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Friday, May 13, 2011

Temperature Tips for Your Chicken Coop

Temperature Tips for Your Chicken Coop
Keeping the Chicks Comfortable
If your intention is to keep chickens to raise them instead of just for their eggs, then you must know how to ensure that the temperature of the coop is suitable for the chicks. Baby chicks need their environment to be hot when they are first hatched. This is the reason why hens sit on their chicks initially for 48 hours, to keep them warm. Out in the wilderness, hens sit on their chicks till they have grown enough feathers for them to cope with normal temperatures.
If you are raising your chicks in a specific environment, then you must ensure that the temperature remains warm enough for them. The simplest solution for this is to install heat lamps when the chicks are kept. For the initial week, the chicks need the temperature to be roughly 95 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, you can decrease the temperature by roughly 5 degrees Fahrenheit each week, till the chicks are six weeks old. By this time, the chicks should have enough feathers to be able to go outside into the area where the rest of the chickens are. However, this may not be the case if you live someplace that is exceptionally chilly.
Fully Matured Chickens
When the chickens have matured fully, they prefer temperatures which are neither too hot nor very cold. To make certain that your chickens remain comfortable throughout the year, you should construct a properly ventilated coop that has efficient air circulation. If the climate of your area is cold, you might want to add some insulation in the walls to keep your chickens warm. Remember that if your chickens feel too cold, they will not lay as many eggs as they normally would.
During warm seasons, make sure that your chickens are completely comfortable. These birds tend to fall ill in humid climates, and you want to avoid that. When you are designing the coop, add a door that faces the direction when wind usually flows from, and add vents at high places in the walls. The windows should be adjustable so that you can open and close them suitable during warm and cold months.
Lastly, you can also invest in artificially maintaining the temperature inside the chicken coop. there are many unit s available in the market for you to choose from. However, make sure that the wiring is completely concealed as you definitely want to avoid the consequences of open wiring.
Author Resource:- For more great tips and advice on chicken coops, visit http://www.chickencoopadvice.com.

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