In this chapter you will learn:
While some of the material we will talk about has been described in some amount in previous chapters, we will go into further detail about them. One of the most important of these is proper clean up after your chickens. In simple terms chickens are messy and if you do not get a handle on this you can and more likely have sick or dead chickens, as well as getting yourself sick. So let’s start with the most obvious problem, the henhouse.
Chickens do not deposit their waste in neat little piles but all over the place including their nest. So on a regular basis you will need to replace the bedding, (It can be done at the same time you are collecting eggs. If you use a wire frame nest starter or a box, this fairly easy, take it and dump the contents into a wheelbarrow or trash can, (After safely removing the eggs), and then install new bedding. For this you will want to wear gloves and a mask. Next you will need to sweep and then scrub with Dakin’s solution the henhouse floor, (Now you see why the tile floor is so important) and your floor could have a trap door to make this easier. Next up is the chicken run and for this you will need a broom and pan to sweep up the droppings. All of these wastes need to be taken to your chicken compost bin where they need to age into high nitrogen fertilizer and as stated before this bin can be located on a septic tank drainage field, but never where you draw water from or where it can run off in the rain into a local water source. Failure to do this you are looking at fines, jail and the knowledge you may have made someone sick or die, so plan ahead.
Next on the agenda is keeping them safe. The biggest threat is all the local animals that think raw chicken makes a great meal. In the previous chapter on chicken runs we touched on this in regards to fencing, but you also need to do a few more steps. The first of these go back to your henhouse. It needs to be secure from the outside world and this includes and ventilation or the construction of it. Secondly at night, chickens inside behind a secure hatchway door, everything on the outside looking in. Third you will need to provide heat and cooling to the henhouse. This could be done by smalls fans located in the ceiling or high up on the walls and a heat lamp to keep them warm in cold weather. These two need to be safely installed so they will not burn down the henhouse or electrocute yourself or the chickens.
Finally there is personal safety. So to accomplish this always wear gloves and boots when doing anything around the chickens. When finished step into a mixture of Dakin’s and water up to the top of the sole of the boot to sterilize anything you may have picked up and never take these boots into your residence. Next wash your hands in hand sanitizer to eliminate anything on your hands. If there is any chicken waste or body fluids on your clothes, take them off also before going into the house and wash these separately from other clothes.