Why a Chicken Pen is jus what you need
Let me get to the point. If you are considering raising your own chicks, whether within your backyard or even in some little farmville farm area and you aren’t using a chicken pen you may be allowing yourself to be set up for a lot of trouble. The thing is, there are a lot of things that could harmfully affect your chicks. Predators are a persistent worry generally and your flock will be particularly at risk. Also, the unavailability of a safe place may reduce overall productivity on your farm. Plus you might be surprised to learn that a chicken cage may not be sufficient to fully protect your chicks. Let us look at all of these one at a time – at the end of which you may choose to look again in case you’ve so far opted to use a chicken pen.
Predators will be the main cause for worry for birds that are not protected by a chicken pen. In particular, your chicks are definitely vulnerable and access to your flock must be limited and managed. Based on where you live, your flock could be set upon from both land and air: Raccoons, foxes, Hawks, Owls, cats and dogs are all known to go after exposed chickens presented with any opportunity. Raccoons often kill chicks through snapping their necks. Foxes consume them whole or otherwise destroy them without eating them selecting to bury them for a later time. Of course all this will deplete your produce whatever you are rearing your chicks for.
When kept inside a chicken house, secured chicks keep their balance and well-being which creates a good effect on their productiveness. When your chicks are in a good condition, they’ll produce much more healthy and generally better-tasting eggs.
To develop on the previous argument, the absence of a chicken coop can really result in decreased productivity. It may have a detrimental impact in overall efficiency of your flock. Chickens need nesting boxes to remain productive. Also, where there is not a nourishing and secure environment ones birds might be noticeably less healthy than they need to be.
And be aware: a good standard cage might not be sufficient. Though giving some safety, your chickens continue to be susceptible to harm and also the cage itself could make escape difficult. Cages will not necessarily prevent predators, as they can kill the birds when they are close enough approaching the borders of the cage. Sometimes the cage doesn’t always offer a nice healthy environment – just picture the actual farms with their chickens crowded together with very little space to move around. Once again this may make your chicks less wholesome than they should be.
Do you see what I’m saying regarding the problems in the lack of a chicken coop? Most people take too lightly the effects and wide variety of predators. They don’t realise the potential drop in productivity and often believe a cage will be ok. So look into it – perhaps a chicken coop is the better way forward for your flock.