had to buy them, because this is the only thing our new chickens have ever had. In the evening we help the chickens into their Eglu where they can safely spend the night.
When I open the coop the next morning they don’t want to come out. After an hour we get them out of their coop and notice they have already laid three eggs, one in the nesting box and two on the roosting bars. Because of the medication, we cannot eat their eggs for the next few weeks. Sad, but we just don’t want to take any risk. We have to discard them.
The rest of the day the chickens sit outside. They eat clover and grass for the first time and seem to realize this is not bad at all. The second and third night we have to help them into their Eglu, but from then on they finally realize that this is their new home. In the morning they come outside when I open the door and after a few days they only use the nest box to lay their eggs. Their eyes are getting brighter and they start to establish the pecking order. They are more lively than the first few days, but still nothing compared to our other chickens. Although they aren’t afraid anymore when we come near, they don’t allow us to touch them. This is hard for the children who want to cuddle them to make them forget their past. But the chickens first have to get used to their new environment, to us, and to their new life.
Week 2
We only have to repeat the red mite treatment once a week now and we can start with the deworming. This treatment, which they need five days in a row, can also be added to their drinking water. The hens give us two to three eggs every day. It’s now time to gradually change their diet. They are used to their new home, they’re not scared anymore when we come near or when our dog wants to sniff at them. They clearly defined their pecking order. We want the very best for our animals, and this also includes a rich and varied diet. Our chickens get Garvo but our 3 laying hens need something extra, a mineral and vitamin boost. We give them Alfamix, a very rich grain mixture with pellets and amphipods. But when I mix this with their layer pellets, I notice that they only eat their pellets and not the new food. They do eat a lot of grass and clover. Slowly but surely their combs are getting redder.
During the weekend, our youngest daughter decides it is time for them to free range in the garden. They love it, and really enjoy the dust baths. But trying to get them back into their Eglu is less enjoyable. Finally they decide to go back into their home. Our daughter has learnt that they are not ready to discover the great outdoors just yet…
Come back in a couple of weeks time to read part two of the diary!
The ultimate chicken keeping checklist is essential for all new flock raisers. When you’re first getting started, having a list of essentials will help you prepare for your hens, and learn what to expect once you’ve brought them home. From what to shop for, to what to feed them, we’ve got everything you need to know in this all-inclusive chicken keeping checklist.
The essentials
Some things are nice to have when you keep a flock of chickens, but others are essential to their health and wellbeing. Here are the “must-haves” of chicken keeping:
There are several factors to consider when choosing a chicken coop, but mainly the decision will come down to how many chickens you plan to keep. Most chicken keepers encounter the phenomenon known as chicken math – which essentially means you set out to get a modest number of chickens, but once you see how endearing chickens are, you end up with considerably more. It happens to nearly every chicken keeper, especially those that aren’t under any restrictions for flock sizes.
It’s always best to get the largest chicken coop that your space can accommodate. This will give you the flexibility to add more chickens to your flock, and will ensure that all of your hens have enough space to roost and lay their eggs. Omlet’s Eglu Pro Chicken Coop can house up to 15 hens, and can be cleaned in just minutes. Weather-proof, predator-resistant, and hen-approved, the Eglu Pro is the only chicken coop you’ll ever need.
Chicken runs or chicken fencing?
Chickens need some healthy boundaries – especially when it comes to your yard. As prey animals, they can be a quick meal for aerial predators, but chickens are also opportunistic foragers and will happily make their way through your herb or vegetable garden. So, in order to keep them (and your plants) safe, you’ll need to restrict their roaming.
Is easily repositioned, and can be shaped any way you’d like
Can be attached to a wall, or create a standalone perimeter
Offers wide, open spaces for your flock to forage
Chicken fencing should be used when you’re outside with your flock, or if other predator-proofing measures have been taken. And, as some chickens can fly better than others, you’ll need to make sure your hens don’t try to scale the 4 foot height of the fencing.
Protect your flock from the elements
Even if you elect for a free-ranging experience for your flock, most chicken coops come with an attached chicken run. This is helpful for keeping your hens penned up during severe weather, or for other events that require them to be in a safe place. These attached runs also offer protection from the elements with chicken coop run covers, which keeps your flock shady or dry, and will keep their feed from spoiling in the rain or snow.
Keeping your chickens’ run covered will give them a safe place to retreat to during sunny or windy days, and will keep them dry during spring showers or wintery weather. Omlet’s covers also provide a wind break, which your flock will appreciate on blustery days. Clear and solid options are available to adjust the amount of sunlight depending on the season, but they’re both waterproof and designed to last several years in the elements.
Feeding and watering your chickens
Chickens are one of the most convenient pets to feed because they are one of the few species that will not overeat. Your flock’s feed can be left out free-choice and topped off as needed, but you may want to collect any remaining rations at night to avoid the attention of rodents. You should always store your chickens’ feed in airtight containers in between feedings, and wash chicken feeders and waterers weekly to prevent mold or mildew from building up.
The type of feed you give your flock is up to you, but laying breeds of chickens need a feed consisting of at least 16% protein to maintain their production. Pellets, crumbles, or pearls are all available forms of feed, but the size or shape of the feed does not affect their nutritional value. Choose a feed that your flock eats comfortably as their main source of nutrition.
Fresh water should be available to your flock at all times. In the summer, you can add ice cubes periodically to keep the temperature cool. For winter freezes, you’ll need to pour warm water over any frozen water, or break the ice as needed. Keep their water high enough so that your chickens don’t kick dirt or bedding into it throughout the day.
The best bedding
Bedding beneath the roosting area of your chicken coop will catch droppings overnight, and absorb odors and moisture. If you live in a humid environment, choose a bedding that is absorbent without holding moisture. Ideal bedding for roosting areas are:
Pine shavings
Pine pellets
Hemp bedding
The nesting box of your coop also needs bedding, which can be the same or different from the bedding used under the roosting area. Common bedding for nesting areas include:
Pine shavings
Hemp
Straw
Recycled paper
Artificial turf or silicone nesting box pads are too stiff and unnatural for hens to lay their eggs comfortably. Choose a bedding that has enough flexibility for your hens to fluff up their ideal nest to lay in.
Automate your flock
While not a necessity, an automatic chicken coop door adds security and comfort to your chickens’ coop, and flexibility to your schedule. Gone are the days of having to dash home at dusk to secure your flock in their coop. With an automatic chicken coop door, you can stay out or sleep in all while keeping your flock on schedule.
Omlet’s Smart Autodoor has a horizontal opening mechanism that makes your coop more predator-resistant, and can be programmed to open and close with the sun or the clock through a smartphone app, or mounted control panel. You can open and close the Autodoor wherever you are with a Wi-Fi connection, and receive notifications from the Omlet Autodoor app when the door opens or closes.
Boredom-busting chicken toys
Like other pets, chickens can become bored if their environment isn’t stimulating enough. Chicken entertainment isn’t limited to chasing bugs and scratching the earth – there are several chicken toys and accessories that will keep your flock entertained. Flock-favorite toys and accessories include:
But these elements aren’t just for your hens’ entertainment – they were created with your enjoyment in mind. As a chicken keeper, watching your flock peck, perch, and climb is time well spent.
Omlet and your chickens
We’ve thought out all of the chicken-essentials – and when the best wasn’t an option, we invented it. Now, our chicken products are keeping hens all over the world healthy and happy. From extra large chicken coops to spacious walk in chicken runs, chicken keepers and flock alike rest easy at night knowing they’re being protected by the best. And, with Wi-Fi enabled in our smart automatic chicken coop door, you can take control of your chickens’ schedules and tuck them in or let them out in the morning with just a few clicks on your smartphone.
A lot of chicken keepers are worried about their chickens during cold winter days. Chickens are usually well adapted to the cold and as long as their coop is dry on the inside, they feel happy and warm in the Eglu.
Of course there are a few things to look out for and prepare for during the winter, so we have spoken to Stefanie, who is going through her second winter with the chickens in their Eglu Cube this year. She tells us about the preparations and adaptations she makes for when the weather gets icy and how she and her chickens get through the season.
Omlet: How long have you been keeping chickens and how many have you got?
Stefanie: We have been keeping six chickens since February 2018.
Omlet: What is your favourite thing about keeping chickens?
Stefanie: I love that we have our own, freshly laid eggs every morning.
Omlet: You live in an area of Germany that usually gets very cold and snowy in winter. How cold can it get in winter and how much snow do you have at the moment?
Stefanie: We live in Lohberg, in the south of Germany. The temperatures are usually between -5 and -15 degrees centigrade in winter (5f), so it does get very cold here. We currently have around 50cm of snow, which is normal for this time of year.
Omlet: What changes did you make to the Eglu Cube to get it ready for winter?
Omlet: Do you change the daily food and water routine during the winter?
Stefanie: We make sure to feed them more regularly and keep an eye on them to make sure they definitely eat enough. They eat a lot of fresh lettuce, and I like to give them warm food to help them keep warm. Keeping an eye on the water is extremely important as it easily freezes.
Omlet: Do the chickens use the run more or less in the winter than they do the rest of the year and do your chickens like snow?
Stefanie: My chickens don’t like snow at all, so that’s why they mainly keep to the covered areas of their run, where it’s dry.
Omlet: Do your chickens lay eggs in the winter?
Stefanie: Our six girls don’t lay as much as they usually do during other times of the year, but even though we have a lot of snow, we still get around two to three eggs every day.
Omlet: Do you add a light source to your coop?
Stefanie: Yes, we do have a light in the coop as it gets dark very early these days.
Omlet: As chickens love scratching and foraging for food, do you give them some other entertainment when it’s snowy and icy?
Stefanie: Yes, we tend to spread some corn in the covered areas of their run. This keeps them entertained and offers them a chance to scratch naturally.
These are great ideas to keep your chickens happy and healthy during the winter. Have a look at our video of top tips for chicken keeping in winter:
On a cold winter’s day, when there’s a heavy frost or a thick blanket of snow do you ever wonder how your chickens manage without central heating and a mug of cocoa? It’s natural to worry if your hens will be comfortable when the temperature dips below freezing.
Unsurprisingly, chickens will look for shelter when the weather’s bad so the first thing you can do to keep your chickens cosy is make sure they have a winter proof chicken coop. In this respect choosing the right chicken coop is similar to choosing your own house. You wouldn’t want drafty windows and doors, a leaky roof, and paper thin walls – and neither do your chickens. Many coops that are bought are fine during the summer, but unfortunately when winter comes they can leave their occupants shivering. We set about testing two very different chicken coops over the course of 3 nights in the Bavarian Forest in Germany. A place that gets more than its fair share of snow and ice.
The first chicken coop was typical of the type sold all over the internet. On first impressions everything fits together well and it’s attractively painted, it comes with a roosting bar and a nesting box and a run. It appears that this is a perfectly good chicken coop. However, on closer inspection it’s worrying to find that large sections of the wooden panels are only 5mm thick. There’s no insulation and nothing in the instructions regarding the suitability of the coop for year round use.
The second coop was the Eglu Cube Chicken Coop by Omlet. This chicken coop is part of the Eglu range which all feature a twin walled construction providing an insulating layer all round the coop. Similar to the way ice chests are made, it feels extremely robust and heavy duty. You could say it’s agricultural quality in a hobby chicken coop. It looks the part – but would the Eglu keep the cold out and the warm in?
Identical digital thermometers were placed inside the Eglu and the wooden coop which would take readings both inside and outside the coops during the night. Cameras were also placed inside the coops to record the chickens. After the chickens went to bed the front doors were closed, in fact the Eglu Cube came complete with a rather fancy Automatic Chicken Coop Door which gently closed behind the last chicken.
As it got dark the outside temperature dropped to -3.8℃. While it was getting colder outside, it was getting warmer in the Eglu Cube Chicken Coop. Around an hour after the chickens had gone to roost the temperature inside the Eglu Cube was 8.3℃ and it stayed there all night. That’s a plus 12℃ temperature difference.
Unfortunately it was not as cosy in the wooden house. As the temperature outside dropped so too did the temperature inside the wooden coop. At 11pm it was -2℃ inside the coop. That’s only 1℃ warmer than the outside temperature. In fact the inside of the wooden coop stayed below zero for nearly the whole night, warming to just above zero by 7am.
If it was freezing inside you might be wondering how on earth the chickens survived. Chickens, as with all other warm blooded animals, have temperature-regulating mechanisms to keep their body temperature at a constant level (around 41-45℃ in a healthy adult hen), so they can cope with a certain amount of cold. Just like wild birds, chickens will fluff up their feathers when it gets cold; this traps a layer of air which insulates the chickens against the cold. This is why it’s so important that chickens don’t get wet during cold weather, as this prevents them from being able to fluff their feathers up. In addition a drafty coop will make it hard for them to trap this layer of warm air too.
They will also tuck their head under their wings and huddle together with their coop companions to keep themselves warm. On the in coop camera recording you could clearly see how the chickens select a roosting place, and then fluff up their feathers.
So if the chickens in the wooden coop were able to keep themselves warm even though it was freezing inside there’s nothing to worry about? Not quite, a coop that’s not insulated or draughty will place extra demands on your chickens because of the heat being lost. Chickens in a cold coop will have to increase their metabolism to turn food and fat reserves into heat at a faster rate than hens in a cosy coop. If the heat loss is extreme, or a chicken is not fully fit then over the course of several cold nights there is a risk that all the energy reserves are used up resulting in the chicken being unable to keep it’s body temperature high enough with potentially fatal consequences.
What this test shows is that properly insulated, winter ready chicken coop can make all the difference between a cosy night in the coop and one spent shivering to keep warm. As an added bonus hens that use up less energy keeping warm are more likely to keep laying.
Jo Page is a veterinary nurse who also runs the blog My Little Country Lifestyle, where she shares stories from her countryside life in the South West of England. Jo recently upgraded her old wooden chicken coop for an Eglu Go UP, and has written about her first weeks with the new coop:
“As a veterinary nurse I take the welfare of all my animals very seriously. As humans we have bred animals and birds to suit our wants and needs and on occasion this does mean they aren’t able to survive or thrive without human intervention.
The hens are also not ‘only a chicken’ they are birds I have chosen to keep for the benefit of fresh eggs and it is my responsibility to ensure their needs are met.
The Eglu Go UP is worlds away from the make shift house they had when we moved and much more superior to the coop and run at our previous house. Both were predominately made of wood and we have already had to dispose of one chicken house due to a red mite infestation which we could not clear. Red mite bite the chickens at dawn and dusk, can make them anaemic and effect egg production. They thrive in damp woody environments so traditional wooden chicken coops are a breeding haven for them.”
If you live anywhere subject to cold temperatures, chances are good that you’ll encounter a frozen chicken egg in the nesting box. Frozen eggs are less than ideal for numerous reasons – but they can be avoided. Here are some quick tips to show you how to prevent your eggs from freezing before you get to them.
Why do eggs freeze?
Eggs are mostly liquid inside until they’re cooked or are able to develop into a chick – and like other liquids, they have a freezing point. Chicken eggs freeze around 29℉, and can freeze solid in just a couple of hours. Since a non-broody hen doesn’t sit on the eggs for long, eggs laid in the nesting box are susceptible to the cold.
How can I tell if an egg is frozen?
Frozen eggs may feel more dense than usual, and may also crack, burst, or bulge from the internal pressure. Some eggs may not be completely frozen when they’re collected, and if you use them right away, you may see the partially frozen egg white. Partially frozen eggs may also feel off-balance in your hand, or make an audible sound when shaken.
Can I use frozen eggs?
Eggs that have frozen don’t have the same consistency or taste that you would normally expect from fresh eggs. Frozen eggs can be thawed and eaten, but due to their makeup, their texture will be grainy and unpleasant. Frozen yolks that have thawed will be thickened and gelatinous, losing their ability to be mixed well.
Any eggs that have cracked or appear misshapenfrom pressure should be thrown out – including those that have frozen. Once the shell of an egg has cracked, it exposes the egg to bacteria and other contaminants that can make you ill. It’s in your best interest to toss frozen eggs and focus on preventing them from freezing in the first place.
3 ways to prevent eggs from freezing
Insulate your coop
Insulated chicken coops help contain the body heat from your hens and keep it from dispersing too quickly. It also minimizes the effects that the exterior temperature has on the interior, keeping the coop warmer than the ambient temperature. You can attempt to insulate your existing chicken coop – but be sure not to limit the ventilation, which is important during the winter months to prevent moisture buildup. Our line of Eglu Chicken Coops have twin-wall insulation with draft-free ventilation to keep the coop comfortable during the cold. Extreme temperature protection can also be added to further insulate our coops in especially cold climates.
Focus on the nest box
Make the nesting box as warm and inviting as possible. Thick bedding like straw is a good choice for winter nesting box comfort. You can also hang strips of thick fabric like fleece as a curtain in front of your hens’ nesting area to further insulate against the cold. Chicken nesting boxes should be elevated above the frozen ground, and warm enough to prevent the eggs from freezing until you’re able to collect them.
Collect eggs more frequently
During the winter months, it’s important to check for eggs several times a day to prevent them from freezing. While chicken eggs can stay in the coop for several days under normal circumstances and still be edible, frozen eggs should be avoided. Hens typically lay their eggs mid-late morning or in the early afternoon. It’s good practice to check the nesting box after your morning cup of coffee, after lunch, and at least one other time before dark.
What to avoid when preventing eggs from freezing
There are some insulating or heat-producing measures that may be tempting to take in order to prevent your eggs from freezing, but be sure to avoid:
Placing a heat bulb or plate inside of the coop, as this will make your hens too hot and potentially cause them to go into shock when they venture out into the cold temperatures.
Completely sealing up a chicken coop – this prevents air from circulating and will encourage moisture buildup on the coop and your hens, which can lead to respiratory illness and frostbite on their combs and wattles.
Offering blankets or other cloth as nesting box bedding. Hens’ claws can easily become snagged in fabric and cause injury.
Omlet and your eggs
Our range of Eglu Chicken Coops all feature the same expertly designed insulating methods to keep your hens as comfortable as possible in all weather conditions. And, with the addition of an automatic chicken coop door, you can schedule your hens to stay in their coop during the coldest parts of the morning – adding heat to both the coop and their eggs. When you choose an ingeniously insulated Omlet chicken coop, you can have confidence that your chickens are comfortable when they roost, play, and lay their eggs.
The cold, frosty temperatures of Winter are in full swing, and while you are enjoying a warm cup of tea in the warmth of your kitchen, you might be looking out on your girls wondering how they feel about the colder weather.
If you’re looking for a new way to keep them warm first thing in the morning, or late afternoon just before they go to roost, consider making this yummy, warm corn recipe, specially for your hens, with a festive flavour which will provide extra nutrients to keep up their health this winter. It’s super simple and quick to make.
Ingredients – for 2-3 chickens
2oz corn
1oz oats
1oz raisins
100ml hot water
Pinch of ginger, cinnamon
Method
Soak the corn, oats and raisins in hot water for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in a pinch of Ginger and Cinnamon for added nutrients for your chickens. Leave to cool slightly before feeding to chickens.
Ginger supports the immune system and provides anti-inflammatory benefits which can be particularly beneficial for a poorly hen. Cinnamon has antibacterial and antioxidant benefits, and can reduce inflammation, these are extremely good for chickens as they are likely to experience respiratory problems.
Insulating your chicken coop and getting your flock ready for winter is vital for their health and happiness. Most chicken breeds cope well in moderately cold temperatures as long as they have a well-insulated, dry coop. Chickens normally acclimatize to the cold weather, so if you have an insulated coop such as an Eglu Chicken Coop, you won’t need to fret during the cold months. In fact, chickens are able to adapt to the cold much better than hot weather! But with a little extra planning and preparation, you can ensure that your flock not only endures the winter, but thrives in it.
Why you should use an insulated chicken coop
Whilst chickens tolerate the cold well, ensuring your chicken coop is insulated during the cold months can promote their health. Whether you live in a state such as Alaska that is cold all year round, or experience warm summers followed by cold winters it’s vital you choose a coop suitable for the weather.
Our range of Eglus are designed with warmth as a core aspect. With a unique double-wall insulation system, you’ll find that our coops work in a similar way to double glazing. Your hens’ body heat is trapped inside whilst ensuring cold air cannot get into the sides of the coop. When comparing Eglus to a traditional wooden coop, you’ll discover that the Eglu provides far more insulation.
The insulation of our chicken coops is not the only benefit they provide. They are easy to assemble, easy to clean, portable and simple to attach to chicken runs. This will allow you to give your flock the space they need to roam during the day, as well as a cozy spot to sleep at night.
How to easily insulate your chicken coop
Whilst our chicken coops are naturally insulated, in really cold temperatures you may wish to insulate their home even more. Our Eglu Extreme Weather Protection are designed to perfectly fit your coop for added insulation. The temperature blankets are filled with a heat trapping recycled material that is breathable whilst keeping your pets warm. They are simple to fit to your Eglu and are easily secured with bunjees.
However, if you do not have an Eglu there are other ways to insulate your coop:
Weather protection & insulation for wooden coops
Your chickens’ coop must be waterproof! Most chicken breeds do well in the cold so long as they are dry. Chicken coops should also be insulated enough to remain warm inside even in the cold of winter. Here are our tips for insulating a chicken coop:
Spray foam insulation – you can hire someone to insulate your chicken coop with spray foam to help trap heat inside your hens’ nest.
Fiberglass insulation – using fiberglass insulation is an easy way to add DIY warmth.
Wool blankets – adding wool blankets to the smalls can help to keep the coop insulated.
Ventilation whilst keeping cozy
A well-ventilated chicken coop will ensure that plenty of fresh air gets inside the coop. This will keep the odors down and avoid moisture build-up. Whilst you want to stop chilly drafts, a chicken coop without ventilation will retain moisture along with heat. And while some air circulation is good, make sure the coop is draft-free.
Elevation to reduce dampness
Height can also be an issue when making sure chicken coops are insulated. Coops should be raised off the ground to prevent the base becoming damp. For larger flocks, the Eglu Cube is an excellent choice for both insulation and elevation. If your coop doesn’t have legs, you can place bricks under the coop to allow air to circulate and reduce dampness. Always make sure you place or build your chicken coop and run-on high ground that won’t flood during heavy rainfall.
Size of the coop
It seems counterintuitive, but chicken coops can actually be too big. When the coop is too big for the size of the flock you have, your chickens won’t create enough body heat to warm up the space. This is why it’s so important to understand how much space your chickens need, when deciding which coop to buy. Chickens huddle together and keep each other warm, so they don’t need much space in their sleeping quarters. Try not to open the door of the coop at night when your chickens are roosting as it can compromise your insulation. Be mindful that this pent-up body heat is keeping them warm, so make coop and egg checks quick! If you have a large coop or barn and just a few chickens, you can place a large cardboard box on its side, half filled with chopped straw or wood shavings in a corner to help them conserve their body heat.
Keeping your chicken run insulated
It’s important that at least part of your chicken run is covered during winter months. Using weatherproof chicken run covers will help reduce how much snow can build up inside the run. You can also build a greenhouse-style addition to your coop, covering it with clear plastic, which will help convert sunlight into warmth. To prevent areas under the run from becoming too muddy, cover wet spots with pelleted pine bedding (usually used for horse stalls). Mud is a breeding ground for poultry parasites, so muddy areas should always be addressed.
Perches for cold chickens
Give your chickens plenty of places to roost. To prevent their feet from getting too cold on the frozen ground, you’ll need to give your chickens a place to perch in both their coop and run. The perches need to be wide enough so that the chickens can cover their toes with their feathers to thaw out chilled toes. By placing freestanding chicken perches or wire-mounted chicken perches, you’ll give multiple hens the opportunity to warm their feet while they’re out of the coop.
Cleaning your coop in winter
Keep your chicken coop clean and dry. Clean the droppings from inside the coop daily and replace bedding as necessary. By keeping the coop both dry and clean, you will help to prevent moisture buildup, which can lead to frostbite on your chickens combs and wattles.
It is important your flock always has a source of fresh, unfrozen water. Depending on where you live, this can pose a challenge. To prevent frequent defrosting, you can invest in a heated waterer or heated poultry drinking base. You can also insulate the water like you have your coop, by wrapping the chicken drinkers up in a layer of bubble wrap to keep the water thawed for longer. Don’t place the water inside the coop, as it will increase humidity levels.
Chicken feed in the cold
During winter your chickens feed consumption will be higher than in the spring/summer. Often chickens enjoy warm feed, like cooked lentils or warm oatmeal with some raisins or other small, dried fruits. Give your hens extra corn or scratch inside of a peck toy for both physical and mental stimulation in the afternoon, as this will heat them up internally as they digest it overnight. Offer hay or dried grasses for extra ruffage to fuel their metabolisms. Hens will decrease or even stop laying eggs in the winter to conserve energy. But you can help encourage hens to continue laying by providing adequate feed – both in quality and quantity. Supply layer pellets to give the right nutrients your egg-producers need throughout the winter.
Take care of their combs and wattles
If it gets extremely cold during the winter, your chickens’ combs and wattles can be in danger of getting frostbite. Most hardy breeds have small combs, but if you have chicken breeds with very large, floppy combs you will need to gently rub Vaseline on their combs and wattles. You will also need to keep an eye out for coughing, sneezing, and general symptoms of being unwell.
Vermin
Remember at this time of year, there are hungry rats and mice attracted to the chickens feed and water. Take extra care with the storage of your feeds. Store feed away from the coop and keep it in an airtight container. If you notice any signs of vermin, remove the feeders and drinkers at night, when they are most active. Offer kitchen scraps or fresh vegetables in a Caddi Treat Holder to keep the floor of your flock’s run free of tempting treats for unwanted visitors.
Fighting winter boredom
With less grass and weeds to munch and fewer bugs to feast on, your chickens will experience boredom in the winter. This can lead to behavioral issues, like feather pecking, egg-eating etc. Prevent boredom by giving your chickens toys like Chicken Swings, perches, piles of leaves, mirrors, or even a xylophone mounted to the run! Keeping your chickens hentertained will ensure they’re mentally stimulated and kept busy.
Introducing Omlet Petcare
Whether you’re a keen chicken keeper, or have a whole pack of pets, we’re here to help you take care of them. From chicken pens to roam in, to comfy dog beds your pooch will adore.
A familiar problem for both backyard chicken keepers and commercial farms lies in how to prevent and treat infestations of the birds’ environment with red (poultry) mites – also known as dermanyssus gallinae. Compared to other poultry parasites such as fowl ticks, lice and flies – mites are by far the most common, destructive and difficult to remove. Red mites are nocturnal parasites and hide themselves in gaps and cracks during the day, laying wait to wreak havoc on your flock at night.
Signs and diagnosis
Red mites are up to 1mm in size. The title “red” has been given to these mites because they turn from gray to red after they have had a blood meal. Infected hens will not be the picture of chicken health. Once the infestation becomes significant, your chickens will become anemic. Their wattles and the combs will appear pale and their egg production will drop significantly. Red mites also cause:
Skin irritation
Feather pecking
Weight loss
Restlessness in the flock
Your chickens will also probably be reluctant to go into their coop at night because that’s where the mites are lying in wait.
When checking your chicken coop for red mites, be sure to also check their perches or other chicken coop and run accessories. An easy way to check for red mites is by rubbing a white paper towel underneath the perches at night. If there are red mites, they will be on the underside of the perch after feeding on your chickens – you’ll see red streaks on your paper towel after coming into contact with them.
Prevention
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But, when it comes to red mites, that’s sometimes easier said than done. Wild birds or new chickens can transmit red mites to your flock. Check your chickens’ health regularly to make sure all flock members are feeling their best.
It’s also a good idea to check for red mites routinely when you clean your chicken coop and use some preventative measures. Diatomaceous earth as part of the weekly clean is helpful in preventing and killing mites (DE is a 100% natural powder which dehydrates parasites it comes into contact with). All types of chicken coops can get red mites – however wooden coops tend to experience the most infestations.
Unfortunately, red mites can survive for up to 10 months in an empty hen house, so leaving a coop empty for a while doesn’t usually fix the problem. Choosing your housing carefully can help prevent infestations Omlet’s Eglu chicken coops are made from plastic which makes it very difficult for red mites to make a home. And in the event that there is a red mite infestation, they are quick and easy to clean. A quick blast with a pressure washer will be enough to send the mites packing.
6 Ways to treat red mites
1. Cleaning
If you find lots of red mites in the coop, it’s time for a deep clean. This type of cleaning will take several hours with a wooden chicken coop, but significantly less time with a plastic chicken coop. Remove all hens from the coop and strip it down as much as possible. Clean each part individually and allow for the coop and parts to dry completely.
2. Mite disinfectant detergent
Mix a mite disinfectant detergent (such as Smite Professional Disinfectant 1L Concentrate or Barrier Red Mite X 500ml Concentrate) with water (using the manufacturer’s guidelines). Apply this to the coop, ensuring you get it in the cracks and crevices. Omlet’s Eglu chicken coops don’t have these awkward and accommodating spaces, making red mites much easier to control. Concentrate your efforts where there is the highest population of red mites. Leave for 15-20 minutes.
3. High-pressure hose
Use a hose (preferably a pressure washer) to hose down the coop and the parts. Try to get in every nook and cranny, as this is where the mites like to hide. Leave for 10-15 minutes to dry. After this, you will most probably see more agitated mites crawling out. Repeat this process until there are very few mites emerging after each wash. Eglu chicken coops are made of heavy-duty plastic and are designed to be pressure washed with ease. One pressure wash will be enough to eradicate any existing mite population.
4. UV
Leave the coop to thoroughly dry. It’s ideal to perform coop cleanings on a sunny day where UV rays can kill some of the bacteria. Put the coop back together and add bedding. Dispose of the old bedding in a plastic bag in the garbage – red mites will happily find somewhere else to live if given the opportunity.
5. Red mite powder
Sprinkle your entire coop and your chickens with a red mite powder. Ensure you rub the powder onto the perches so that any remaining mites will have to crawl through it to reach your chickens.
6. Repeat red mite powder treatment
Re-apply the red mite powder every couple of days or when it has rubbed off. Red mites are primarily active during mild weather, making peak seasons the spring and fall. They will lie dormant throughout the rest of the year, waiting for their next opportunity to emerge.
Preventing red mites with Omlet
Any chicken coop can fall victim to red mites, but with any easy-to-clean plastic chicken coop, you’ll be able to nip infestations in the bud. Our chicken perches can be removed easily for a thorough cleaning, and our plastic Chicken Swing offers a mite-resistant place to find relief. Don’t fall prey to red mites – take control with Omlet’s chicken products.
Who enjoys being bored? The same boredom that plagues humans and other pets can creep into your chicken flock – potentially causing destructive behavior. Thankfully, there are ways to keep your chickens entertained. We’ll share our favorite ways to keep your flock’s minds and bodies busy to effectively keep boredom at bay.
Why do chickens need to be entertained?
Much like children, chickens can act out if they become bored. It’s not uncommon for bored hens to display a variety of negative behaviors or attitudes when they don’t receive enough mental or physical stimulation. Some signs that your chickens may be bored include:
Feather pulling (on themselves or picking at flockmates)
Sudden assertive or aggressive behavior
Dull demeanor
Decreased appetite
Chickens are very social animals, and while having companions helps curb their craving to be entertained, supplemental activities will help keep your flock fit and happy.
Ways to keep your flock occupied
Keeping your chickens entertained in any season is easier than you may think. Simple additions to your chickens’ run can make the difference between doldrums and delight. The following boredom-busting activities are great for any sized flock to get a great mental and physical workout in.
Provide perches
Chicken perches are an easy, yet effective way to get your flock engaged in their run. Perching is a natural behavior for nearly every species of bird, and your hens are likely craving some vertical variety in their space. Freestanding chicken perches are quick to install and move when needed and can be customized to accommodate even the smallest hen in your flock. Or, go big with a PoleTree customizable chicken perch for the ultimate perching and play experience.
Put out heaps of leaves, straw or hay
Sometimes you need not look any further than nature for inspiration for enrichment. Freshly raked piles of leaves or scattered piles of straw or hay are great ways to encourage foraging in your flock. Toss some scratch grains or dried insect treats into the piles and watch your hens scratch around for hours searching for their snacks.
Designate a dust bathing area
Dust baths for chickens aren’t just to keep their feathers in good condition but are also a social activity among hen pals. You’ll often notice two or three hens taking a dust bath together. Providing your flock with a dust bathing area in a specific area of their run will help create a communal spot to hang out and catch up on coop gossip.
Put up a mirror
Chickens take pride in their appearance, and will appreciate the opportunity to check out their reflection. Take care that any mirrors are securely mounted, and are not in an area that will reflect concentrated sun rays onto flammable surfaces like straw, hay, leaves, or dry grass. Use a mirror with caution if you have a rooster in your flock. If they perceive another rooster encroaching on their hens they will go on the defensive – even if it’s against their own reflection. This could stress them (and the rest of your flock) and do more harm than good.
Chicken toys
Chicken toys are helpful to motivate hens to exercise mentally and physically. Elevate your hens’ snacktime with peck toys. The Pendant Peck Toy swings and sways along with your chickens’ efforts, which stimulates both their minds and bodies. Or, choose the Poppy Peck Toy for a more stationary option. The Caddi Chicken Treat Holder lets you serve your flock’s favorite fresh finds in a creative way. Stuff it full of leafy greens, hay, or
Other toys for chickens include the Chicken Swing, which provides a fun alternative to an ordinary perch. Many chickens enjoy a nice sit on a gently swaying swing – especially when there’s a nice breeze. Some other toy ideas include:
Xylophones mounted to the side of the run
Toy balls (large enough to not be choked on)
Hollow dog toys to fill with scratch grains or other treats
Change things up
Chicken tractors are perfect for changing things up for your flock. Chickens thrive on routine, but benefit from variety. Move your chickens’ coop to different areas of your yard to give them fresh pecking grounds, new scenery, and different sunning angles.
If you have a stationary chicken coop, try moving some toys or perches around periodically to spice things up. Adjust perch heights, move peck toys to new spots, or add herbs to their dust baths to give your hens variety in their everyday routines.
Spend time with them
This activity doesn’t require any special equipment – just your time. Even if your chickens just view you as the bringer of food, having you in their run for an extended visit helps liven things up. Bring a chair or stool to sit with your flock, or offer some treats by hand to build a bond with hesitant hens. As any chicken keeper knows, time spent with your hens is time well spent.
Omlet: providing your flock with fun
At Omlet, there’s no shortage of fun or innovation. The result? Imaginative chicken toys and accessories that are anything but dull. From pillar pieces like strong chicken coops, to quirky components like the Chicken Swing, our products help you create the perfect hen habitat.
We have recently started working with the show Coop Dreams, providing them with a new setup of coops and runs for their farm. If you haven’t caught any of the episodes before we highly recommend that you check them out. Great source of knowledge if you’re thinking about keeping chickens and they also demonstrate problems and hurdles they come across in a funny and light hearted way, link is here.
In the meantime, we wanted to find out a bit more about where it all started and so Brad, the founder of Coop Dreams, has taken the time to explain to us, where and how this all began!
Soooooo… We are often asked when and how the TV show Coop Dreams started and that’s a tough question to answer because it has its initial roots way back in 1999 but really blossomed in 2014.
In 1999 I was fortunate to be asked to serve as the national spokesperson for the charity ‘Keep America Beautiful’ and speaking about conservation, recycling and reducing carbon footprints on a daily basis… That set the wheels in motion of recognizing the impact of the way we were living. Lots of changes happened over the next decade but fast forward to 2014 when we bought some land and actually began our homestead.
Not having a solid knowledge of homesteading we started searching for videos, books and blogs to help us learn… Admittedly I am NOT a ‘reader’ (Jackster is) and I do not process information well in that arena… So I began looking for videos and everything I saw had perfectly manicured lawns and flowers and incredible landscaping… Well that was pretty un-relateable and so we created a video series that would document our start for others… Showing the successes as well as the failures so people can connect… One thing led to another and pretty soon we were talking to the Discovery network about making it into a TV show… And here we are in the early parts of shooting season 4.
With that we have moved from the city to a 32 acre farm and built a barn and a small house. It has kind of exploded over these 4 years as we now have 3 dogs (2 rescues), 2 cats (That have walked out of the woods and adopted us), 3 horses, 4 goats and 36 chickens… Plus all of the deer, raccoons, foxes and other critters we share the land with.
Homesteading with Coop Dreams – If I was pressed as to why we do this and what we enjoy about it I think it would be the ‘honesty’ of it all. There is something very pure about raising your own food and caring for animals. Additionally there are no games with the animals we share our farm with. We love them and as long as we scratch backs and bring food – they love us. It is pure, honest and very comforting… I do not think I could go back to a life before this farm.
It doesn’t come without its challenges as with almost 50 animals we have to care for, someone is always sick or hurt… Something always need to be fixed or repaired… and there are NO days off. Additionally it is tough to lose an animal, painful to see any suffer and stressful to know when any are not ‘right’.
The other challenges come from being a part of the TV show. In being a true reality show we do not hide, script or cover anything up so our mistakes are out in the open for viewers and followers to judge, criticize and correct. We are grateful that the Coop Dreams community, which continues to grow, has been very understanding and helpful in both our challenging and tough times. I really think it is because it is so easy to see yourselves in us… We are not tv people, we are not perfect and we are certainly not experts… We are just a family that cares about their animals and are trying to live in a more compatible way with the environment.
We recently received a copy of ‘How To Speak Chicken‘ by Melissa Caughey from Tilly’s Nest and we wanted to find out what inspired this unique and fascinating read. Melissa has kindly taken the time to explain what led her to write this book in our latest blogpost below:
“Never in a million years did I ever imagine myself keeping chickens nor did I ever think that I would write a book about chickens. Well, sometimes life takes you on some unexpected and surprising life changing journeys and for me and my family, keeping chickens was one of them. What started out as a way to provide free eggs for the family soon turned into a coop full of backyard pets.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that some chickens enjoyed spending time with me too. They would seek me out in the garden, dig in the same hole where I was planting a new flower and they would even come peek in the slider door as if to look for me to come out and play. I was enjoying their company as much as they were enjoying mine.
As I spent hours, days and now years watching them, I soon realized that chickens were more than just birdbrains. I wanted to figure out why they were doing certain things and what where they saying and eventually how their minds worked.
I guess it was that turning point that made me wonder, just like I had read books about understanding our dog, did such a book exist for chickens? There wasn’t a book, so I set off to write one. Writing the book was one of the best ways that I actually got to know my flock. I had plenty of “a-ha” moments during my research. I finally understood why my chickens were doing what they were doing and even saying what they were saying. Yes, I even delved into understanding their language and you know what, I have a chicken name and I bet you do too! Now I know my chickens definitely talk about me.
Writing How to Speak Chicken has allowed me to connect with so many chicken keepers across the globe and I’m here to share that no, you are not a crazy chicken lady or gentleman. What you think is happening might turn out to be true. As it turns out, chickens are quite smart.”
Melissa Caughey is the author of How to Speak Chicken and A Kid’s Guide to Keeping Chickens. She is a backyard chicken keeper, beekeeper, and gardener who writes the award-winning blog Tilly’s Nest. Caughey writes for HGTV, DIY Network, and Grit, Chickens, Community Chickens, and Country Living magazines, and she presents on chicken keeping at events across the country. She lives on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
How to Speak Chicken is available to purchase on Amazon, just click here.
We recently got the chance to speak with Frau Dr. Sewerin, a German Vet who specialises in poultry. We asked her what her top tips were for keeping your hens happy in colder conditions, here’s what she had to say:
“Make sure the water does not freeze. To do this, place a thick, well-insulated bowl of warm water in a sheltered place, change the water on regular basis or get a water heater.
You should also make sure that there is a dry, snow-free place in the run. You can regularly mix leaves with some wheat grains so that the animals have something to pick. A dry corner with sandbathing possibility must not be missing. Different perching options should always be available during the day anyway, but especially in winter: this helps keeping their feet warm!
Depending on the circumstances, a windcover should be installed at chicken height so that the animals are somewhat protected. You can easily turn the Eglu run into a sheltered, snow-free area. There is are a range of weather protection covers available at Omlet or you could use simple greenhouse film, combined with bubble wrap. This way the run will be a few degrees warmer and windproof on the inside.
In order to help the chickens saving energy and make it a little bit more comfortable for them, you can get an extreme weather jacket for Eglu coops or use tinfoil as it can be found in emergency blankets. The dropping tray can be additionally insulated with an extra thick layer of straw or newspaper. But after all the easiest way is to use the Omlet extreme weather jackets which makes sure that there’s still a good insulation on the inside of the coop.
Pay special attention to the inside of the coop, because the exhalations of the excretions will otherwise accumulate quickly in the interior and irritate the respiratory tract. Good ventilation is also important to remove the humidity, so that the animals do not catch a cold.
A few extra vitamins in the form of fruits, vegetables and herbs can help the immune system. Also onions, garlic and leeks shredded with vegetables or mixed with “flavor enhancers” such as oatmeal, grated carrots, yogurt and oil are very popular.
Now is the ideal time to do a worming cure. If chickens are heavily infested with worms, it weakens them very much.”
If you’re thinking of upgrading your coop, now is the best time to do so. Here are some of the top benefits of having an Eglu plastic chicken coop vs a wooden one, particularly in winter:
They don’t rot and don’t require painting with varnish or wood stains (also means that you don’t have to move pets out whilst you are waiting for the fumes to go.)
They have insulation built in so remain warm.
They have draft free ventilation so your pets wont get a nasty chilly breeze coming in.
The door locks are made from heavy duty steel and wont break even in the freezing weather.
The door handles are all made from plastic so your fingers won’t freeze to them.
The door handles are nice and big so you can use them with gloves on.
The water container is really quick to lift out so you can take it in at night to prevent it from freezing.
Chick out this awesome range of cute little Christmas gifts for the crazy chicken lady we all know and love. Including our new range of clothing and accessories featuring our fun loving characters.
She’s got the keys and it looks as though Mrs Barbara is ready to move in… 1 more sleep until we can reveal Mr and Mrs Barbara’s new home. Who’s eggcited?! #MovingDay
Mr Barbara has followed the chickies and has managed to send us a clearer image of where they’re headed, he sounds very excited about it and can’t wait for you to see it.
“I can see clearly now”…..well not quite but almost there! Hang on, only 3 more days until the big reveal….
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On average backyard chickens live to an age of six to eight years, but there are of course exceptions. How old a chicken will become depends amongst other things on the breed and how a chicken is kept. Heavy layers exhaust themselves with a lifespan of just three years, others can live up to ten years. According to the Guinness World Records world’s oldest chicken is Matilda, a Red Pyle hen from Alabama that died at the age of sixteen (1990-2006). A hen is considered a senior around the age of five. If you are not sure about the age of a chicken, there are signs that will tell you your hen is getting older.
The cold, frosty temperatures of Winter are in full swing, and while you are enjoying a warm cup of tea in the warmth of your kitchen, you might be looking out on your girls wondering how they feel about the colder weather. 
