Considerations in Constructing a Poultry House
The purpose of constructing a poultry house for your chickens or birds is to protect the birds from dogs, cats, snakes, rats and other pests and thieves and to keep out mice, rats and birds from eating valuable poultry feed and transmitting disease.
A good chicken house or poultry house, no matter what its size or which materials are used for it, has certain essential features. These essentials, discussed further below, include a water – tight roof, good ventilation with no cold drafts, internal surfaces that are easy to clean, adequate floor space for the number of birds contained, ratproof floors and walls and a wellchosen location.
Since the poultry farming business is without a doubt one business that has empowered loads of entrepreneurs simply because of how profitable it is. Besides being a profitable business, it is also easy to setup especially if you are starting on a smaller scale and from a nice location.
No doubt there are some challenges when it comes to running poultry farms and one of the challenges is that of proper housing system for your poultry.
Poultry farmers must be aware of concerns related to (1) environmental issues like water quality, odors and flies, litter applications on fields and high soil phosphorous levels; (2) nearby neighbors and public areas like churches, parks and businesses; and (3) laws and regulations that affect farming operations.
Read Also: The Nutritional Requirements and Deficiency Symptoms for Poultry Chickens
Basic requirements for the poultry house / building are:
- it is rain proof
- it protects poultry from direct sunlight
- it is not subject to flooding
- it is wild bird proof
- it has enough space
- it is easy to clean out
- it has a solid door with a lock
Positioning of the poultry house is an important consideration in order:
• to protect poultry from wind and rain storms
• to prevent direct sunlight from entering the house and stressing the birds
• to have good drainage around the house to protect it from flooding
• to avail of the prevailing wind to cool the house in a warm climate
The house should have a roof with a steep slope to allow rainwater to run off, and have a good overhang.
The house should be at least 1.8 –2.0 m high so that a person can stand upright.
need for litter. The housing must allow the fresh excreta to be removed from underneath.
Spaces between the bamboo strips need to be such that the excreta fall through but the bird doesn’t catch its foot between the strips (about 2-2.5 cm wide for an adult bird).
Do not overcrowd the chickens and floor space should be as follows:
• Chickens 0-6 weeks old: 10-12 birds/m2. Floor size 5m x 2m /100 birds
• Pullets to 16 weeks old: 5-7 birds/m2 Floor size 2m x 2m / 25 birds
• Laying hens: 5 birds/m2. Floor size 5m x 2m / 25 hens
• Hens in layer cages, floor space may be 12-15 birds/ m2
• Cage size for 3 hens: 40 cm long x 30 cm wide x 45 cm high, for 5 hens: 50 cm long x 30 cm wide x 45 cm high.
Read Also: Layers or Broilers which One is More Profitable in Poultry Farming? Find Out!
Poultry House Site Requirement
Sometimes there is no choice of where to put a chicken house. If there is a choice, features of a good site are:
• Well – drained land not subject to flooding. This is especially important for deeplitter systems.
• Within sight of the farmer’s home, but far enough away from other buildings to allow for good ventilation.
• The poultry house must be near a source of clean water.
• In areas of high winds, the site should be protected by a hill, stand of trees or other windbreak. Otherwise, a solid wall facing the prevailing monsoon or rain direction may be better.
• Well away from other chicken houses to reduce the spread of disease. An absolute minimum of space between houses is 10 m (32 ft.), but the more, the better.
• In hot climates, placing the house under tall shade or crop trees, such as coconuts, will protect it from the sun. Bushy trees that block ventilation won’t do.
• Away from roads, work areas, and other noisy places to reduce stress caused by disturbances.
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