How to build cages for laying hens. Self-made cages for poultry
If you want to start a subsidiary farm, you can make drawings of a cage for laying hens with your own hands, because the most profitable area is the cultivation of this bird. There are many different ways to keep a bird, but the cellular method is considered optimal. For effective egg production, conventional laying hen cages are not suitable. For this purpose, it is advisable to use cells of a special design. Such products can be purchased at a retail network, but it will be much more profitable to make them yourself.
There are many different ways to keep a bird, but the cellular method is considered optimal.
The size of the bird, which belongs to the egg breed, is relatively small, and therefore it makes no sense to make cages that are too high. This will lead to an increase in the consumption of building materials and an overestimation of the final cost of the product. The area per 1 bird of egg breed is from 20 to 50 cm². If you breed meat and egg breeds, then this value will be no more than 90 cm² per 1 individual. When keeping chickens, it is necessary to maintain a balance in area. When using free range with spacious pens, keeping will be unprofitable, and excessive crowding will adversely affect the health of the bird.
You can independently make any cage according to the drawings. You can experiment with the number of tiers and area. The main condition is sufficient structural strength that can withstand all residents. Each separate section is equipped with a special device for collecting eggs. Also, each individual section should be equipped with a drinking bowl and a feeder. When building cages, it is imperative to provide a system of artificial lighting.
The intensity of egg laying directly depends on the amount of daylight. The lighting system must be arranged in such a way that light falls equally into all cells. There should be no twilight in the chicken coop, but too intense light will also not benefit the bird. In this case, the right balance must be struck. When lighting, you must use a dimmer. With its help, the lighting will light up and go out smoothly, thereby creating the illusion of a change of day and night. This will positively affect the keeping of the bird. In the absence of this device, the light will need to be turned on and off manually every day at the same time.
The device of a cage on a laying is popular. When applying such a constructive solution, the height of the cage will have to be increased by 15-20 cm. All this can be indicated on the picture of the cage. In such cages, it is best to arrange the floors of wood. The padding on the wooden floor will not slip. The number of birds with such a cage arrangement should not exceed 6 heads.
The dimensions of the bird, which belongs to the egg breed, are relatively small, and therefore there is no point in making cages that are too high Cages with sloping, mesh floors are the best solution to the problem. With this design, the eggs themselves will roll down the inclined surface of the floor into a specially arranged chute, and the chickens will no longer be able to spoil them. Also, litter falls through the bars into a special tray, which greatly facilitates the procedure for caring for the bird. Such a cage can be made by yourself from wooden blocks, plasterboard profiles or plastic.
Cage for laying hens (video)
Dimensions and designs
The design of the cage is usually based on a frame made of boards, bars, rolled metal, reinforcement. The choice of materials is great, the main thing is that the design is rigid. The presented system has one big drawback. It is inconvenient to take chickens out of such a cage. It is advisable to choose the dimensions of chicken cages in such a way as to avoid large waste of building materials. The cage size for single laying hens is usually 550*550*650mm. With group content - 750 * 1600 * 700 mm. All this must be taken into account even before the cell drawings are drawn up.
Too large makeshift cages are inconvenient to operate, it will be difficult to get close to the drinker and feeder, and the litter trays will be very heavy. Only if these rules are followed, chickens will lay.
Too large makeshift cages are inconvenient to operate, it will be difficult to get close to the drinker and feeder, and the litter trays will be very heavy When making cages for laying hens with your own hands, you must adhere to the following requirements:
- Floors must be sufficiently rigid and not sag under the weight of the occupants over time. The flooring is made of wire with a diameter of 5-7 mm with a mesh of 30-50 mm. You can use the finished masonry mesh.
- It is not recommended to arrange deaf walls.
- The door is best made in the form of a lattice.
In a personal subsidiary plot, it is a very profitable and interesting occupation, especially if you make bird cages according to all the rules.
Cage for laying hens, sloping floor, clean feeder (video)
Advantages and disadvantages of content
With the cellular method of keeping poultry, there are certain advantages:
- Possibility of constant monitoring of livestock.
- With this method, you can get eggs all year round.
- Individual veterinary control.
- Economical feed consumption.
- In a small area, you can place a decent number of birds.
- Creating an optimal microclimate for the normal life cycle of a bird.
- The ability to control and isolate sick and weak individuals.
- Ensuring the safety of eggs, timely feeding. If you use a free-range method of keeping birds, then hens, as a rule, begin to lay eggs in various places, and then it can be very difficult to find them. Also in this case, the chicken may be attacked by dogs, rats or forest predators. Feed consumption during free-range increases at least 2 times.
With all the positive aspects in this method, there are serious disadvantages:
- The main disadvantage of cellular content is the lack of natural exercise. In such conditions, the birds move very little. On the one hand, this leads to feed savings due to less energy consumption, but on the other hand, there is every chance to disrupt metabolism. This can lead to the development of diseases and a reduction or cessation of the period of laying eggs.
- Lack of natural food. With free-range chickens, they constantly receive the necessary trace elements through eating grass and various insects. When kept in cages, they lose this. The artificial vitamins added to the feed do not fully correspond to the situation, which in the end can seriously affect the health of chickens.
- Lack of sunlight. With the help of solar irradiation, birds receive the vitamin D they need. With the cellular content of the bird, it will not be possible to obtain this substance in sufficient quantities.
In developed European countries, such keeping of chickens is prohibited as inhumane. There is a way to minimize the damage.
For this it is necessary to carry out the following activities:
- keep the bird in such conditions only in winter;
- feed the livestock with green grass and fresh vegetables, especially in the cold season;
- do not create a large overpopulation of cells;
- arrange bedding in the compartments and change it to a new one in time.
These activities will significantly improve the process of keeping poultry, which will ultimately have a positive effect on its health and increase the duration of the egg-laying period.
Farmers must take care of the correct construction and location of the cage for laying hens. This is important for maintaining the productivity of the bird, protecting it from rodents and predators.
Construction types
Breeders must properly organize the space in the coop so that the birds continue to produce eggs at a high intensity.
A cage for laying hens can be single or multi-tiered, equipped with a feeder, a drinking bowl, as well as a mesh floor and a special compartment for litter disposal.
Such boxes are distinguished by the presence or absence of an egg collector. This element is represented by an inclined floor, along which the egg rolls into a special tray. There are separate space requirements. The productivity of a bird depends on its mobility. The dimensions of the cage for laying hens must meet this need.
The easiest way to go from free to caged is to buy a finished product from the manufacturer.
The multi-tiered Cinderella model is popular on the market, equipped with automatic water supply, reliable metal doors and trays. The cost of such equipment is high, so the farmer who pursues industrial goals in breeding chickens is able to make a purchase.
Factory strong and durable structures are bought or created by hand. It will be possible to make cages for laying hens from any materials. It is better to use the most durable and durable metal and wood.
Design features
If the farmer decides to create bird boxes on his own, you will have to pay attention to all the elements.
Lighting in cages with chickens should be as uniform as possible - this will reduce the risk of stress in chickens and, therefore, ensure better egg production.
Egg and meat-egg breeds are kept in cells with mesh floors and walls. Birds need lighting and good ventilation, because. it affects their productivity.
Special attention is paid to the grid, which is used for the walls of the structure. It must have suitable cell sizes. It is better to find a grid with a cell of 10x10 or 10x15 cm. If there is none, several rods will have to be cut manually.
It is also worth considering the type of floor device. It is better to equip it with an egg collector, which is a special chute for rolling eggs into a tray. To make cleaning in the cells more convenient, a waste tray is placed under the floor.
Dimensions
The dimensions of the cages for laying hens must comply with the standards. There are 2-8 heads per 1 m². Access to the feeder and drinker should be free. Therefore, one cell is made 60-120 cm wide, and 50-60 cm deep. If it is wider, the floor will sag.
A do-it-yourself cage for laying hens is built according to the minimum requirements. One individual is placed in the chamber to avoid excessive aggression and fights between birds. If they plan to contain meat-and-egg breeds, the cell area is increased by 30-40%.
Creating a drawing
A drawing of cages for chickens is made after calculating the minimum area for accommodating winged pets. Consider the type of materials, their quantity. Create a cutting map of the supporting parts of the structure, as well as its sides.
The result of the design is a finished sketch of the future product that meets the conditions of maintenance. If the farmer has an image of a box on his hands, it will not be difficult to build it.
Materials and tools
The creation of a structure begins with the preparation of materials necessary for construction. Prepare a bar 40x40 and 20x40 mm or an aluminum profile. The number and length depend on the size of the structure. You will also need a sheet of galvanized metal, from which a litter tray and a metal roll mesh with a mesh size of 10x15 cm and smaller wall sizes will be created. Fasteners, awnings and hecks are also prepared.
You can't do without tools:
- screwdriver;
- Bulgarian;
- hacksaw;
- pencil;
- square, level and tape measure.
If the product is made of metal, a welding machine will be required. Having prepared all the materials and tools, they proceed to the manufacture of the structure.
Making a structure with an egg collector
Making a dwelling for laying hens begins with the installation of the frame. It is better to make it out of wood or aluminum profile. If the farm has a welding machine, then the frame is made of metal pipes or corners according to the drawings.
To create a wooden frame, a 40x40 mm beam is prepared, placed according to the dimensions indicated in the drawing. According to the marks, it is sawn with a hacksaw, and then twisted with self-tapping screws. Further construction of a cage for laying hens with your own hands:
- Make a bottom tray, a door. The frame is best made from a bar 20x40 mm.
- The floors are made of metal mesh. It is cut to size on the sketch, and the edges are bent to give the structure the shape of a tray. The floor for the chicken cage is made with additional transverse supports from the same beam 20x40 mm.
- The mesh is fixed with self-tapping screws separately on each wall or as a whole, bending it at the corners of a home-made box.
- The grid, canopies and latches are attached to the door.
The final stage of construction will be the installation of the pallet. It is made from galvanized sheet according to the dimensions indicated in the drawing of the cage for layers. It is mounted on wooden rails for easy cleaning in the future.
Equipment
Equipment is also an important point of construction. All structural elements must work properly: the mesh floor is made stable, without deflections, the feeder is securely attached outside, and inside the drinker, the waste tray.
Drinking bowls and feeders are made of galvanized sheet.
They are placed on the front of the box. They are also made from PVC pipes with a diameter of 10-15 cm. Another option for drinking bowls is to make do-it-yourself automated water supply systems with nipples and bowls for laying hens. Each farmer chooses the most profitable scheme for the manufacture of such equipment.
There are separate requirements for lighting, especially in winter, when birds need artificial light. We will have to develop the most convenient layout of lighting fixtures. In any large or mini-house, the cages for laying hens should be evenly lit. Use light bulbs with a power of not more than 50 W, as well as switches with a dimmer and a timer. The timer is required to automate daylight hours, and the second device is required for the smoothness of light, i.e. the effect of street natural change of day and night is created.
It is worth taking care of high-quality ventilation. It allows you to remove toxic fumes from the waste products of birds, replacing them with a stream of fresh air, as well as maintain temperature and humidity within the recommended limits. In an ordinary small chicken coop, a supply and exhaust ventilation system is made. Air is supplied through a hole in the wall at a height of 20-30 cm from the floor, and its outlet is on the opposite wall, under the ceiling. The efficiency of the system will increase if the exhaust opening is provided with an electric fan.
Advantages of cell content
Cellular conditions for keeping birds have a large number of advantages. The minimum area of the cage for chickens implies the correct and convenient equipment of the chicken coop, the new house for winged pets saves space.
The person himself chooses which version of the product to make at home: portable or stationary.
Small wheels are screwed to the supporting part of the existing battery for its transportation. Laying hens in cages can be located not only in the poultry house, but also on the street, when the weather is good and warm. Benefits of making cages for chickens:
- The ability to accommodate a large number of chickens in a limited area. This not only saves space in a barn or garage, but also reduces the cost of heating and lighting in winter.
- Care becomes easy. It is easier for the farmer to clean the boxes and change the bedding.
- Cages for chickens are equipped with a feeder and drinker. Thanks to the correct design, the water and the feed container are not contaminated.
- Reducing the risk of infection of livestock with infectious diseases due to lack of contact with other poultry and animals.
- The collection of chicken eggs becomes easier thanks to the convenient egg collector.
- The possibility of separate keeping of young animals from adults.
Also, the advantage of the cage for laying hens is the reliable protection of the livestock from predators, which, thanks to a reliable design, will not get to the hens and eggs.
Disadvantages of cell content
One of the main disadvantages that a farmer will have to face when building a cage for laying hens with his own hands is the impossibility of using it for individual breeds. The area of each box must be pre-calculated for the required number of layers. If in the future the farmer decides to grow and maintain meat and egg breeds, the cage boxes made earlier will have to be redone. The same conditions are required for meat breeds of chickens. Battery sizes are different for everyone.
Before purchasing a bird, you should take care of the material and economic base - a chicken coop or an aviary. If the area of the land does not allow the construction of specialized shed-type buildings, cages are used that can be made by hand.
Features of cell content
Industrial farmers and ordinary summer residents are increasingly turning to this type of poultry keeping. Cages allow you to economically use land space and have many advantages for beginner breeders.
There are several types of designs for chickens:
- 1. litter - imitating a mini-chicken coop with straw or sawdust flooring;
- 2. with an inclined tray - equipped with an egg receptacle and a sewage tray;
- 3. single-tier or multi-tier;
- 4. stationary - used for internal arrangement of capital buildings;
- 5. mobile - mobile (having wheels).
Design advantages:
- 1. it is easy and inexpensive to assemble cells;
- 2. the possibility of keeping a large number of poultry in areas with a limited area;
- 3. the close location of individuals to each other allows to reduce the cost of heating in the winter;
- 4. litter cleaning is greatly simplified, the bedding material does not require frequent replacement;
- 5. The arrangement of the feeders eliminates the scattering and spoilage of food, allowing you to save up to 20% of the feed;
- 6. the possibility of a viral and bacteriological epidemic is minimized;
- 7. facilitates the collection of eggs, the integrity of which is guaranteed;
- 8. the attack of rodents and predatory animals is excluded.
Disadvantages:
- 1. limited space, excluding freedom of movement, shortens the life of the bird (especially for broilers);
- 2. there are increased requirements for the introduction of mineral and vitamin supplements, protein foods and greens into the diet - all that a bird on the run is able to get on its own;
- 3. to maintain the degree of intensity of egg production, long-term illumination is necessary;
- 4. For the prevention of disease, careful monitoring of the behavior and appetite of individuals, as well as regular cleaning is required.
Room for cages
The future location of the cages must meet a number of conditions necessary for a comfortable and productive keeping of the bird:
- 1. The target orientation of the building is the settlement of chickens without neighborhood with other representatives of livestock.
- 2. A heating system capable of maintaining the temperature required for laying eggs - at least +22 degrees.
- 3. Ventilation.
- 4. Equipping with a source of additional lighting that extends the artificial daylight hours up to 16 hours.
Any deviations in one direction or another from the recommended requirements entail consequences, the most serious of which are a decrease in the productivity of laying hens and the development of diseases.
The construction of cells is carried out after the organization of the internal use of the premises - thermal devices, conducting light and other things.
Calculation of sizes for laying hens
Despite the fact that cages are used to save space in the backyard, the interior space should not hamper the freedom of the chicken. When calculating the size of the structure, you need to rely on the number of individuals that will be contained in it, their breeds, habits and properties.
According to sanitary and hygienic standards, it is customary to have from 2 to 7 individuals in one square place. Overpopulation of the cage is fraught with outbreaks of bird aggression, the occurrence of pecking and cannibalism.
When organizing cages for meat breeds of broilers, the average indicators increase by 15-30%, which is determined by the size, weight and rapid growth of individuals.
A variant of a cage drawing with an additional paddock
Construction materials
The main criterion in the organization of cell content is hygiene and safety. The finished design should be convenient for cleaning and processing, and also exclude any injury to the bird during operation. It is favorable to design the space in such a way that there is good light and air transmission.
The frame of the cage is made from a wooden beam or a metal profile. Wall fencing is made of galvanized mesh. For the attachment area of feeders and drinkers, the holes should freely pass the head of the bird without injuring it. The floor needs a fine mesh so as not to impede the movement of the bird's legs.
The floor is fixed to the frame at an angle of inclination of 5-7 degrees. This trick facilitates the easy collection of eggs, which roll down to a special chute nailed to the front. Such a system makes it possible to achieve 100% product safety, since the chicken does not have the opportunity to peck or trample on the egg.
At a level below 10-20 cm from the floor of the cage, there is a tray for collecting litter. It can be purchased or adapted from any suitable frame object. Thus, maximum convenience is achieved in the accumulation of valuable organic fertilizer and hygienic cleaning of the poultry house.
1 - drinker; 2 - front wall; 3 - feeder; 4 - chute for collecting eggs; 5 - litter tray
Organization of the cell space
The chicken should freely reach for food, without experiencing any inconvenience - this is an important condition for maintaining the mental calmness of the bird.
feeder
A food refill container can be purchased ready-made or made by hand. To do this, you can use sheet metal, which is shaped into a gutter, sewer polypropylene pipes, cut in half and equipped with plugs on both sides.
Fastening is carried out to the rods at a level below the drinker, which allows you to leave the water clean, excluding the ingress of food.
The location on the front wall of the cage should be 10–15 cm above the egg collection level. Galvanized wire and self-tapping screws are used to connect to the frame.
cup
The organization of the drinker should involve the mobility of the structure, so that the poultry farmer has the opportunity not only to add clean water, but also to regularly wash the gutter. It is best to use a nipple system.
A self-made drinker has the shape of a trough and is made from food tin or plastic containers. The location of the object is above the feeder, at a height convenient for the chicken.
Drinking bowl from a plastic bottle and a polypropylene pipe
Tiered cage
To maximize space savings in the premises with a large number of poultry, they resort to manufacturing a variant of a multi-tiered structure. The specifics of the building has several criteria that must be met:
- the floor material of the cage should not bend under the weight of the bird and hang over the lower tier;
- distance between floors - about 10 cm;
- a multi-tiered cage involves the location of the doors on the front wall - between the feeder and the chute for collecting eggs;
- if the unit is mobile in nature, the upper tier should be equipped with a ceiling covering that can hide the structure from rain when it is taken out into the outer space;
- all cells should be equally illuminated and ventilated, equipped with individual points for eating and drinking.
When preparing to work on the block, it is more convenient to draw up a drawing, which will reflect the dimensions corresponding to the poultry house.
A variant of the drawing of a multi-tiered cell battery
At in the joint maintenance of chickens for various purposes, egg breeds are placed on top, broiler breeds are given the lower rows of cells.
In the natural environment, a hen builds a nest for laying eggs and raising chicks. Therefore, any chicken coop must be equipped with an analogue of the nest. The article discusses the features of cages that you can make with your own hands, gives detailed instructions on how to make cages for chickens with photos and videos that show the manufacturing process.
With your own hands, you can build cages for laying hens, with any number of tiers, of any area. The main thing is that the floor does not sag under the weight of the birds. In addition, it is worth providing all the necessary devices for laying hens.
The video shows how to make a cage with an egg collector for broilers with your own hands.
There must be an egg collector in the cage. It is an inclined floor with a curved edge, equipped with a feeding device, a drinking bowl, a tray for collecting litter and waste.
When making a nest with your own hands, you must definitely think about lighting. Egg laying performance is highly dependent on light. Even if there is natural light in the room, then you should definitely make additional lighting in the nests. To do this, several lamps with a dimmer are suspended, which will adjust the intensity of the light. The photo shows an example of additional lighting.
Dimensions and design
Laying hens, which are only intended to lay eggs, are small in size, so it makes no sense to make a very large cage for them. When creating a drawing, you need to expect that one chicken has about 400 square meters. see cell area. If chickens are bred for both meat and eggs, then the maximum area should be increased to 750 square meters. see one chicken.
The base of the cage is a conventional frame made of wood or metal. Metal mesh is used for floors and walls. Often, the size of the nest is selected based on the materials that are at hand. The recommended dimensions of the nest for one laying hen are 50x50x65 cm, for 5-7 - 70x150x65 cm. Based on the dimensions, a drawing is created.
It is undesirable to plant more than 6 heads in one nest, as this adversely affects the condition of the layers and complicates maintenance.
If there are a lot of chickens, then it is better to make more sections, but a smaller area. This is much better than one, but by 3 meters.
Step-by-step instruction
Using the detailed instructions, a person who owns a tool and has at least a little carpentry experience can make nests for laying hens.
Tools and materials
Making a cage for chickens is very simple, it does not require expensive materials, any special skills or tools. The frame will serve as the basis for the cell. It is more practical to make a frame from metal.
Thus, to create a cage for layers from materials, you will need:
- wooden beam or metal profile;
- nails and screws;
- tin sheet;
- metal sheet for the device feeders;
- metal mesh with honeycombs 25*50 or 125*25 in size;
- heck.
From the tools you need to take:
- hammer;
- hacksaw for wood or metal, depending on the choice of material;
- pliers.
All materials and tools must be prepared in advance so that everything is at hand during work.
Stages
First, to make a cage for laying hens, it is necessary to build a frame. It must be made stable with additional stiffeners, which should be located at the bottom of the cage or wall.
Floor making
When arranging the floor, you must first make the shelves. The drawing shows that one shelf is located horizontally, and the other is inclined by 8 degrees. For the device of the pallet, a straight shelf is needed, and an inclined one is designed for the floor on which the eggs will roll into the collector. The sloping shelf, according to the drawing, should protrude slightly, approximately 120 mm forward. The distance between the straight and inclined shelves should be about 110 mm. This is done so that you can conveniently place the pallet where the litter will be collected.
Next, the edge of the inclined shelf is bent so that the end result is a gutter. It will be needed for rolling eggs on it. The depth of the chute should be large enough so that the eggs roll along it and do not fall out. Below is a drawing of the design of the nest.
Front wall construction
After making the floor, you can begin to create the front wall according to the drawings. This item is the hardest to assemble. On this wall there will be a feeder and a water tank. Laying hens need to be given access to grain. The front wall also serves as a chicken door.
There are several types of how you can build it:
- If the cage is not very wide, then the front wall must be completely made a door. It can be built from a grid, which should be hung on loops. Then equip with a latch. In this case, the grid must be chosen with large cells so that the chickens have access to feed.
- If the cage is wide, then the front wall should be solid. Then the door should be centered.
- If the tiers are at a sufficient distance from each other, the hens can be reached through the ceiling. In this case, doors are not needed. It is made from a mesh, which is placed on top and secured with removable latches.
Drinkers, feeders and other items
Feeders and water tanks are made by hand by bending prepared metal sheets. Then they are hung on the front doors. A replacement for a drinking bowl can be a nipple device, which is equipped with small bowls. This device is much more convenient and safer.
According to the drawings, pallets are made of tin and installed for chickens. It is necessary that they be convenient to periodically clean and disinfect. If you plan to place chickens on the street in the summer, then it is better to make a roof with your own hands from available material, such as a slate sheet, a piece of tarpaulin or linoleum.
It does not pose any particular problems for those who have a large plot of land. But what about those who do not have such opportunities? Cages will be a good alternative for keeping.
As already mentioned, the cage keeping of chickens is great for those who decide to breed a bird, but do not have additional space for this. It is known that one square meter can fit from two to five chickens. And at the same time they will feel very comfortable. But remember that you shouldn't.
The first signs of a lack of space are conflicts between chickens. Thus, stronger individuals will peck at the weak and thus expand their comfortable space. Also, whether the chicken likes her apartments also depends on her egg production.. If it has decreased or disappeared altogether, then perhaps you should think about expanding the living space.
Advantages
- Content and .
- Ease of cleaning up. It is achieved by installing litter boards under the grid. Their design is very simple, and the benefits are invaluable.
- Ease of bird care. Due to keeping birds in cages, which are located in enclosed spaces, their contact with other birds is prevented. This reduces the risk of infection.
- Always clean water. Nipple drinkers are often installed in cages. They prevent water pollution by external factors.
- Ease of feeding. Feeders are arranged outside, so the chicken cannot rake food with her feet. Accordingly, the food always remains clean.
disadvantages
- You will have to buy a cage for chickens or do it yourself. But in any case, you need to spend money on materials. Although such a disadvantage is insignificant because you did it once and use it for a very long time.
- Complete and balanced nutrition. in the cages must contain all the nutrients the bird needs. If you have a large area and a paddock for walking, you should not adhere to a strict diet. Indeed, in this case, the bird itself can always find what it needs.
- The microclimate of the room must be appropriate. Since chickens in such conditions are unable to move wherever they want, there should be comfortable conditions in the room where the cages are kept. Namely, humidity in the range of 60-70% and good ventilation.
- Additional room lighting. Since chickens are kept locked up all their lives and are not released outside, the sun will be replaced by a simple light bulb. The duration of lighting in the room should be 13 hours for young animals in the fifth month. Then, every two weeks it is increased by 30 minutes, until they reach 17 hours a day.
Instruction
In order to make chicken cages with your own hands, you need to purchase wires, mesh, wooden bars and nails. Then you should find on the Internet, a book or some kind of magazine a detailed manual with design drawings. But you can look at the poultry farm and ask to inspect the structure of the cage there. Perhaps you are lucky and for a reasonable price the poultry farmer will offer to buy a ready-made one from him.
Well, if not, then you have to do everything yourself. It must be remembered that the chicken will feel quite comfortable in the cage. Therefore, it makes no sense to install additional perches and nests. Also, to save you time, below are some examples of do-it-yourself cages.
Layer option
Materials and tools
- Grid with a cell no more than 15x15 mm. You can do it yourself. To do this, you need a wire 2-3 mm thick. Making the mesh yourself will save money, but take more time.
- Corner unequal with shelves 30x20 mm.
- You will also need a welding machine. But, if a ready-made grid is used, then you can do without it.
- For the manufacture of the roof, plywood, slate or QSB-plate is well suited.
- Since the frame is planned to be made of wood, you will need boards or wooden blocks.
- You also need to stock up on nails and take a hammer.
- And a few more long awnings.
Cage for laying hens: 1 drinker; 2 bars of the front wall; 3-feeder; 4-tray for collecting eggs; 5-tray for litter. Manufacturing process
- We build a wooden frame based on the planned number of chickens.
- Then, using a welding machine, we make a mesh.
- Upon completion or in the case of buying a finished mesh, we nail it to a wooden frame.
- We knock down the wooden floor. The calculation for 2 individuals is 1 m wide and 1 m long, and for one - 45x45 cm.
- From the previously selected materials we make a roof.
- We fasten the walls to the floor and roof using the same wire.
- Next, we make a door from the corners and mesh or boards, which will be the entrance to the cage, and fasten it with the help of canopies to the frame. Decide which side to mount on, but it's better to do it from above.
- We make a small wooden bolt or a metal hook that will close the door.
- It remains to install drinkers and feeders.
- At the end of the tin can be a litter shield. This makes cleaning easier.
Option for broilers
The conditions are different from those required by the laying hens. If the second need privacy, little lighting and warmth, then the first need only light space. Thus, for 1 sq. more birds can be placed. But at the same time, the cage should be more lit and stronger.
a) Content of broilers: 1-door; 2-shelf under the feeder; 3-feeder; 4-feeder in cross section; 5-tray for collecting litter; 6 mesh floor; b) Maintenance of laying hens: 1-cross section of the feeder; 2-tray for collecting eggs; 3 mesh floor; 4-tray for litter Production is not much different from the above. The main differences are the use of thicker boards or bars for the manufacture of the frame. Then you need to additionally fix the grid, because the area is more populated, and the bird itself is larger. Further, any waterproof material is suitable for the roof. Also, if the broilers are already large, then you can use a cheaper mesh with large cells.
Another alternative option
This option is well suited for owners who have a small area. Thus, the cell will be placed on this site. It can be made in the form of a small house with an attached frame covered with a mesh. Such a frame will serve as a pen for daytime walking of the bird.
There are many advantages to such a cell. The main ones are the presence of a paddock for walking. Then it is not necessary to adhere to a strict diet, because the chicken herself walks and looks for what she needs. There is no need for additional lighting in the summer. And if you skillfully approach the design of the house, then it will also become a wonderful decoration for your courtyard.
There are many designs of such houses. The most common ones have already been listed on our website earlier. Therefore, once again it makes no sense to delve into the process of its manufacture in detail.