the run

while you are in the process of finding your chicken it is extremely important that you have the proper housing for them. if you get chicks or have them now, you'll begin to keep them outside at at least six weeks of age- or until they are completely feathered out so they can stay warm during the night. if your chickens will not be free range (meaning they can roam where they please) then it is important to have an adequate enclosed space for them. five square feet per chicken is ideal, but that ends up being a big run (the outside area of the coop, the chicken pen) if you have more than a couple chickens. so judge what you think is okay, but remember the happier the chickens, the more and the better the eggs! also if you keep your chickens in the run 24/7 it is important that

they are occupied throughout the day. in my run are branches for them to perch on, leaves and mulch for them to forage, a doggy door so they can freely go in and out of the coop (the inside part) as they please, and while they are in the run, they are given lots of fruits and veggies to eat. in the run make sure they have access to sunlight. sunlight gives the chickens an immune boosting hormone called melatonin-the better their immune system the more healthy they are and more healthy their eggs are. also make sure you have easy access inside the run in case of an emergency, and to clean it. making sure their run and coop is clean is very important. this maintains a healthy environment for both chicken and human-and it keeps the back yard less stinky, and less flies! predators are also a main concern with chickens because their only defense is to run and hide, but also a sturdy run. we use welded wire for out chicken run, instead of the twisted wire that is commonly called chicken wire-raccoons and other fingered animals can easily rip that apart and attack your chickens. so make sure the wire you get is all predator proof. there are many websites that will show you many different types of chicken coops, just type in chicken coop designs and you will see many different styles of coops/runs that fit your lifestyle.