Free- range chickens are generally kept in chicken houses called ‘chicken coops’.  Chicken coops are by tradition made out of wood, with more modern products also incorporating wire mesh.  All of our woods are made to the highest standard, and are fully durable and weatherproof.  The wire mesh is also very durable, rust-proof, but most importantly, gives the chickens a natural source of light and ventilation.  Chickens need to exercise, as any animal does. Chicken runs are the answer to this – and provide free exercise in a natural environment.  Our runs come in all shapes and size, generally with a durable wooden frame and wire mesh walls, these runs are a great solution and will keep your chickens active and happy.  These chicken runs are very similar to rabbit hutches and runs, are adopt the same principles, but are just larger.

We also stock covers for these runs, for use in winter.  These covers attach easily to most of our runs, making them an easy product to use.  These covers are mainly for use in winter, to prevent snow and heavy rain, protecting your chickens from the British winter months.

One animal that has a number of specific requirements is the chinchilla. These adorable bushy tailed rodents from South America have to have plenty of space to run around in and soft wood to chew on to keep their teeth in check. Therefore, you have to be careful when you select your chinchilla cage. Also, you should ensure they have different toys to play with and the items should be rotated.

However, there is another perhaps more obscure need that such animals have and that is facilities in which to enjoy the occasional dust bath. At least a few times a week these pets should have access to special sand that they can use to help keep their coats in good condition. Without this, their fur may become matted due to oily secretions from their skin. The baths have to be large enough for the creatures to roll in.

You should not leave the baths in the cages indefinitely, but rather make them available for ten minutes at a time. Otherwise they may develop problems with their eyes.

Here at ideas-4-pets, we do not only sell cages for chinchillas. We can also provide you with a chicken house, dog bed, rat cage and many other such items.

These days, there is a trend towards more sustainable living and getting yourself a chicken coop or chicken house could be just the start you need.

Indeed, by investing in such items, and the chickens to go in them, you could find you are on the road to your own version of the 1970s classic sitcom The Good Life.

There is a huge satisfaction in keeping animals of this kind and of course it makes you slightly less reliant on food bought from shops.

After a few months with your chicken coop or chicken house, you will no doubt have become a master of egg-based cuisine.

And having these feathered creatures in your garden can also be an effective way of teaching any youngsters in your home about the process of making food.

Indeed, if you let children share the general cleaning and maintenance duties associated with having such pets, they will also get to learn more about responsibility.

Additionally, you could add to your food production by keeping a vegetable patch. These days, there is a huge craze concerning such activity and many more people are eager to generate their own greens for the kitchen table.

Of course there is a skill to keeping chickens successfully and you will have to get information and advice before you launch into the project.

However, once you do, there will be no stopping you!

The first thing to do is to choose the right chicken coop. The size of the chicken house will of course depend on how many birds you are planning to keep, and when you look at the range available you will see that they come in a variety of sizes.

If you have never kept chickens before, you may need some advice before you buy your hens.  Most people who are new to poultry keeping choose  point of lay hens as these will start laying as soon as they have got used to their new chicken house or chicken coop.

It’s a good idea to find out from the supplier if they have been handled daily, which will make it a lot easier for you when you introduce them to the chicken coops. Have a close look at the pullets (this is the name for hens under one year old) and make sure they have bright eyes, glossy feathers and appear to be busy and active. Once you are happy with your choice, you can transport the pullets in large cardboard boxes and introduce them to their new chicken house or chicken coop.

Remember chickens aren’t just egg-laying machines and therefore they will only lay eggs if their emotional needs are met: this entails installing a chicken coop and chicken house that is not only spacious and comfortable but is also secure enough to foster a safe environment for your bird this means, basically, that your chicken run and chicken coop should be impervious to predators, and that there is no space underneath gates, doors or fences for animals like foxes to penetrate.

As well as creating a sage and comfortable environment for your chickens, your chicken house also needs to be practically equipped to facilitate the egg-laying laying process; so you’ll need to install nesting boxes and perches which will afford your chickens with different places to defecate and lay eggs, as quite understandably birds wont lay eggs where there is feaces.

Finally, not all chickens are the same and therefore if you want to optimize your chicken’s egg laying proficiency then you should do some research regarding your specific breed of chicken for example, some birds will only respond to an artificially lit chicken house.

One of the fundamentals of any chicken coop is the chicken house, and it might surprise you to learn that the chicken house performs a wide variety of functions from safety to shelter:

Safety

It’s not only humans that find chicken delicious, predators such as foxes a chicken represents the ideal meal this means that unless your chickens are housed securely then they’ll always be vulnerable to predation.

Nesting

Chickens are very maternal birds, and unless they have a safe place to lay their eggs they won’t be happy not only because their nests would be vulnerable from predation, but also for territorial reasons i.e. all birds need a place to nest!

Shelter

Remember chickens aren’t seabirds, therefore it is absolutely crucial they have a chicken house for shelter from the worst of the British weather with this in mind it is essential your chicken house offers a level of weather proofing.

Eggs

Quite simply, unless your bird has a place to lay their eggs then they just won’t. So if you want to receive plenty of eggs from your birds then you need to ensure they have a place to do it. Visit the ideas-4-Pets website for all your chicken house needs.

First up, you’ll need a chicken house that’s big enough. The size you’ll need will obviously depend on the number of chickens that you’re going to own, but luckily there are houses to suit all requirements, whether you own 2 chickens or 200.

You’ll also need to consider whether you want stand-alone chicken housing or one with a run attached. There are advantages to each, with stand-alone options being ideal if you want to give your chickens the run of the garden. Those with chicken runs included, on the other hand, would be preferable if you want to be able to keep an eye on your pets and keep them away from predators.

Then you have different design options. You could choose an ark design, ideal if you want a portable option so your pets have fresh grass every few days, or larger “house” designs which are often preferable for owners with a large number of chickens as there’s more space for them.

These are just a few points you need to remember if you want to choose the right chicken house, and ultimately it comes down to the number of chickens that you own and whether you want them to be contained or roaming free. Luckily, with so many options these days there’ll be something to suit just about everyone, so come to us here at ideas-4-pets to see just how many options there are.

If the simple, common-sense  tips below are followed, you are guaranteed to have safe, healthy and secure chickens the entire year round.

- Obviously, you need to make sure your chickens are well fed and watered each day; but you should try and feed them the correct food, too. Saving money on chicken food does not ensure your hens are highly nourished which means the eggs they produce won’t be as nice. Therefore, by supplying your hens with nutritious food, you are supplying you and your family with nutritious eggs.

- If the hens frequently mess in the water bowls in their chicken coop then be sure to clean these out, as hens don’t drink from water that is messy. Take time to clean their food and water dispensers every now and again to ensure no bacteria is harbouring, but be sure to get rid of any residue of the cleaning product before filling them again.

- Inspect the coop to make sure there are no holes in the coop for the chickens to escape or for predators to get in. Whilst you’re doing this observe your chickens to check their behaviour and appearance is normal.

At Ideas-4-Pets, we have on offer a wide range of chicken coops and chicken housing products for a broad selection of requirements.

Some things to take into consideration are:

-    Space your chickens will need plenty of space to move around in, particularly if you are housing quite a few. Keeping them in too closer a proximity can be harmful for your chickens. It is recommended to allow 3-4 square feet per chicken for indoor chicken coops with an extra 8-10 square feet outside in a chicken run.
-    Easy access make sure your chicken coop is easy for yourselves to get in and out of as this will help make your life a whole lot easier when it comes to cleaning them, collecting eggs and so on.
-    Safe make sure your chicken housing is 100% predator safe as any holes, access points are sure to be found by unwanted visitors! And, if you are allowing your chickens to have free roam of your garden then make sure no predators can enter your garden!
-    Loose if you are having your chickens loose in your garden then you do need to make sure your neighbours are okay with this and you aren’t near a main road or somewhere where you will easily lose the chickens.

Looking after chickens isn’t hard as long as your don’t cut corners to begin with. Remember that a happy chicken is a healthy chicken, which means good quality eggs for you.

At first you may decide that the stand-alone chicken house with a chicken run is ideal. A chicken house needs a chicken run to stop your chickens from getting away.

One of our chicken runs at ideas-4-pets, The Penbury, can also be used for small chicks or rabbits.

Our Lucky chicken run is the one that allows plenty of space for your chickens and hens.

We also have a larger chicken house called The Lenham if you are looking to purchasing a large number of birds.

We have different designs of chicken coops, chicken houses and chicken runs that offer quality and value for money.

Security is important when you have your chicken house and run or a hen house. Foxes today are clever and they are not afraid to come close to houses. They have been seen many times dashing across a main road during the day and night-time.

Check the chicken run is always locked and use a watch dog if possible, with its dog kennel nearby.

Tip: If you are thinking placing your chicken house at the back of your property it would be best if you first check it out with your neighbours, due to the fact chickens can sometimes be noisy.