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    Poultry House Construction PDF

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    Vishnu Das

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Series POULTRY HOUSE CONSTRUCTION by Michael Roberts AD.LY. guide to building poultry houses and allied equipment Contents Tools Regie ‘TinberTetment Dak Nest Bos Infra Nest Bos ‘rosy Banin RA Coop Brody Bes Antico Coup or Sn Bin “Tap Not Box Shae Box ston saa shark re Range Feder ‘The Fight Hen Howe ‘Thee Hen Hose tune ‘he Poy Palace Foreword 1 have always heen intersted in the design of poultey houses, | have architecture in my genes, asboth my uncle Hugh Roberts fromm Bath andy {eat uncle Llewellyn Roberts, who worked closely with Laytens, were ‘cutstanding architects of their ime. Ie must be said that Tam nets Gameed arpenter, although I took a keen interest in carpentry from the age of lesening many techniques from our farm carpenter Berard Bejan from Bidford on Avon. Fhope you will enjoy making thes houses and other item ‘which have been on my drawing board for some three years ove {iuast ad that all the dimensions are in feet and inches but ther a metic ‘conversion at theback of the book Nearly all the timber have used sete, for instance 2 x 1” is 45cm x 2em but Ihave put 2° x 1° N. tn sande fo, NOMINAL}, So beware if you reusing 2" I” ACTUAL Lam sffald meting means nothing to me! Michael DL, Roberts 197 sodenign pang What dss, on forthe ds tr hr manages spires Come ‘This typ bck gd hey hose knocks up with pything hat came oan, Housing Criteria “There are many designs and types of housing avallable today, but few are made with the birds i mind, oF daiy/weekly management Mest poultry housing manufacturers don t keep hens or gese, but come ntothe hen house market via garden sheds and stables, External Design - Construction “Most small poultry houses are made of wood, although Ihave seen some in Asbestos sheeting and Aluminium cladding. The wood used comes in diffrent mediums, tongue and groove, feathered, ship-lap andl extemal Plyboard. External piyboand and good quality sheathing boar, are the best product for making smal poultry houses, providing the plyboard is kept off the ground have seen hoses made of exteral ply which ae 0 yeas old ‘The other key factors that plyboard is easy to clean, and does not harbour ite unlike T&G and shiplap, bt this san indivicual preference, Accesso your poultry house is very important. You must be able to clean it, “pray and obseeve all ound i without having to stand an your head, oF Keel dovenon the wet ground. Accssis best though widedoor orasliding root External Designs also important The house should look good and grace the surroundings. Thee is nothing worse than a poultry house which i badly designed and badly made, All the houses Ihave inelded in this book ae sectional This sso that they ‘an be taken to pieces periodically for clesning, dif you move hose they ‘a be flat packed o take with you. Internal Design Most people don't ease that there are criteria fr the internal layout ofa hen house Sizes willdependion thebreed of bird thal youaregoingto keep There isa big dtference between Brahmas and Sebrights, Cornish and Leghorns. ‘Acces othe house willbe viaa pop hole, ane this may oF no equire a amp ‘orsteppng stone. Once inside there should be enough light via lass panels ‘or ventilation holes, forthe binds w be able to ind ther way about Le where the nest box is and how high the perches are. The Floor should be solid if ‘posible, slated works fr growers. Wire mesh floors for older birds i ‘suse breast bone lesions Solid floors are easier fo clean as long as there is plenty ofltier this also providesasofter landing or birds coming down from the perches. (One cause of Bumble Foot can be binds landing badly) Slated Ars Become very mesy ah hed with ane a aie king or power washing to lean them. Allow aproninael 12 to 2aq feet per Bi Sepenlng on the breed ara arian Nest boxes ‘Thenest ox must hein the darkestarea of the house, Try notte hae faci the pop hale or window or adjacent to it The mest box needs toe light raised above the level ofthe orto give the bid an impression of safety, ‘This san orginal jangle fol isin to lay above the Wate ine ates ‘hich ood ad hence to ull the nest ile higher * . SI ‘hoe types of ould nest Does. Keplg the et bo ry sel A Ther est oe eaten eae the house a! Ming ine Bhs the et box igo on thot, but covera ya wtrgroat membrane These ban ‘hetang of ano fot whieh prostrate hen “The nest box nee oe lwer than the perch, so tha the binds wil goto the highest point in the hose to rost. If the nest bones are higher fan the pethes ten the birds wl ost orsitin the nest bones and fo them ‘The nest box shoul! be lpge enough for the esto stand up in and turn ‘ound: Iako neds tobe deep enough about four Inches of iter The size vill vary between 77" fora Sebright fo 14" 1 fora Brat should kobe large enough ora cockerel et nto, bene very often he wil all the hen into the est box with crooning ols The hen mate seein there and persuade that she siding her epg hence the darkness Hens need to be able to make serape, Lea concave depression inthe iter, by scratching around and ruling their feathers before laying. This is something denied to them in battery cages "have never liked separate, rather than communal nest boxes so often Thaw ‘seen egg led up ioe nest ox, because the birds prefer itt al the other Very te eggs wil get broken or starred ia communal nest box if there ‘ulficent liter thats about &” depth of shavings. Access to nest boxes sa important, not only for egular leaning but also for the collection and observation of eggs The ratio of nest box space should be 1 or 4 for every three birds ther shouldbe ane nest bok space. Egg eating an Sart asa rel of the nest bo being loo light To counteract this pat up a Back plastic curtain witha tapi {gn to give the darkness and privacy that the hen requires. f the nest box i ‘Sesigned properly this should not be a problem. (will dea with rll-aa nest boxes in another publication. Mobility If you are making a fold unit or house to move around there are one ort points to consider. I know some people who have built a hen house like {Bite ship and have found it too heavy to move. On the other hand, if yo bilan ark tootong and oo light wil surely bend an break nthe kdl Normally a compromise fe reched with the use of wheels | haven't an ‘wheelson the housing in this book, ut wish to discus these ata ater tm Perches “Thestandand size fr perchesis2"%2" chamfered on the top to edges. Mos people think bird stands ll night butin fat tis on its easton the perc ‘ith its fet stendying it hence i you ave narow perches these can us {an indentation inthe breast bone of young beds. Perch space can Vary fro ‘for small bantams, like Dutch and Sebrights, up to 9" or 10" fr the lag ‘reeds like Bulf Orpingtons. 7" isa good average for most breeds Perct height is inportant. The lighter the breed, fr instance a Leghorn o Fayoni, the higher the perch, maybe 23 fet hig, depending on the siz the Rouse, but doven to” high for Comish Game: Distance between prche fan vary front 12" centres to 2” centes, again depending on the bred wit ‘Marans fr exannple 16° centres are about correct Perching ial important ‘bird that not perch well, wil not lay wel, Droppings Boars Deoppings boards to collec the night manure are essential. Tey should b about #""6 ander the perches and this wil ensure thatthe birds don’t stan about inthe droppings during the ay, particulary ifthe weather is poor cutee, Ventilation Ventilation is important, but must not cause drafts ts quite dificult to anange ventilation which i suitable fr cold snowy winter nights or hot Stuffy summer nights. The important thing to buildin lexsbiity. The three ‘most common designs are raven below cation noc me wih de ven and pean, o ere nn soap co he {wo the higher end. im Ventilation can be increase by having siding shutters or doors, with a weld mesh screen behind. Some of these our are windows a well ot igh it thehouse, and slide vertically or horizontally. Irs essential to beable ovary ‘theamount of ventilation according to the weather conditions Popholes can vary insize dependingon the breed sing thehouse. The norm |S8° wide by 10"-12" high. The most important factor is the door dosing the Pophole.Itmust stay up when open and doven or closed wen sh. Man's the ime Ihave sen birds locked out oftheir houses because the cockerel has ‘aught his back onthe bottom of the pop hole door. This ha disturbed the locking mechanism, usually a hook abd eve, and allowed the door to slam down Behind him, so positive security mechanisms area mast oensure that the pop hole remains open When necesary and closed against predators when noses, 6 fhe house erase off the ground, you may have to put a ramp up to the pop hole or use bricks as steps. Automated pop holes can be mate, but tenfortately they cant count the bits in at might fall, and very often hens pet left outside zl | Ce Holes The dor sup and doen ad sft bya dng bel 2. Hee the eioeisldepty ong wooden tr Sie he dor up este brio Be stand thd, po taht ue ‘Recht ean een ha a ona dep wg ep al ‘hcettepop ot taed ofthe grounds mpc be cept ana or 6A “Sap dep down ned door wo tum on Weather Proofing ‘This wll depend on the area you live, the main problems being snow, high annual rainal, gales and stn, Some ofthese problems can be solved by location, perhaps moving the house from a summer toa winter position. 1 have fund Ondulinebtumised rooting sheets be very stistactory as they insulate the house, Keeping it cool in the summer and warm in he wine ‘Obviously these sheets wil let in driven snow, bt that canbe rectified with plyboord orsponge rubber cut ous. Roofing felt must never be used becase Itharbours red mite ‘Thebest water repellent is Cuprnol. Thisisa water based wood preservative. It drys quickly, i non-toxic an comes in 3 range of colours Cresete suitable only i the house can be left dry for several weeks, Inthe od days itwas used asa cureall and wassplashed about the house like a disinfectant to clean up red mite orscley leg. Anyone who has accidentally gota op in their eye ora cut finger wil Know the pain i produces, But having sod ‘hat, have seen hen houses 60 and 70 years old that were regularly painted with creosote Hinges and Door Catches ‘Hinges ar best used vertically rather than horizontally. In ether case, they should be lubricated with oil every six months to stop them from seizing up try to avoid using hinges if possible. For door catches on access doors it is best to have not only turn button, bat also some other form of door catch. Theresa wide range of meta eatehes om ‘he market enabling you toshat your birdsup safely, but you must make cure that the poultry house door does not work is way open on a windy might You must always be on your guard agains the ever present threat of foes i @ as ==> (FE soe en #8 gam & gh Various doe etches made by Eliza Tne. Tools Required “This cependson how sophisticated your workshop s, and whether you ha clectrictyto enable you tose power toa. i 2 Hammer, and drill and various bits, pencil, measuring tape, set squa padsaw, sande, ip sar, tenon saw plane, staple gun, glue f you ha ectrity: Electric il electric jg saw, letic planer. Le {As have pointed out elsewhere inthis Book Lam nota carpenter, but en trying to Bone Th tne god rk for ming eae hoses te a Mea correctly and always double check ». Always double set squarethe places where you ae going toss the woo, not only horizontally bu vertically aswell. When the ends ofthe imber are badly ut they standout ike “saw thumbs!" Always precio stop the woud from spit Split ends are not on ‘wen butte wood decay and look aru. Tats our carpentry lesson Torthedy Timber Treatment CCreosoteOil based preservatives These forms of eatment are good fy dont have to put the birds back in thee house the same day. Allow seve ‘lays forthe house to dry thoroughly, depending on the weather, ther the btdscan be come dicolosred by the preservative, porter they ‘white. A strong smell can also build up in the house and this can tain tgs and make them taste of cessole ‘Water based preservatives, CuprinaSadoline-Those preservatives arct beat They are safe fo use, with a good range of colours and they dry ve sickly. “Tanalith - The wood is pressure treated and is best use on fencing Hinbe ‘Thepreservativesarsenic based, and thetimber needs to dry out thorough before being used, otherwise it warps badly. Tanalith seems to be me ‘Successful on certain soft woods than others. ‘Water/Ol dips - Many of these so called preservative dips, which you of secon garden sheds, ae lite more than colovring agente all depends how concentrated the mistue is, Tes claimed that they can do all sorts things but aera few months exposed to the elements, they soon weather discolor. Its Bett slap ona coat of Cuprina as son as you ean. d Some facts about a 6ft 3ft x 3ft Ad i Rrareyrgtie same tetios When studied the old books on housing Be ctalogues ofthat Hime, there wore very fi ‘Ark deserbed, Hovsever i the 130s po ‘began to ran cattle and sheep together poultry, and the ArK was designed wi pointed roof to stop sheep and Lambs Jumping om top off In reality however, rf vdsteful design as you can see from Siagrams. For almost the same amount timber as the rectangular design, the lesen 1/ Sot pacity Duck Nest Boxes Duck Nest Boxes Dicks need somewhere to lay their eggsaway from the prying eyes of crows and magpies. Both these houses have baffles inside, sf the crow /magpie Tok int cannot see the nest. Both nest boxes are easy to check, as they have [inged rooves. The lower nest box can he sed for Mandarin of Carolina ducks, providing there isa ladder orlog of wood forthe dack to clamber up Inthis case the nest box shouldbe placed abot 3 of the grotnd (eee HE we Internal Nest Boxes “These nest hoxes ae usefel whee binds are housed in a shed or sable The steeply sloping roof prevents the binds from roosting oni Internal Nest Bones sat ane ter ee oor Broody/Bantam/Rabbit Coop ‘This was designed as a multi-purpose coop, with two different contre sections, one fora brood and chicks and the other fra wi of Bantams ora Det rabbit Access is very easy the roo slides forward, revealinga perch and “Sropping board, with anest box underneath Both these items are removable for cleaning or converting into a brood co0p. Broody /Bantam /Rablit Coop Broody/Bantam /Rabbit Coop Broody/ Bantam /Rabbit Coop Broody/ Bantam /Rabbit Coop Brody /Bantam/Rabbit Coop oe eet te Broody Boxes If you are using broodies to hatch out your eggs, then these boxes are invaluable, They need tobe placed away rom your other hens, in the shade ofa treeand on slightly raised ground. The fl details on using these boxes are covered in brcubaton at Home, remember, a2 boy, helping the game keeper hatch pheasant and partridge eggs, using two long hanks of these boxes. gotto know each broody and hercharacter- some wererealoldbstle anes, while others Were really meek and even-tempered 2% Broody Boxes | oe an t Es vine meer abr uneera ee de nem HEE Broody Boxes Yeates [eatecrgeestesereeT Wiese Tae. we Som lebegzayty meee we seer oamma| uw Bree (orene) Bree (mane) Rare Weave Tee “This contraption is designed to make a broody hen fel as uncomfortable as possible. thas a wold mesh floor so that the broody has a constant draft of Kiraround her nether regions. She should be fed on pain wheat and fresh water. The houses fox proofand needs tobe put ina fox proo ates Some ‘of my earliest memories are of my grandmother's Moransint he an-broody ‘00p which I stl use today, probably more than 60 years later. Ant-troody Coop or Sin Bin See Ber uae aitenten Le ake era PoE, ttn Trap Nest Box 1 have studied these in detail as there ae several types and techniques that have been produced over the years by various manifactrers ll aiming Sorts of advantages. was asked to manufacture some forthe Rare Bees Survival Trust aml this isthe design T choose nt boxes “Thereare two important points about trap 1. The mechanism must not put the hen off of frighten her but mast be positive 2. Theremust bea lobby incorporated in the design satha once the bit has laid her egg she can move of the nest If this doesnot happen 9 times out ‘oF 10 the egg wil be cracked by the hea impatient to get oof the nest. box: Using tis system, the wire trigger which holds up the siding door can be ‘sed ist without the door, so the hens get sve pushing past he tigger ‘When the triggers set, the door closes gently onto the bird's ti. Iermast be said that you should da your recording ts so as posible when using trap rest boxes fr your laying birds, as it i eel o leave them cooped! up inside forhout, butitis certainly a very revealing and rewarding exercice ‘Trap Nest Box “Trap Nest Box ‘Trap Nest Box Show Bow ‘With he increasing intrusion of common market dictates, the daysofariving {st your local poulty show with your bitds in cardboard boxes are probably ‘numbered. [have always thought this design of show box tobe the mast rc and the slide-out divisions make caning that mh ese. Bids ae Eoot rege any oot or water wale waveling end in col weather they tle alright fr up fo hours Food and water in he show Dox ony make {mess of the birds andthe box, and as already mentioned, buds dont ext While traveling anyway. = ae Bantam House “This sa cheap and easy house to make and I have used this type for THis simpleto dean outas the sliding roof gives complete acces the 00 00 00 00 ‘ofthe house, which is clivided into three ~a nest box, a peeching aea and 3 Feeding/day ares. The veranda on the font allows the birds lo go out ‘without getting their feet eet or maddy. Ee Fa wy oN Ronse geaesonerac, ca a opoene Bantam House Bantam Howse WEY sh (mea 20840) Joo sROt en, s00a Gavoesne Mio} 8ft Run This isa wery simple and easy ron to construct Its light-weight but the advantage this design is acces Its easy to catch Binds inside ths ron, and feeding and watering are very staightonwatd sft Run pote Comane st Run 6ft Ark Wwannseer The Ark is made with hinged sides, and the thee tangular sections ar ee F screed into place. dea fora few growers or a rabbit it has a solid woud 5 floor and no perch The door islightly diferent in the drawing compared t i i the photograph. Note thatthe doorsde ofthe Arkis ae inch shorter than penta steeeas ‘the other sides care must be taken to ensure thatthe claclding i nae! ont «I Saaennl . the comtect side otherwise thealr willbe Bue when you come to assemble | inthe garden! cores S06 (arene sera te (one) sersgsrarn sequen om an. av

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