Organic Chickens

Free Range Chicken House

Free Range Chicken coops are not really used much in South Africa. Many African farmers prefer to use closed houses – keeping the poultry indoors, which makes the whole process of egg production and broiler production much easier.

Free range chicken houses, chicken coops and hen houses are available from Chicken Shack Agencies. If you wish to call your eggs or broilers “free range” though, you will need a free range chicken house. Your chickens will need to be able to access the outside – see the sky and feel the wind while they forage like they did before production farming. Buying Free Range Poultry Houses is an easy process – decide how many birds you would like to house and Choose the right sized chicken house!

Free range eggs will bring you a premium when selling your free range eggs and free range chickens. The benefits of  free range are numerous – not least of all the humane treatment of poultry. For smaller home chicken coops and hen houses please contact us. The best chicken house on the market at the moment is the “Yellow Door Poultry House” by Chicken Shack Agencies. Sturdy, and ideal for African conditions.

The free range chicken houses that we build are very similar to our Yellow door house – with one change. Underneath the curtains where the steel sheet is, we build in access flaps. The steel section under the curtains can be raised insections to allow the birds exit and entry intro the poultry house. You will need to fence your house with 2m mesh so the birds do not wander and they are protected from predators. Allowing your birds access to the natural environmentbrings it’s own problems – wild birds will eventually find a way into your chicken house.

Organic chicken farming can be an art all of it’s very own. Several of the standard ways of farming poultry and eggs tend to be chucked out of the window. Crucial aspects include the things you will feed your organic chickens, the best way you house hens and how you will take care of your chickens is definitelyimportant – placing too many birds is a no no – the chickens need to have access to clear space together with sky showing and be permitted to forage naturally. You’ll obtain the guidelines regarding organic and natural agriculture located at Organic feeding of chickens. The kind of chicken, or poultry breed, does not affect whether the chicken is free range or organic.

It will probably cost you extra growing and maintaining your organic chickens although you also receive a premium on the eggs and hens or broilers. Growth levels are generally slower with natural and organic, free range or environmentally friendly poultry farming. The upside is going to be that you would be permitting your poultry a natural, normal life. The demand for organic and natural poultry, organic and natural eggs and organic chicken is expanding. Stores such as Woolworths as well as Pick n Pay tend to be spending a top prices to get organic products …. not to mention the need is rising. The supply, on the other hand is definitel very low – creating the perfect chance for savvy chicken farmers. Each of our poultry houses are appropriate for organic chicken farming, as well as organic eggs. Side flaps enable the chickens convenient access to the outside while permitting you to still manage temperatures and feed schedules. Free range is not the same as organic. It is actually a great deal less controlled – it essentially will means that your poultry be allowed to forage normally. Free range chicken houses have got areas to allow the chickens accessibility to the outdoors.

You will need to put a 2m fence all around the poultry house to contain the birds. Commonly farmers grow Lucerne as well as additional vegetables and permit the poultry access to the vegetable garden for limited periods of time. Organic eggs and organic chickens need to be grown according to the regulations set out far organic farming – The organic poultry house is almost exactly the same as a standard chicken house with the exception of openings, or pop holes, for the hens or broiler chickens to enter and exit. Before you buy free range eggs or chickens you need to make sure that the farmer is complying with the regulations – there are unscrupulous farmers who take chance – which is why it is better to buy directly from the poultry farm. You can then check on the farming practises and ask the farmer directly  “what does free range mean?” and “what does organic mean?”. The poultry equipment you use in a chicken coop or hen house that is specifically for natural birds is exactly the same as any other kind of house – in the case of layer houses you will need to use nest boxes and not layer cages or battery cages though. While this may affect the time taken to maintain the house - it is not a big thing – the benefits of having your chickens wandering free and exercising will far out way the aspect of layer cages.