Battery hens are among some of the most poorly treated animals in the world, as they are forced to lay in a cage and produce eggs day after day, without being given the freedom to walk, move , or even stretch. Chickens are much happy in a more natural environment and studies have even shown that they produce better eggs when they are given a little bit of freedom. Basically, it is not fair that these hens are forced to suffer just so human beings can eat mass produced eggs. Battery cages are due to be banned by the European Union in 2012, but there is still a great deal of damage that can be done before then that you have the power to prevent.

One thing that you can do is look into adopting a battery hen, which will give that hen a much better life than ever before. The first step that you must follow is to look into the laws in your city, as not every city allows hens to be kept. Next, make sure that you have some way to transport these hens back to your house, as they need proper ventilation. This is also true of the housing that you give these hens. Most people choose to purchase a chicken coop, which is a great way to give your new chickens the space that they need in order to remain healthy, while still protecting them from predators. A good chicken coop will provide the perfect accommodation for these chickens, while giving them the shelter that they need. Many of the top chicken coops come with a built in run, which will allow your chickens the freedom to exercise whenever they see fit. While battery hens will not be used to this freedom at first and, therefore, probably will not be very active, they will soon learn to appreciate this extra space that you have given them.

The next thing that you will want to look into is bedding, which is pretty easy to take care of. All you will need is some grass or some straw and your chickens will immediately be happier than they were in the battery. Many hen houses now come with nest boxes, which give your chickens a comfortable place to lay its eggs, while making it easier for you to collect these eggs as well.

As far as feeding goes, make sure that you have a wide range of foods, as you never know what your chicken will want to eat. At first, make sure that mash is always around, as this is what the chicken is used to. Over time, you can mix in some pellets and corn in order to give your chicken a healthier diet. This will improve the overall health of the chicken in the long run, which will lead to a better egg production as well.

One thing about battery hens is that they are usually vaccinated because farmers do not want to lose all of their hens at once. Therefore, you hen should be relatively free of disease when you pick it up, but this does not mean that it is completely healthy. Things like wing bruising are very common among battery hens, as they have not had the room that they need for a long time. A bruise will heal is about two weeks, so just keep an eye on the hen and make sure that it keeps eating and drinking water.

As far as egg production goes, you will find that your chickens have no clue about where to lay their eggs because they have been locked up for so long. Therefore, you will probably find eggs all over the chicken coop for the first little while, as they chickens will simply lay their eggs as they are walking around. This can be a frustrating, and messy, experience, but by putting some fake eggs into the nest box, you can quickly teach them where they are supposed to be. Also, keep in mind that since these chickens have been abused, you can only expect about half the production of a regular hen. This will vary, depending on the chicken, but this is the general rule with battery hens.

These chickens have been treated poorly their entire lives and it is very important that people like you give them a second chance. These hens can still live productive lives with people who will treat them like actual animals or pets, rather than a means to make money.

So you are thinking about keeping chickens at home? Well, you should know that keeping your own chickens is an excellent way to cut down on costs and an increasing number of people are doing this each and every year. With that being said, however, it is very important that you follow the correct steps before you bring these chickens home, so that they can live happy lives and produce the eggs that you need from them on a regular basis.

Chicken Coop

The first thing that you must purchase and set up on your property is a proper chicken coop. Many people simply put up some chicken wire and create a make-shift chicken coop on their property, but this will not keep your chickens safe from predators and other potentially hazardous things. You must purchase a high quality chicken coop if you want your investment in chickens to pay off because too many things can happen to them if they are allowed to simply wander around your property. Luckily, there are a number of higher quality chicken coops available on the market and each of them have built in safety devices that will ensure that your chickens last a long time.

Feed

The next thing that you must look into is the proper chicken feed for your chickens. It is important that you find a professional feed supplier, as they will know exactly what is right for your chickens. It is best to go with layers pellets as the main feed that your chickens eat and you can add some corn in with these pellets for additional nutrition. Your chickens will also enjoy things like grass, worms, slugs, and seeds, so be sure that you mix up what you feed them a little bit. By giving your chickens all of the nutrients that they require, you can make sure that the eggs that they produce will be the highest in quality. It is particularly important to feed them these items if they will not be free range birds, since they will not be able to get these things for themselves.

Health

If you do not know much about the health of chickens, you probably will not have much success when raising them. One of the major keys when protecting the health of your chickens is to invest in a high quality chicken coop. This is because they will be protected from their traditional predators and also from vermin that carry diseases. These chicken coops are also easy to clean, as they come with removable trays, so the chickens will not have to sit around in their own filth and get sick that way. With that being said, chickens can pick up worms, mites, and lice but, luckily, there are steps that you can take to eliminate these concerns. One of the best ways is to use antibacterial solutions when cleaning the chicken coop, as this will eliminate many of the health concerns. You can also de-worm your chickens, much like you would with another pet, but this is not essential to their survival.

Run

The final thing that you will want to look at is how to set up the chickens’ run. Many chicken coops come with a built in run, which will make your life a lot easier. You will, however, want to line the run, as this will give the chickens a more natural environment. You can throw things like wood chips, sand, straw, dirt, or grass into the bottom of the run, which will give the chickens the impression that they are outside. This step is simply another way to keep your chickens happy, which could increase their egg production.

Once you have purchases these items, you are ready to buy your first chicken. There has never been a better time to get involved in this market because all of these chicken products are readily available online. The chicken coops that are found online can be set up in a matter of minutes, so you can get yourself ready for your chickens’ arrival in no time at all.

When purchasing a chicken coop, you might be a little bit clueless about what you need, especially if this is your first time. First time chicken owners must take all of the necessary precautions to do things right because if your first experience with chickens does not go well, you probably will not try it again. Here are some of the necessary steps to take before you take the plunge and buy a hen house:

The first thing that you must consider is the size of your yard, as you do not want your chicken coop to take up too much of your yard. This is because the area around the chicken coop will basically be off limits, so it will need an area all to itself in order to thrive. Luckily, there are some smaller chicken coops available in the marketplace that are perfect for smaller yards. These coops do not take up a whole lot of room, but are still large enough to house 2-4 chickens, which is plenty for your egg production needs.

Before you make your purchase, be sure that there is enough protection for your chickens, as they are easy prey for many wild and domesticated animals. Therefore, you will want a chicken coop that has a strong protective wiring around any ventilated areas, as well as one that is made out of a heavy duty wood like fir. These chicken coops are easy to come by and are actually quite affordable if you know where to look. Another thing to look at is the design of the hen house, as houses that are raised off the ground a little bit are much easier to maintain, as the will not get wet. They will also not be turned into a home for rodents, as these animals will often crawl understand chicken coops and nest there. The proper locking mechanisms can also prevent smarter predatory from gaining entrance to the chicken coop, which is one less thing off of your mind.

Another aspect that you will want to consider is the amount of space that you chickens will have, as you do not want them to be uncomfortable. While it depends on the size of the chickens that you are keeping, a general rule is to give each chicken about 4 square feet to itself. Therefore, you must consider how many chickens you wish to keep before choosing a hen house to purchase. Remember to also factor in the size of your yard, as you will not want these chickens taking over your entire yard.

A common mistake that people make is thinking that they can build their own chicken coop. While this might seem like a good idea, there is really no substitute for a chicken coop that has been designed and built by professionals. Every detail has been considered with these hen houses, which will ensure that you chickens are kept in a safe and secure environment. These chicken coops also come with a money back guarantee, so if something should go wrong, you will be covered.

Do not take your decision to purchase chickens lightly and also do not believe anyone who tells you that all chicken coops are the same. The newer models of hen houses come with removable cleaning trays, ventilated nesting areas, covered runs, and are raised off the ground to prevent potential problems. If you are looking at a chicken coop that does not have most of these features, you should keep looking because these products will not give your chickens everything that they need in order to stay healthy.