| The Size - Some people will let their chickens run | | | | the ground. You can run lengths of two by fours |
| loose, especially during warm weather. The problem | | | | about five feet high along each of the long side of |
| with this is that you will have hen droppings all over | | | | the walls of the hen house. Then on these and |
| and you may have to hunt for the eggs in odd | | | | extending across the short side of the hen house, nail |
| places that the hens pick to nest. It is far better to | | | | the nesting boards, one by two-inch rough lumber. |
| build a closed pen and hen house. An ideal size for a | | | | Place the back roost six inches from the back wall |
| rooster or two and six to eight hens would be a hen | | | | and the other a foot apart. Normally a heavy-bodied |
| house approximately three by nine feet with a | | | | chicken requires a good square foot of roosting |
| ten-foot high ceiling and an outside run about nine by | | | | space in the summer. In winter, they may crowd |
| twelve. | | | | closer together for the warmth. |
| The Design - You can build a hen house from just | | | | The Door - At floor level underneath the square hole |
| about anything so long as it has a varmint-proof | | | | covered with screening, make a hole a foot square |
| floor, sound walls and roof. In the cold climates, it | | | | with a door that slides up and down in rough wood |
| should be free of winter drafts and in the hot | | | | channels. This stays open most of the time but, |
| climates, good summer ventilation. It can even be | | | | when cleaning the hen house, you will want to keep |
| part of a shed. Cut a hole about a yard square from | | | | the hens outside in the pen. |
| one of the outside walls about five feet off the | | | | Don't know what to do with all those messy leaves |
| ground. Cover it with a strong aluminum fly screening. | | | | laying around your yard? Use them as a floor |
| This will let fresh air circulate, let some of the sun in | | | | covering for your hen house. They keep the |
| and keep the flies out. | | | | droppings from sticking to the wood and makes it |
| The Roost - Chickens prefer to spend the night off | | | | easier to clean the hen house. |