An Introduction To Chicken Housing


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Small scale or backyard chicken keeping is getting ever more popular in both Europe and the United States. As people are becoming more aware of animal welfare, the origins of their food and often feeling a desire to get closer to nature. Small scale chicken keeping is a great way to combine all three of these trends.

If you are thinking of jumping aboard the chicken keeping bandwagon and getting a few chickens of your own then one of the most important decisions that you going to have to make is choosing the right sort of accommodation for your new feathered friends. After all, they will be spending most of their lives in whatever housing you decide is appropriate. If you want to have happy healthy birds (and who doesn't?) and be rewarded with a daily egg for breakfast, it is important that your chickens think your choice has been a good one!

Chickens in our hen house

Chicken housing comes in so many different sizes, shapes, materials and with or without run that it can sometimes seem like there is an overwhelming choice. Essentially, what often dictates an individual’s choice is based on cost, land availability and the number of chickens that you plan to keep. Whilst these are undoubtedly important criteria, it is essential to realise just how vital to a chicken’s welfare good quality, appropriate housing is.

In the UK, the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) is an independent advisory body set up by the government, to review the welfare of farm animals. They devised a framework known as the “The Five Freedoms” which provides a logical basis for the assessment of the welfare needs of farm animals. This framework is a great tool to assist in planning to keep any animals and is certainly something that should be considered by any would be chicken keeper, to help make the right decisions concerning their new flock accommodation:

The Five Freedoms

1. Freedom From Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

Will your chicken's housing ensure that both you and your chickens have easy access to their water and food? Is there someway of safely suspending the feed containers to reduce the risk of unwanted rodent visitors and contamination?

2. Freedom From Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

Is the housing big enough for the number of chickens you have and does it safeguard them from the elements? Is it water and windproof with appropriate nesting boxes and perches? If you choose a wooden house, will you need to treat the wood annually to maintain its condition? Is the housing material in any way unsafe for your birds, or are their any fixtures and fitting that may harm them?

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

Chickens perching Can you easily clean the chicken house, perches and nesting boxes? Is it designed in such a way that you can access your birds easily? The dimensions of the doors need to ensure that you can remove an adult hen without undergoing unnecessary suffering? Are the floors smooth, or if slatted, are the gaps of an appropriate size to prevent damage to their legs and feet? Are the nesting boxes and perches appropriate for your bird’s needs and erected at safe heights? Is the house secure from predators and, if you have a run attached, can predators easily bury underneath? Is there adequate air quality and ventilation?

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

Is the ratio of chickens to the space available adequate, taking into account different sizes and breeds of chickens? Are there perches and nesting boxes? Will your birds have the opportunity to explore, peck and dig? Can you enrich their accommodation in any way?

5. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Can you ensure your chickens will be safe from predators? If there is an attached run, does it have a roof? Will predators be able to dig under the run or housing to gain access? Is their accommodation of a sufficient size with enough room for the chickens to be able to move freely? Is the housing in a quiet area of your garden where your chickens can relax?

The Five Freedoms framework may seem to raise more questions than it answers - this is a GOOD THING. Any prospective chicken keeper, who does not take on the responsibility of accommodation seriously, is not adequately considering their bird’s welfare.

Our further articles in the chicken housing series detail further the types of chicken housing available and hopefully will help you to decide which is the right type of chicken housing for you.

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