Build & Aftercare of Chicken Coops
1. Chicken houses must be sited on solid level ground and not in contact with soil. We recommend siting on concrete flags or concrete blocks, this keeps a good air flow underneath the house. They must also be placed out of direct sunlight and in a sheltered position, both direct sun and strong winds can damage the coop and is not in the best interests of the poultry housed. Vents should be kept open all throughout the year in the UK to avoid internal condensation, chickens are comfortable down to minus 20deg C as they are covered in a 40 tog duvet.
2. Wooden coops need regular maintenance, they should be treated with a waterproof preservative once a year. We recommend cedar oil for domestic use, creosote is ideal also but is for agricultural use and has health warnings. We do not recommend water based fence paints, these are not sufficiently waterproof. HPL Easicoops and plastic coops do not require any maintenance other than the usual regular cleaning.
3. Metal runs should always be built with the mesh either buried in the ground or spread out sideways for form a fox proof skirt, then covered with earth or concrete slabs. Tarpaulins need to be checked periodically and further fixings used if on exposed windy sites.
4. In severe weather conditions such as snow, rain, hail, wind, thunder and lightening please take extra precautions to secure your poultry house and its occupants against the elements.