Section

Coop & seasons

Guides on the coop itself and on looking after the flock through the seasons. Each guide lists the sources it draws on.

• Chicken Coop VentilationVent area per bird (and why extension guides rarely give one), ammonia levels in ppm, condensation, winter vs summer airflow and drafts vs ventilation.
• Nest Boxes for Laying HensNests per hen, box size and mounting height as each extension service gives them, nesting material, floor eggs and how good nests help prevent egg eating.
• Coop Bedding and LitterBedding materials as extension services rate them, depth by source, the deep-litter method, cleanout schedules and composting the manure for the garden.
• Winter Care for Backyard ChickensWhen hens need heat and when they don't, ventilation without drafts, frostbite signs and first aid, unfrozen water and a pre-winter checklist.
• Heat Stress in Backyard ChickensWhen heat stress starts, the signs to watch for, shade and airflow, cool water, what extension services say about electrolytes, and cooling an overheated hen.
• Backyard Flock Care CalendarA month-by-month checklist for a backyard flock: chick season, light and laying, the fall molt, summer heat, winter water and routine checks.

Looking for something else? Browse all sections.