Housing village chickens at night will protect them from rain and the cold; from predators such as dogs, rats, snakes and other wild animals; and from theft.
Housed birds are easier to catch if you need to inspect them for signs of illness or injury, or to vaccinate them against disease.
Adult birds and growers are often provided with elevated night housing. Chicken houses built close to the ground are suitable for hens with young chicks that cannot enter an elevated house. It may be necessary to dig a drain around such a house or to raise the floor, so that it will stay dry during the rainy season. A house which is about 4m long, 1m wide and 1.5m high can hold 8–10 adult birds if they are kept enclosed all day, or about 20 for overnight housing. The house can be completely covered with wooden slats or be partly open with netting or woven bamboo.
Constructing a chicken house
Here are some simple rules for building a chicken house:
● Clear the grass and bush for about 3m on all sides of the house, to
keep snakes and rats away from the chickens.
● A house can be built cheaply using local materials such as tree and bush
branches or reeds and thatch grass.
● The size of the house will depend on how many birds the farmer has (or
plans to have) and if they are to be kept in the house overnight or for longer periods. If too many birds are kept together, they may start to peck each other, leading to injury and diseases.
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