Backyard poultry housing

As a backyard poultry owner, you must ensure your birds have a safe and comfortable coop that can be easily cleaned and protects them from harm and diseases.

The coop should have an easily accessible door and internal walls that are of non-porous material and easy to clean. You should be able to visualise the entire coop clearly upon entering, so that you can easily observe if sections need cleaning. If you provide perches, there should be enough available for all birds to roost. Ensure perches are not placed directly above feed or water.

Remove build-up of faeces and other organic matter such as bedding and litter regularly. Occasionally, you will need to wash down walls, perches and nest boxes to remove grime and stains using detergent products. You should aim to do this every one or 2 months. Foam applications allow easy visualisation of surfaces to ensure they have been adequately covered by the detergent product.

If nests are provided for your birds, nest material must be dry and friable and changed regularly to avoid soiling of eggs.

It is important that your poultry housing is secure enough that it keeps your birds safe from predators including foxes, snakes and cats, especially at night.

It’s also crucial to prevent rodents or wild birds entering the coop or coming into close contact with your birds as they can transmit diseases to your birds. Wild birds and rodents can also eat a significant proportion of your bird’s feed, thereby increasing costs.

Feed and water should ideally be provided under shelter to prevent wild bird and rodent access. Give your birds fresh, clean and treated water that is also safe for humans to drink. Also ensure you clean feed troughs, pans or drinker lines regularly to prevent build-up of bacteria by using safe detergent products.