Should I Insulate My Chicken Coop? Beginners Explainer!
Chicken is different from other birds in nature. They live in human-made coops/shelters and therefore protected by a human being. The responsible owner in the UK may ask a question: “Should I insulate my chicken coop”? Chicken wings are not covered with an extensive layer of grease to protect them from cold temperatures; in other terms, sub-zero ones. Their feather is not as good and dense to protect them from cold in the United Kingdom.
The owner in the UK must protect your chickens from cold weather, especially considering the already known cold weather climates.
There are several ways to protect the coop from cold weather and provide an additional source of heat and provide the optimum climatic conditions inside the coop. These ways are:
However, eliminating drafts, insulation, and external heating should come with the proper ventilation even under severe cold days.
We will go item by item to explain the above-mentioned methods to keep the chicken safe and warm. Their success in surviving winter and deliver eggs will turn out to be your success too.
Elimination of drafts in the Coops
The draft is probably the biggest enemy for your chicken, as it creates the most discomfort in the coops.
Cold drafts affect mainly the most vulnerable parts of chicken, e.g., chicken combs, beaks, throats, and feet. Together with excessive moisture, drafts create an ice crust and displace the warm cocoon around the chicken. All of this made the most significant discomfort for the chicken.
Chicken usually perch at night, making their throats, legs, and combs experience moisture and drafts. It causes frostbites, which are very detrimental to the birds.
Over the years, the tarps will be worn out with some deterioration, such as holes, cracks, and the physical impact of hale and sun rays. These should be researched first. The pits and damages can be easily fixed with special foils and adhesives.
This shall be carefully done sometime in September before cold days and before applying insulation to the structure.
Coop Ventilation
As you can see, we have to fight the drafts and any uncontrolled ventilation in terms of drafts.
Even on a freezing day, ventilation must be provided for the coop to remove the excessive moisture and bring some fresh air into the coop. Under any circumstances, the housing shouldn’t be a tight box. The ventilation shall be appropriately organised and controlled.
Cold air should not go through the birds and disturb them. Usually, intake is provided from the lower zone of the walking isle, however above the snow level, e.g., around 1.5meters or 5 feet above the ground.
The exhaust shall be provided at the top level of the housing structure on the opposite wall.
It should secure the lateral and natural ventilation across the housing.
Natural ventilation is a function of wind effect and temperature differential indoors and outdoors. The ventilation could be minimal during nighttime and an increased one during the day when chickens are out on the run.
Cold, dry air is always beneficial for the birds.
Furthermore, if the gas radiated heat provides heating, it requires combustion air, and flue gases should be exhausted via the openings.
If the sun is out, you need to ensure that UV lights are getting into the coop and heat is accumulated inside the structure.
Proper ventilation provides required comfort, eliminates excess moisture, supplies combustion air, and exhausts the flue gases.
Coop Insulation
As you probably realised from another chapter, insulation is quite crucial to retain heat inside the housing. It minimises the amount of heat that should be added to the structure.
The insulation can be easily installed from the inside of the tarp and supported off the ropes stretched off and tight to the housing’s structural elements.
It can be rigid foam R 10, which is inexpensive – about £4 per sq. ft. and very easy to install. The membrane can protect the insulation; once installed, it can serve you for many years.
If you can’t afford the actual insulation, you can apply the cardboard from the flattened boxes and the membrane.
This would ensure you would have healthy chicken and eggs for the winter.
Winter Bedding for the Coops
During the wintertime, we would recommend increasing the amount of bedding in place of the coop.
The best method is to apply straws and hay on the floor during winter; another way is to use sand as it’s easier to get and clean after winter is over.
The sick layer of bedding is soaking humidity from the indoor air and eventually get a dump. One has to replace at least every two weeks; otherwise, it will collect mould and mildew, which are detrimental for the birds.
It can also absorb chicken poop, emit ammonia, and emits caustic and intense when it starts decomposing.
Eventually, it will affect your chicken vision; their eyes will get burnt until they get blind. It will affect the air delivery.
It’s effortless to find the level of ammonia in the bedding if you approach it and stay around within 5 min. Should your eyes be watered/crying when the ammonia concentration in the air is too high, and it’s right to change the bedding.
Heating in the Coops
Some heating in the coops can be provided in cold climates. The minimum temperature that one should maintain in your coop is about 5 deg. C or 40 deg F. It would secure that your chickens are healthy and deliver the eggs.
You don’t need to heat much. Sound insulation, sun radiation, long breathing, and light should contribute some heating to the building.
You can heat the building twice a day when you are present there – early in the morning and late in the evening; it would allow you to ensure it won’t catch any fire.
There are two ways you can provide the heating:
Electric heat radiation;
Propane/Natural Gas radiation.
The heaters should be directed to the chicken to help them to melt any frost and maintain a cocoon.
What kind of heat you will choose it’s a sole matter of economic analysis that you can run depending on the price of gas and electricity in the UK and source of feed. Using gas heaters from your gas header is the most reliable way of heating as you would never be exposed to electrical outages, primarily if your household located off the grid. Nothing should be costly nowadays.
You can allow the automatic heating triggered by the thermostat. It starts when the temperature drops below 5 deg. C or 40 deg. F and shuts off when indoor temp. Decreases increases to 10 deg. C to 50 deg F.
The best heating might be an electric heater filled with oil, a so-called radiator. It doesn’t knock down the humidity level, which is relatively low in winter. It has a thermostat, which allows cycling the heater on and off.
The heater might cost you around £60 and has an integral thermostat and power intensity control from substantial to low.
Example Of Rabbit Breeding Age Limit And Pointers To Remember! Video Download!
One of the essential points to note when it comes to rabbitry is the rabbit breeding age limit. Rabbit enthusiasts in the UK may ask themselves the question: “What is the rabbit breeding age limit and pointers to remember”? Knowing the age limit will enable you to make sure that the final output is of high quality and that you are considering the critical milestones in rabbit breeding.
Rabbit housing is also essential. Their shelter will affect their activities, and it must have the ambience and environment that these creatures need.
Various Types Of Rabbits
There are several types of rabbits in the industry, and we’ll get you with the rundown in this edition of the post.
1. American Rabbit
First-time rabbit owners and breeders may want to have the American rabbit since this is a fantastic choice because of their sweet personalities. Beware though among children since this age group UK experts do not recommend to care of the rabbits since they tend to be shy and may bite if not cared for in the right way.
2. Belgian Hare Rabbit
Next up is the Belgian Hare Rabbit, a very historic breed that traces its existence from the 1700s. Being one of the oldest breeds, these rabbits thrive best outdoors in proper spacing and food sources. Their personality is considered nervous and may easily intimidate people if they do not announce their presence.
3. Blanc de Hotot
The Blanc de Hotot rabbit comes from France and is also known as the “black eyeliner” rabbit from the name itself. Children can own them, and with their distinctive brushing requirements, it is always great and fun to be with them.
4. Californian Rabbits
These Californian rabbits are known to be among the best rabbits to breed for having them for meats. These rabbits are hybrids of Chinchilla and Himalayan. And with its dense fur, it lets them enjoy both indoors and outdoors. These rabbits love playtime and cuddling time.
5. Checkered Giant Rabbit
On the other hand, the giant checkered rabbits are 13 pounds, perfect to be cared for by adults. As for their personality, these rabbits are considered very independent and less affectionate but still can be gentle. You can easily spot these rabbits from the rest since they have spots on the nose.
6. Dutch Rabbit
A rabbit that has been developed in England during the 19th century, the Dutch rabbit is also very popular. They are highly sociable, so keeping them too much inside their cage may not be a great idea. They are also very easygoing, and children are known to care for them.
7. English Lop
Then, you have the English lop, friendly rabbits that have made them earn their nickname “the dog of the rabbit world.” They have the title of being characterised by having long ears, and it comes to no surprise that they require significant levels of maintenance. Aside from these, their ears must also be examined regularly, and their nail care kept at its finest.
8. English Spot
From afar, the English spot rabbits seem like it is frowning. But this bunny is close to every family, and they deserve to be brought outside their cages from time to time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can A Rabbit Be Too Old To Breed?
When it comes to the rabbit breeding age limit, is there a rabbit too old to breed? Experts advise against breeding old rabbits. They say that breeding older rabbits may be prone to heart attack and may waste your resources. The average breeding age cut off is until four years old.
What Is The Oldest Age A Rabbit Can Get Pregnant?
It could be at a maximum of nine months. Small female rabbit breeds can get pregnant between four to five months, while the male rabbits are ready to breed at six months. Medium-sized female rabbits may start to be bred at five to six months, with the medium bucks beginning at seven months.
Furthermore, the heavier breed does are prepared at six to eight months, while the heavy bucks are considered sexually mature at nine months.
Rabbit Breeding Age Limit: Can A Rabbit Get Pregnant At 3 Months Old?
Well, not precisely at three months old; smaller rabbit breeds may get pregnant at three and a half years old.
Can I Breed My Rabbit At 4 Months?
Yes, but the ideal time to breed the rabbit begins in their fifth month. Four months can be considered relatively immature for these rabbits and the owners; they might be given outcomes that are not quite ideal for their requirements.
How Do I Know If My Rabbit Mate Is Successful?
There are indicators to tell that rabbit mating has been successful. For instance, you can tell from the fall-off and the grunt. You may also notice that the buck becomes all that macho and may thump on the cage’s floor several times. On occasion, bucks may fire and, nonetheless, miss.
Considering the proper rabbit breeding age limit and following these guidelines, you can tell whether the mating has been successful or not. This has been a success for other breeders if the buck falls off backwards or to one side. However, if he humps the female breed and does not fall off, the mating may not have been carried out.
Achieve Your Rabbitry Success With Krostrade.co.uk
We answered the question: “What is the rabbit breeding age limit and pointers to remember”? Please note that with Krostrade.co.uk, you can have the resources you need to breed your rabbits right. Knowing about the rabbit breeding age limit makes this venture a highly successful one.
Understand that your rabbit is also part of the family, and during the time they are under your care, they must be bred well. This considers their colour, size, fur type, personality, and more of their traits.
Getting into rabbit meat processing and preparing the breed for processing for meat is a different story. Having the right resources and the know-how on the rabbit breeding age limit will fulfil what you want for these breeds.
Is Raising Rabbits For Meat Worth It? Pros and Cons!
Rabbits are adorable creatures that could also provide you with income to put food on the table. Is the rabbit raising the right livelihood for you? Questions on, “is raising rabbits worth it?”. It is due to the following:
Provides you and your family quality meat;
Minimises your dependence on the markets;
Controls your supply
Mitigates the impact of COVID -19.
Delicious and healthy meat;
It might be a reliable Source of profit.
As well as rabbitry management can give a lot of answers. Raising these furries or agriculture can be very profitable.
These animals can breed offspring who can develop fast and reach the ideal breeding weight quicker than other species around. First and foremost, rabbits make meats that are less the cost. If you are looking for a source of livelihood that starts with a capital not too expensive, then rabbit management is for you.
However, among the problems that rabbit breeders face are lack of supplies and the current COVID-19 pandemic limiting movement in the industry. The opportunities to grow healthy meat in the household are many, but there is a need to tackle these issues.
Brian Martucci from Money Crashers once wrote about breeding rabbits. He stated, “A while back, my wife and I spent a couple of years in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a beautiful but isolated swathe of dense forest, rocky hills, and inland lakes stretching along Lake Superior’s south shore. We were based in a sizable town, but my wife occasionally travelled to a tiny, half-abandoned mining hamlet on the Keweenaw Peninsula, which juts north into the big lake from the town of Houghton.”
Martucci added that these hamlets only had a couple of permanent residents and are outnumbered by non-humans. One of these groups is the flock of free-range bunnies and rabbits, moving around the area.
One of the first things you’ll accomplish in rabbit management is looking for the breed. Raising rabbits for meat offers you many different possibilities and further options. Let’s take a look at this guide to answer the open-ended question, “Is raising rabbits for meat worth it?” and details about rabbitry management.
How Much Does It Cost To Raise A Rabbit For Meat?
Right here, we tell you that raising a rabbit does not involve the vast costs, making this perfect for anyone who wants to try.
Not expensive
Raising rabbits or purchasing your very first one is not at all expensive. From shelters, pet rabbits can cost anywhere between £50 to £100 in adoption fees. Meanwhile, New Zealand rabbits may cost as little as £10 for each piece. On the other hand, those of the non-pedigreed Flemish giants cost as much as £50 per piece.
What about when you look at breeding younger rabbits? Having these may cost less than the mature rabbits since they tend to be smaller and contain less meat. With this being said, they can also be prone to higher mortality risks. A tip: you can purchase rabbits as young as in their fourth week or a few days after the rabbits have weaned.
Smaller operations only require a buck (male rabbit) and two (female rabbits) for you to start the business. This will already turn you with significant profits, and to tell you, the limit in many municipal codes is at three adult rabbits. You are just on the right track. And, to escape the time of rearing, you can begin the herd with adults. Expenditures are £75 in total.
Feeding rabbits
The other side of the spectrum is spending on the costs of feeding these rabbits. Varying their diet is the first tip you must follow. Second, these rabbits must get access to a high-quality diet. This is to avoid digestive issues. Here are the top food sources for these creatures:
Pellets. The staple food for rabbits, pellets, must be part of the diet of full-grown rabbits who must receive half-cup of pellets per five to six pounds of body weight each day. These must be bought in small servings and must be consumed in at least six weeks and more. Look at the label and check whether they are high in fibre.
Hay. Then, you have the hay and must be available 24 hours per day. It should be able to comprise most of the diet of these rabbits. For example, the highest quality hay for these rabbits should be able to make a difference.
Fresh Foods. How about their source of vitamins? Immunity is just as crucial as with these rabbits. Giving them the right amount of fruits and vegetables is essential, and these may include Romaine lettuce, herbs, kale, and vegetables provided in rotation daily. Fruits are offered in smaller servings, and these food supplies must be replenished each day.
How Long Does It Take To Raise A Rabbit For Meat?
Now that you’ve learned the gist of raising rabbits and the cost of doing so, we will move forward with the time required to raise these. Full-time rabbit breeders, read these notes.
Part of answering the query “Is raising rabbits for meat worth it?” and rabbitry management facts involves you knowing the time required to raise these breeds.
Young rabbits
To reach the goal of having these plump rabbits, preparing them for meat processing involves slaughtering them at the right timing. With it at two weeks old, they would already be very tender, but they could be smaller at this period.
Thus, finding the balance between spotting the young rabbits and getting the plump ones is essential. The right age is between 10 to 12 weeks. Remember, the ideal type of meat can be able to grow rapidly toward the 10th week. They should also grow faster in line with the food they consume.
After the 10th week, these rabbits can eat more of the diet and grow slowly. Thus, the 10th week is crucial since this is the ideal time to get these slaughtered.
People are known to raise Californian rabbits and New Zealand rabbits first because these are great to grow at five pounds at a maximum of 11 weeks. Thus, if you are cultivating these rabbits and they grow to four pounds in 12 weeks, for instance, then you may cull the breeding stock and replace these with better ones.
For instance, having ten extraordinary does instead of ten dud does, with each thirty babies yearly, with each growing to five pounds within ten weeks. You can already make a lot of these at 1,500 pounds prepared for pre-slaughter annually. Now, this is 50 per cent more meat while doing the same level of work.
Gestation period
The common notion about rabbits is that these are creatures that consume carrots. Feeding them with carrots is part of the procedure, but there are more things that a rabbit owner must do to keep them healthy. Vitamins are necessary for these rabbits for meat processing.
When speaking about the gestation period, it is about 32 days, and some litters can be kindled as early as Day 29 and as late as Day 35. Many of these litters are born between Day 30 and Day 33. Unlike many other creatures, rabbits tend to have their regular heat physiological activities or cycles.
What Is The Best Breed Of Rabbit To Raise For Meat?
Breeding the rabbit for meat is different from breeding it for pet care. So you have to distinguish between these two. Preparing a healthy rabbit for meat processing involves choosing the right breed. How does one do it?
This follows the queries on, “is raising rabbits for meat worth it?” and tips on rabbitry management. Based on data from the American Rabbit Breeders Association, here are the best rabbit breeds.
List of the best rabbit breeds
The Champagne D’Argent is a rabbit heritage breed that has been in the industry since the 1600s. Nowadays, they are less common, but a great domestic rabbit family to breed, known for their unique black fur, aside from the meat’s richness.
Second, you may also choose the Palomino, cute bunnies coloured pale-orange and weigh anywhere in the range of eight to 12 pounds. These rabbits are considered cooperative and quiet, great for urban communities with denser populations.
The Chinchilla is fancy rabbits that can grow up to 12 pounds. Though better as pets, they are prized for being turned to meat and giving you a good source of livestock.
Fourth, the Flemish Giant pertains to monster bunnies that can grow and expand up to 20 pounds. Their meat is one of the best globally, but rabbit breeders also have them for their fur. The name derives from its origins in the Flanders region of Belgium. It is highly a docile breed.
On the other hand, New Zealand rabbits came from the United Kingdom but had their lineage in New Zealand somewhere in their history. As regarded as one of the best meat breeds you can find around, the adult New Zealand rabbits may grow up to 12 pounds in weight and come in red, blue, black, and red. They may also be multicoloured.
The meat of these rabbits is distinctive in the colour pinkish-blue, similar to undercooked poultry. Worry not because these New Zealand rabbits are very safe to eat and delicious as well.
Is It Profitable To Raise Rabbits?
Looking at the costs from the earlier discussion, raising rabbits is not for free, and at first, it will require you to shell out the capital. The prices are not very high, and believe it or not, you can have these rabbits right now, but costs are far different from profits. They happen once the meats are commercialised and turn out revenue.
Now the question remains, is it profitable to raise rabbits? Will you earn big from it? Later on, you will be learning a story of a rabbit breeder in Asia who is thriving out of this livelihood.
One of the most profitable species to raise in this day and age is the rabbit. They give birth to sizable litters, and these little rabbits can grow just as fast, and this also becomes one of the factors why it is profitable to have them. When it comes to the space required for breeding, they will not require a lot.
Before making the change and deciding to raise rabbits for profit rather than just as a hobby, you can consider several things before making the change. A rabbit breeder from the Philippines, Menor, shared that the demand for rabbit meat is high that he can give up his corporate job to raise these species. He said he also holds seminars to teach individuals how to breed.
Male rabbits, hutches, breeders, and the like can start at a maximum of just five breeders, the mediocre ones at a maximum of 50 breeders, and the larger-scale ones at 50 breeders and above. The packages begin at £250 with six of these rabbits, plus the cages, clay pots, water feeders, and water tanks.
Menor has calculated that each litter of six breeder kits can sell at £5 for two months minus the expenses. The rabbit farmer earns £20, depending on whether these rabbits receive 100 per cent of the pellets or a combination. These are computed based on the cost of living in his area.
Then, you have to select the breeds.
How do you do it? Is raising rabbits for meat worth it? And rabbitry management, does it provide for what you need financially? There are steps to follow.
1. Selling the rabbit meat
The demand for rabbit meat is specific, more specific than you can ever imagine, which is why they are always so profitable. One of their markets is the range of high-end restaurants.
Once you have ample space, you can raise the rabbits and gain lucrative demand, significantly if you are growing them on the grass and marketing the products as grass-fed rather than in hutches.
2. Processing the rabbit meat
You can partner with specialists who do these steps, but having these skills on your own can save you a lot of resources.
Sometimes, rabbits are considered to be some “poultry” in most meat processing stations. It means that are the rules applied to chicken apply to rabbit processing.
Two ways to process your rabbits are raising them on your farm or having them within a USDA-approved facility.
3. Rabbit felts
Then, you can also gain access to rabbit felts that could be sold. After processing the rabbit meat, you get its hide as the byproduct. Instead of throwing this away, you can re-use this to what crafters can cherish in their studios.
Felts from rabbits may be transformed into clothes, dolls, and more, and if you are keen on more artistic creativity, you can even create masterpieces from scratch and sell them online. You can then sell these rabbit pelts either among crafts, commercial industry owners, and homesteaders.
The profit you can gain from this step can be somewhere from £1.50 to £30.00 for each pelt.
4. Rabbit fur
Now comes the rabbit fur. Since this is considered a luxury good for crafts and commercial operators, the process of making this silky produce is by shearing or hand-plucking. The best ones come from the breeds like the Angora rabbits.
If you are looking to make profits from these creatures but want to veer away from transforming these into the meat, you can begin with the shearing process with these rabbits and earn money. Generally, raising these creatures is quite reasonable for those who are inclined to animal husbandry.
Nevertheless, raising rabbits should be an easy project for you as these breeds require more care than the New Zealand breeds, which are more into meat processing.
Making fibre out of rabbits does not mean you just have to relax. It has been said that this process and creation of the end-product mean that you have to attend to these days or almost every day. For instance, rabbits with longer hair may tend to be matted if not taken care of properly. This means it can be painful for these rabbits and may also increase risks to parasites and certain diseases.
You can then offer these for sale on Etsy, an online shopping platform, flea markets, knitters and fibre artists, crafters, yarn stores, woollen mills, and more. The profit is from £7 to £16 for each ounce.
5. Fertilizer and worm farm from rabbit manure
Next up is rabbit manure that turns either into fertiliser or worm farm. If you own a farm or garden at home in the Uk, manure from rabbits is a potent fertiliser. It is abundant with nitrogen and may be implemented directly to your plants without burning its vegetation.
Therefore, instead of waiting for several months for the final product of these fertilisers from animals, you can always utilise these nutrient-rich rabbit manure anytime. Gardeners, landscape companies, hobby farmers, and the United Kingdom are its potential markets. The profit is quite promising, giving you until £45 for each bag of 40 pounds. Not bad.
Rabbit manure may also be processed into worm farms. Otherwise known as vermicomposts, these farms can turn out fantastic profits.
Do not waste any material you can source from the rabbit after processing it for meat. The rabbit manure can be turned into your very worn worm farm. The uses? Plenty. Worms will help the fertiliser to compost and keep the odours away. At the same time, it is also a great income opportunity.
You can have these worms sold to fishers, bait shops, and those who use bins for composting. The profit? Astounding. It can provide anyone with £31 per pound.
6. Selling rabbits as pets
And then perhaps you have the most exciting option, having to sell the rabbit as pets. If you do not want the rabbits to be processed as meat, breeders are part of an industry of rabbit pets.
You can check with your local pet store if they are in search of suppliers of these bunnies. Both you and the pet store must make a profit, and so, the range of earnings you can get is approximately £15 for each of the rabbits.
Moreover, pet stores are also not minding the rabbit breed, whether it is purebred or mixed, so it does not count if you have the Flemish Giant or not. You can earn as much as £100 from these and maybe more or less depending on the stock’s quality. When a customer selects the rabbit they will own, it is just a wonderful sight to behold.
Rabbit pinkies your other options. Taking care of these rabbits is crucial, and since you have learned about the profit you can make from these rabbits, their components, and their uses, it is high time to understand why there are rabbit meats pricey.
Why Is Rabbit Meat So Expensive?
Hunting for rabbits is just as thrilling as placing them on the dinner table. Among the recipes, you can make with rabbits are Rabbit Cacciatore, Rabbit in Wine and Garlic Sauce, and Slow Roasted Rabbit.
Should, by any chance, you find it more expensive to have than other types of meat available, if you are a consumer, then you must know these details. Buying rabbit meat from the commercial market is expensive because it is not readily available compared with other types of meat in the UK, for instance.
Considering the changing preferences of customers, meat from the rabbit can be more expensive than your traditional burgers. Once you have obtained these, you can have several options on rabbit dishes. You can mix the meat with chicken and modify it further.
Since it has lower fat levels, meat from the rabbit can be dryer than your chicken, so there is less cooking time, and cooking temperature must be lower at the same time. These are just among the considerations and paths to take.
Furthermore, rabbit meat can be expensive generally since fryers are not readily effective to get fed on larger groups and may require a more costly ration in the feed than other livestock. This is one of the reasons why it is expensive.
Family Farm Livestock shares insightful details about the reasons why. The costs of these rabbit meats tend to be higher than other readily available meats in the market. When speaking about the price, the market is on the top end.
For instance, Grande Premium Meats may be bought at around £19 per pound for the tenderloin, and about £8 for the front legs, with an average range of £11 to £12. The prices can be higher for websites that offer premium meat.
These ranges of prices are due to the fact that taking care of the fryers requires much time from the producers. This could be sufficient to raise these fryers or young meat rabbits reflected in the meat prices.
As for a reason, there are no economical and productive ways today that automate the raising of rabbits as of today. Should there be any automation, it could boil down to the barn’s spaces and the human resources needed for raising these animals.
This is also to say that rabbits may stay with their parent until they reach the ideal market size. One of the most significant disadvantages of rabbits for meat compared with other livestock is that, with these rabbits, the parent must stay with the bit of rabbits known as kits to start raising them in the right market size.
Rabbit feeds
Rabbits also require to have more cage spaces than most animals. This is since rabbits engaged need more space due to their habits and activities. The feeds for these creatures and pets also cost higher compared with other feeds in the market.
For instance, a feed may cost around £14 per bag of 50 pounds. Buying in bulk may save on the costs, but could thereby be higher.
This then leads us to the discussion that raising rabbits for meat and processing these can be costly. One of the challenges when it comes to raising rabbits is the high costs and the insufficiency of processors around. It should be processed at a properly inspected facilities to sell the meat on the market successfully.
More so, rabbits are not perfect for the factory farm environment. While you can have access to sizable farms, the rabbits’ requirements are similar to the needs of the rabbits in smaller farms.
Speaking about their carcass, it tends to be small, and rabbits raised for meat processing are usually processed at the five-pound live weight range. This means that the size of the rabbit known as the fryer may have three to three-point-five pounds of meat for each carcass.
Other than these, there could be more reasons why raising rabbits can be expensive.
Rabbitry Management 101
We’ve reached the mark when you have to know about rabbitry management and the basics. This can be fun but can also be tiring at the same time. Is raising rabbits for meat worth it? You have had detailed answers and solutions, but here, you will learn more about rabbitry management.
Keep them indoors. Some breeders may prefer to have them in outdoor quarters since this lets rabbits experience fresher air and sunlight. Getting these outdoors may overwhelm the rabbits’ sense, and so, indoor settings are the right choices.
Select the cage appropriately. This includes choosing the size of the cage, ensuring that these pets have enough room to stay. These rabbits may also receive sore hocks on these surfaces if they are not taken good care of properly. Make sure surfaces are clean.
Create a run. Diet and physical exercise are also crucial for rabbits. These pets need running and daily use to let them move around. They may choose to cover hundreds of feet at one point, so providing or building this run gives them ample space to workout.
Keep them in superior comfort levels. Be sure that you keep the rabbits in cool environments, ideally between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also set these rabbits up in cages or quiet areas in the yard, making sure that they are not harassed by other animals around.
Prepare a healthy diet. Commonly, the healthy diet comprises fresh and healthy vegetables, oat hay, grass, and timothy hay. But ideally, the rabbit must have their unlimited supplies of hay.
Hydrate always. Keeping the rabbits hydrated at all times prevents bacteria from accumulated in their area of habitat. You can utilize a water bowl formed with ceramic, metal, and rabbit safe plastic since these are easier to clean.
Empty their litter boxes every two to four days. Make it a habit to empty their litter boxes from two to four days to avoid the reduction of odours, keeping them healthy and happy at the same time.
They are coprophagic. Rabbits are coprophagic, which means that they are among the creatures who consume poop and other droppings. These pellets from feces and cecotropes must be ensured in these creatures’ houses.
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Rabbit meat adds variety to the diet. This means that you can get more nutrients, aside from just having them from chicken, beef, or pork. Proteins are plenty in bison, pheasants, rabbits, bison, and venisons.
Is raising rabbits for meat worth it? And rabbitry management should guide you into making things more successfully. There are several opportunities involved, and even with the pandemic, you can do it at home.
Should I Insulate My Chicken Coop? Beginners Explainer!
Chicken is different from other birds in nature. They live in human-made coops/shelters and therefore protected by a human being. The responsible owner in the UK may ask a question: “Should I insulate my chicken coop”? Chicken wings are not covered with an extensive layer of grease to protect them from cold temperatures; in other terms, sub-zero ones. Their feather is not as good and dense to protect them from cold in the United Kingdom.
The owner in the UK must protect your chickens from cold weather, especially considering the already known cold weather climates.
There are several ways to protect the coop from cold weather and provide an additional source of heat and provide the optimum climatic conditions inside the coop. These ways are:
However, eliminating drafts, insulation, and external heating should come with the proper ventilation even under severe cold days.
We will go item by item to explain the above-mentioned methods to keep the chicken safe and warm. Their success in surviving winter and deliver eggs will turn out to be your success too.
Elimination of drafts in the Coops
The draft is probably the biggest enemy for your chicken, as it creates the most discomfort in the coops.
Cold drafts affect mainly the most vulnerable parts of chicken, e.g., chicken combs, beaks, throats, and feet. Together with excessive moisture, drafts create an ice crust and displace the warm cocoon around the chicken. All of this made the most significant discomfort for the chicken.
Chicken usually perch at night, making their throats, legs, and combs experience moisture and drafts. It causes frostbites, which are very detrimental to the birds.
Over the years, the tarps will be worn out with some deterioration, such as holes, cracks, and the physical impact of hale and sun rays. These should be researched first. The pits and damages can be easily fixed with special foils and adhesives.
This shall be carefully done sometime in September before cold days and before applying insulation to the structure.
Coop Ventilation
As you can see, we have to fight the drafts and any uncontrolled ventilation in terms of drafts.
Even on a freezing day, ventilation must be provided for the coop to remove the excessive moisture and bring some fresh air into the coop. Under any circumstances, the housing shouldn’t be a tight box. The ventilation shall be appropriately organised and controlled.
Cold air should not go through the birds and disturb them. Usually, intake is provided from the lower zone of the walking isle, however above the snow level, e.g., around 1.5meters or 5 feet above the ground.
The exhaust shall be provided at the top level of the housing structure on the opposite wall.
It should secure the lateral and natural ventilation across the housing.
Natural ventilation is a function of wind effect and temperature differential indoors and outdoors. The ventilation could be minimal during nighttime and an increased one during the day when chickens are out on the run.
Cold, dry air is always beneficial for the birds.
Furthermore, if the gas radiated heat provides heating, it requires combustion air, and flue gases should be exhausted via the openings.
If the sun is out, you need to ensure that UV lights are getting into the coop and heat is accumulated inside the structure.
Proper ventilation provides required comfort, eliminates excess moisture, supplies combustion air, and exhausts the flue gases.
Coop Insulation
As you probably realised from another chapter, insulation is quite crucial to retain heat inside the housing. It minimises the amount of heat that should be added to the structure.
The insulation can be easily installed from the inside of the tarp and supported off the ropes stretched off and tight to the housing’s structural elements.
It can be rigid foam R 10, which is inexpensive – about £4 per sq. ft. and very easy to install. The membrane can protect the insulation; once installed, it can serve you for many years.
If you can’t afford the actual insulation, you can apply the cardboard from the flattened boxes and the membrane.
This would ensure you would have healthy chicken and eggs for the winter.
Winter Bedding for the Coops
During the wintertime, we would recommend increasing the amount of bedding in place of the coop.
The best method is to apply straws and hay on the floor during winter; another way is to use sand as it’s easier to get and clean after winter is over.
The sick layer of bedding is soaking humidity from the indoor air and eventually get a dump. One has to replace at least every two weeks; otherwise, it will collect mould and mildew, which are detrimental for the birds.
It can also absorb chicken poop, emit ammonia, and emits caustic and intense when it starts decomposing.
Eventually, it will affect your chicken vision; their eyes will get burnt until they get blind. It will affect the air delivery.
It’s effortless to find the level of ammonia in the bedding if you approach it and stay around within 5 min. Should your eyes be watered/crying when the ammonia concentration in the air is too high, and it’s right to change the bedding.
Heating in the Coops
Some heating in the coops can be provided in cold climates. The minimum temperature that one should maintain in your coop is about 5 deg. C or 40 deg F. It would secure that your chickens are healthy and deliver the eggs.
You don’t need to heat much. Sound insulation, sun radiation, long breathing, and light should contribute some heating to the building.
You can heat the building twice a day when you are present there – early in the morning and late in the evening; it would allow you to ensure it won’t catch any fire.
There are two ways you can provide the heating:
Electric heat radiation;
Propane/Natural Gas radiation.
The heaters should be directed to the chicken to help them to melt any frost and maintain a cocoon.
What kind of heat you will choose it’s a sole matter of economic analysis that you can run depending on the price of gas and electricity in the UK and source of feed. Using gas heaters from your gas header is the most reliable way of heating as you would never be exposed to electrical outages, primarily if your household located off the grid. Nothing should be costly nowadays.
You can allow the automatic heating triggered by the thermostat. It starts when the temperature drops below 5 deg. C or 40 deg. F and shuts off when indoor temp. Decreases increases to 10 deg. C to 50 deg F.
The best heating might be an electric heater filled with oil, a so-called radiator. It doesn’t knock down the humidity level, which is relatively low in winter. It has a thermostat, which allows cycling the heater on and off.
The heater might cost you around £60 and has an integral thermostat and power intensity control from substantial to low.
Example Of Open Front Chicken Coop! 4 Proven Factors!
I want to discuss the design concept, essential functions, other factors to consider, and two types of open front chicken coops in this article.
Chickens should be comfortable in the coop
A UK owner should design it in such a way either you can quickly enter the coop and easily walk around the entire area, or one should design it in ways such that you can reach any of its parts from outside by stretching your hands.
Most poultrymen prefer long-continuous sized poultry houses, and the open front chicken coop model works out to be the best. The open front chicken coops were popular in the earliest days due to a wide range of benefits. However, the structure has its share of downsides as well.
This model is significantly helpful for seasons like summers and winters. During extreme weather conditions like heavy rain or chilled winter, the open front chicken coops considered to be the best because they allow proper air ventilation. They also will enable enough sun rays to reach out to the chickens, which is healthier because darkness makes chickens inactive.
The essential functions of open house chicken coops
Shelter: It protects the chicken from wind, sun, snow, and rain. Set up your open house chicken coop in such a way so that windy and colder corners should remain closed.
Sufficient Sunlight: You must build up your coop in such a way so that the opening faces the sunnier side. A maximum space in the front helps adequate sunlight and fresh air circulation.
Ventilation: The open front chicken coop is the best model that allows proper ventilation for the chickens. The pungent fumes created by the chicken droppings can be cleared to a great extent by appropriate airflow, which helps the chicken breathe easily.
Protection: Close the front opening properly at night so that you can protect your chickens from snakes, foxes, cats, civets, etc.
The open front chicken coops can be of two types
Portable: Portable chicken coops have many advantages. The chickens in search of worms often wear and tear the floor of the coop. To fix the floor, you can shift the coop once in a while on the other side of the back yard and plant some quick yielding grass, which repairs the ground in a quick period. This practice keeps your ground healthy and hygienic.
Fixed coops: Large chicken coops usually set in nature. If the coop you have bought is of this type, you need to be very wise enough to select the floor. In this case, concrete flooring with some artificial soft covers over it will work. You can clean the chicken droppings easily by cleaning the soft synthetic surfaces.
Different factors one needs to consider for selecting chicken coops
It would help if you considered many factors such as the number of chickens, breed, and size; as per the studies, medium-sized coops required at least 1.5 sq ft of space.
Keeping in mind the factors, the different types of open front chicken coops are as follows.
Cocoon hatched chicken coops: This open front chicken coop comes with a string night shutter. The open front has a hen house and run, both combined in one unit. Hence it provides warmth as well as safety from predators. The structure made up of solid wood; therefore, it is sturdy enough. Its standard size is 220 × 75× 114 cm; if you plan the coops in a shorter space, this is ideal for you. A sliding door separates the run. Removable perches and the next box in the coop makes the chickens comfortable & cosy for roosting. The flooring coved with a rubber material; hence it is easily washable, and it gives warmth to the chickens.
Value pick open front chicken coop: This is another model that provides a run and coop combinedly. It can accommodate three to four chickens. It has a roosting perch and nesting box, which makes it very comfortable for the chicken. The measurement of this coop usually is 175×66×100 cm. It is smaller than the cocoon hatched chicken coops and is less costly too. The structure comprises plastic and wood; hence it is lighter in weight compared to the earlier model.
Feel good large chicken coop: This is yet another variety of open front chicken coop. It does not have a run in-built. It can accommodate 7 to 8 chickens at a time, depending on the size of the chickens. Its standard size is 85×115×90cm, and is made up of Firwood fixed with glue and screw. Nails not used while making it. It can fit in two nesting boxes and three roosting perches. You can lock the front opening at night to protect the chickens against predators like snakes, foxes, cats, and many others.
Pets imperial coops and run: This model supports the coop and runs together under one roof. This model can accommodate 6 to 7 birds at a time. The total area covered can measures up to 250×76×103 cm. It offers the best outdoor run for your chickens. Inside the coop, you can fix 2 to 3 removable perches and nesting boxes. The roof of the coop can also be open to clean the whole surface area. The run is well protected against predators, especially foxes, as it has a mesh build up with galvanised steel. It is one of the most expensive open front chicken coops and made up of treated timber, which is animal friendly. The pull out galvanised metal tray is the unique feature of this model.
Example Of Chicken Run Ground Cover For Beginners!
You can choose from a wide range of flooring options for your chicken run ground cover. If you set up a portable chicken run on the lawn, you can quickly move it to your UK garden area to allow the grass to recover. If the chicken lawn stationed at a fixed place, then after rain, the place is likely to become very messy, and the chickens get dirty. Before selecting the cover, you need to study the environment in which these chickens can thrive. Secondly, the type of chicken and the number of chicken living in the coop should be taken into account.
The option for keeping hygienic
Wood chippings: You need to make wood chips with the whiter portion of the wood and not use the bark. As the wood chips made of barks make the floor muddy, they are likely to destroy the place’s hygiene. The use of white wood chippings on the chicken run floor is one of the best methods to keep the place hygienic. It looks very tidy, lightweight, dust-free, and features good drainage, and most importantly, chickens love to hang around inside them.
Wood chippings are also known as play chips. The play chips do not get dirty quickly as they do not get easily crushed into the mud; hence this prevents the chickens from muddy feet. You can even clean the wood chippings very easily.
Once or twice a year, you need to top up the floor with wood chips as they are natural items and gradually break down with time.
Sand: You can use coarse sand for the floor of the chicken run. These sands are cheaper, and the chicken droppings can easily be cleaned with the help of a “cat litter scoop.” Due to rain, the sand can be washed off; then, you need to prepare it all by yourself.
Pea Gravel: Rounded small size stones are known as pea gravel. You can easily wash the chicken droppings just by spraying water over them. It is better to place the pea gravel just over the sand without the weed membrane in between because this can significantly affect the drainage. Some breeders complain that the chickens hate to walk on the pea gravel as they find it uneasy.
Straw and wood shavings: Both wood shavings and straw can be used best for the bedding purpose, but some of the chicken keepers use them to pave the way for the flooring of the chicken run. But in the long run, it makes the floor soggy and untidy. And hence, it cannot be adequately cleaned as well as it turns unhygienic.
Grass and vegetation: If your chicken ground is moveable, then you can consider grass or other grass type vegetation for its flooring purpose. This type of flooring is known as chicken ARKS. Chicken can look for worms and other insects in the grass and can feed themselves. Chickens, which fed on worms and insects, lay eggs that considered to have high nutritional value.
The eggs are rich in omega-three fatty acids, vitamin E. But there is also a disadvantage of this grass flooring. The chickens often uproot the floor grass by scratching and make the place dirty and muddy. During this time, you need to shift the floor to the other side and quickly repair the scored portion by planting quick yielding seeds such as buckwheat, flax. When the grasses start growing, you can again shift back the floor to its original space.
Concrete flooring: Concrete flooring is a permanent one, and one can easily wash
Whichever material you use, you need to ensure that you level the flooring properly, as undulating the surface discomforts the chicken. It never becomes muddy too. But it turns out very cold during the winter season, which may hurt your chicken’s health. At that time, a mat or haystack can be used above the flooring to make the chickens comfortable.
Benefits of own chicken coop
Keeping in mind the world’s current situation, which is a worldwide attack of the novel coronavirus, is the right time to invest in good business. With the increasing demand for poultry items, it will be wise to decide if you start your chicken coop. The pandemic is causing a global lockdown; hence the supply chain has been broken big time. If you can set up your chicken coop, you can meet the local demand and make a good amount of money. Flock caring provides you with the option of having freshly laid eggs and flaunts the charm of chicken farming.
If you can raise chicken organically by avoiding injecting hormones and antibiotics, there will be nothing as good as it; approximately, you can get 300 eggs per chicken. The other benefits are as follows.
Healthier backyard chicken: Chickens grown in the back yard coop are much healthier and full of food value as they are free from hormone injection and antibiotic diets. The demand for these chickens is relatively high, and they are costly, too, whereas factory-made chickens treated with antibiotics and hormones for quicker growth.
Eggs have better nutritional value: If you grow eggs in your chicken coop, it will have more nutritional value in a sense there will be more vitamin A, E, and the percentage of beta carotene content.
They will also be high in comparison to the factory grown eggs.
Tastier eggs: The eggs grown in the backyard chicken coop is much more delicious than the factory grown ones. A specific group of people in the UK has the demand for these types of eggs only. They are ready to buy these eggs as they have firmer whites and the Yolks are bright orange.
Making compost with chicken wastes: These Chicken excreta are high in nitrogen content; you can use them to fertilise your soil; even you can use the used shell as well.
With chicken cooping, the UK garden’s condition improves: These chickens scratch the garden ground to find yummy feeds such as earwigs, grubs, etc., which destroy your veggies and fruits in the UK garden.
The importance of chicken coop is as follows
Many people in the UK think that keeping the chickens in the coop is a cruel idea as you are caging them. Still, by doing so, you are making them safe by protecting them from predators, plus it increases productivity and profitability too.
The importance of chicken cooping is as follows:
Safety: Your coop needs to be solid and sturdy; it keeps the predators away, such as foxes, cats, snakes, hawks, rats, etc. It also helps to restrict your chicken from roaming around in unsafe areas.
Shelter: Though chickens adapt to different climates and weather conditions, they need proper covers during climatic extremes such as thunderstorms, strong winds, bitter cold, extreme heat, etc. Coop keeps your chicken safe by providing shelters.
Laying space: If you are into a severe egg production business, then you need a proper coop for the chickens to lay eggs. Get laying boxes of the appropriate size, which will comfort your chicken to lay decent eggs.
Roosting space: Chickens need to access a common area where they can roost throughout the night; a coop is the best place for it. A suitable coop helps chickens roost and allows them to maintain a social hierarchy, which will control territorial behaviour.
Feeding space: Chickens are typically well-disciplined if appropriately trained; if you teach them that coop is where they need to come back when they are hungry, they will come back to the coop when they need to be fed. This will help you to keep a proper tab on your chickens.
Confinement: You need to confine the chicken to keep them away from the place where they are not entertained.
Features of excellent chicken coop
There are different designs, sizes, and styles of chicken coops; you can build your structure or purchase a readymade one. While choosing the design, keep the following in mind:
Size: The coop size depends on the number of chickens you are willing to grow; the more significant the size, the more comfort for the chickens.
Predator Protection: Elevated coop will be a bit vulnerable to small predators. Cracks, holes should be appropriately sealed; windows should be shut appropriately so that the predators cannot use the chickens as their meals.
Ventilation: Shed feathers, droppings, decaying bedding cause fumes, which might create respiratory issues for your flock. Hence coop needs to be selected with proper ventilation so that there will be adequate air circulation.
Cleanliness: Coops need to be cleaned regularly to maintain their hygiene. You can remove the debris parasites regularly. Select the proper dropping board, which can be easily removed and cleaned.
Proper fencing in the outdoor area: The chickens often move out of their coop to the surrounding for worm hunting; this keeps them healthy. So it would help if you did proper fencing to protect them.
Chicken care
Cleanliness: The breathing system of the chickens is entirely different from that mammals. They do not have a diaphragm; they use their breast bone and rib cage for the inward and outward movement of the air.
Their lung is highly dependent on air sacs to distribute oxygen to the rest of the body. The bones also connected with the air sacs, which also help in the air intake.
The toxic fumes generated from the chicken droppings and other waste can create breathing issues for the flocks. Hence it needs to be taken care of. Use natural cleaning products such as citrus fruits, which naturally cleans the coop and deodorises it without troubling them.
When you are cleaning the old shavings, use proper citrus cleaning material to spray them down. Try to clean up the damp area with the blower or so.
Application of wound care ointments: You need to take proper care of the chicken wounds to make them healthy. Appropriate paste with coconut oil, lavender, and turmeric needs to be made to treat the chickens’ open injuries. The mentioned ointments are soft and smell good as well. It can be used as a burn first aid kit also. This type of ointment becomes very useful if your chicken attacked by any predator such as snakes, foxes etc.
Benefits of feeding oregano: For chicken care, the diluted form of oregano oil is handy. The renowned farms have shifted their feed to the oregano instead of antibiotic feeds.
General tips
When using the essential oils for chicken care, you need to ensure that you use them in a diluted form.
Oregano or peppermint oil is hot, be careful in using it.
Types of herbs keep the chicken healthy
Some herbs, which keep the chicken healthy, try to arrange some of those in your open yard so that when the chicken comes out from their coop, they can enjoy the benefits of those herbs.
The herbs which keep the chicken healthy are as follows:
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Mint
Sage
Make sure you bring in chicken coops designed to sustain the lives of chickens, and in between, you can try out different essentials to ensure that chickens can live enjoyably.
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