Can chicken keeping improve your health?

[Tesumph]

Chickens are definitely therapeutic for me. I am autistic, have Grave's disease and Lyme disease.

Autistic people often get along with and understand animals much better than people and for me they are the social part of my day and also part of my backyard ecosystem which I enjoy studying.

By designing a coop, run, feeder and waterer that can go for weeks on its own, I am free to do as much or as little as my health problems dictate while also getting exercise and fresh air. Interacting with my birds allows me to focus, helps with my executive function and lessens anxiety. With chickens, I never have to worry about misinterpreting what was said to me or my saying the wrong thing in response.

I’m very interested in your coop/run set-up. One of my biggest concerns is having a bad week and being bedridden and unable to care for them myself (I will always have help available but they will be MY chickens). Do you find any breed more or less suited to your set-up, or does it not really matter to you?

 

[lazy gardener]

In your climate, you will do well with breeds that have a nice large comb. Those combs were designed to act like a car's radiator system. The blood circulation in that extra surface area helps to remove heat from the system. Check out "Henderson's Chicken Breeds chart". Look for breeds that do well in confinement and are not known for broodiness. If you have extra eggs, you can always gift or sell them. If you don't want eggs, you might consider setting up a retirement community for spent layers, though if you go that route, you will have to resign yourself to occasionally needing to euthanize a bird to prevent her from suffering with reproductive illness.

 

[nminusyplusm]

I’m very interested in your coop/run set-up. One of my biggest concerns is having a bad week and being bedridden and unable to care for them myself (I will always have help available but they will be MY chickens). Do you find any breed more or less suited to your set-up, or does it not really matter to you?

I built a raised deep litter coop based on the Wichita design that sits over part of a deep litter run. I didn't want a walk in coop because of space limitations and my back pain. This way everything in the coop is easily reachable while standing.

The footprint of the entire coop and run is 8' x 10'. The coop interior is 4' x 7' with a 1' storage area reserved for the feeder, waterer and extra stuff like treats, grit, oyster shells, etc.

A power strip is also in the storage area for plugging in the aquarium heater that keeps the water de-iced in the winter. I plan on running underground electrical to the coop this year so I won't have to use an outdoor extension cord again.

The entire coop and run is as predator proof as needed for my area so there was no need for a pop door. They have access to the run all the time and I don't have to wake up at a certain time to let them out or close them up, they put themselves to bed.

Reading about deep litter is what convinced me I could have chickens at all. There's no way I could do this if I had to clean it out every day or even every week. Sometimes I'm sick in bed for a lot longer. With deep litter there's no bad odors, no flies and no cleaning at all. It just produces beautiful compost for my garden (another one of my make-it-work-with-as-little-labor-as-possible projects).

The feeder and waterer are food grade 5 gallon buckets with 3" abs pipes at the bottom that fit through holes cut from the storage area to the run below:

I used Gamma seal lids so they're easy for my arthritic hands to open and close and they do a great job of keeping dust out. The waterer has a Uniseal bulkhead and horizontal nipples. No leaks and after a year of use the inside remains pristine.

I have 5 hens and we live in a punishing desert environment with frequent dust storms, high winds, monsoon season and lots of +100º days. I sited the coop under a shade tree, roofed the whole thing with reflective corrugated metal, put in a ton of ventilation and situated windows on the sides that don't get as much wind.

My flock is mostly EEs and though they have pea combs they handle the heat really well. They might pant on a 109º day but they're still active, scratching, looking for bugs and having fun.

 

[biophiliac]

I built a raised deep litter coop based on the Wichita design that sits over part of a deep litter run. I didn't want a walk in coop because of space limitations and my back pain. This way everything in the coop is easily reachable while standing.

View attachment 1432273
View attachment 1432274
The footprint of the entire coop and run is 8' x 10'. The coop interior is 4' x 7' with a 1' storage area reserved for the feeder, waterer and extra stuff like treats, grit, oyster shells, etc.

A power strip is also in the storage area for plugging in the aquarium heater that keeps the water de-iced in the winter. I plan on running underground electrical to the coop this year so I won't have to use an outdoor extension cord again.

The entire coop and run is as predator proof as needed for my area so there was no need for a pop door. They have access to the run all the time and I don't have to wake up at a certain time to let them out or close them up, they put themselves to bed.

Reading about deep litter is what convinced me I could have chickens at all. There's no way I could do this if I had to clean it out every day or even every week. Sometimes I'm sick in bed for a lot longer. With deep litter there's no bad odors, no flies and no cleaning at all. It just produces beautiful compost for my garden (another one of my make-it-work-with-as-little-labor-as-possible projects).

The feeder and waterer are food grade 5 gallon buckets with 3" abs pipes at the bottom that fit through holes cut from the storage area to the run below:
View attachment 1432248

View attachment 1432270

I used Gamma seal lids so they're easy for my arthritic hands to open and close and they do a great job of keeping dust out. The waterer has a Uniseal bulkhead and horizontal nipples. No leaks and after a year of use the inside remains pristine.

I have 5 hens and we live in a punishing desert environment with frequent dust storms, high winds, monsoon season and lots of +100º days. I sited the coop under a shade tree, roofed the whole thing with reflective corrugated metal, put in a ton of ventilation and situated windows on the sides that don't get as much wind.

My flock is mostly EEs and though they have pea combs they handle the heat really well. They might pant on a 109º day but they're still active, scratching, looking for bugs and having fun.

Very well planned and executed!

 

[nminusyplusm]

Very well planned and executed!

Thank you! I owe it all to lurking and reading what all the super smart BYC long timers had to say before I began.

 

[biophiliac]

Thank you! I owe it all to lurking and reading what all the super smart BYC long timers had to say before I began.

I did the lurking reading thing too!

 

[Tesumph]

I built a raised deep litter coop based on the Wichita design that sits over part of a deep litter run. I didn't want a walk in coop because of space limitations and my back pain. This way everything in the coop is easily reachable while standing.

View attachment 1432273
View attachment 1432274
The footprint of the entire coop and run is 8' x 10'. The coop interior is 4' x 7' with a 1' storage area reserved for the feeder, waterer and extra stuff like treats, grit, oyster shells, etc.

A power strip is also in the storage area for plugging in the aquarium heater that keeps the water de-iced in the winter. I plan on running underground electrical to the coop this year so I won't have to use an outdoor extension cord again.

The entire coop and run is as predator proof as needed for my area so there was no need for a pop door. They have access to the run all the time and I don't have to wake up at a certain time to let them out or close them up, they put themselves to bed.

Reading about deep litter is what convinced me I could have chickens at all. There's no way I could do this if I had to clean it out every day or even every week. Sometimes I'm sick in bed for a lot longer. With deep litter there's no bad odors, no flies and no cleaning at all. It just produces beautiful compost for my garden (another one of my make-it-work-with-as-little-labor-as-possible projects).

The feeder and waterer are food grade 5 gallon buckets with 3" abs pipes at the bottom that fit through holes cut from the storage area to the run below:
View attachment 1432248

View attachment 1432270

I used Gamma seal lids so they're easy for my arthritic hands to open and close and they do a great job of keeping dust out. The waterer has a Uniseal bulkhead and horizontal nipples. No leaks and after a year of use the inside remains pristine.

I have 5 hens and we live in a punishing desert environment with frequent dust storms, high winds, monsoon season and lots of +100º days. I sited the coop under a shade tree, roofed the whole thing with reflective corrugated metal, put in a ton of ventilation and situated windows on the sides that don't get as much wind.

My flock is mostly EEs and though they have pea combs they handle the heat really well. They might pant on a 109º day but they're still active, scratching, looking for bugs and having fun.

I just took so many mental notes! That sounds like a very well thought out design. I like the feeder and waterer especially, and I don’t think I can handle shoveling out pine shavings either so deep litter it is.

So, my concern with the breeds is that my last flock I had 15 or so different breeds of all types. I know which are heat tolerant (generally, large combs and compact build did better) but it seemed like usually the fluffier ones were friendlier. Was that a coincidence? In particular I hated the way my leghorns, EE’s, and sometimes Wyandottes acted. Way too flighty, always acted like I was going to kill them. My cochins, Brahma, and barred rocks were my favorite, but the first two started panting on an 85f humid day. (Extremely humid heat here)
Maybe I just need to buy from a serious breeder who can tell me what their lines are like..

 

[lazy gardener]

One of my friendliest birds is an Ameraucana. The hatchery EE hen is mellowing out this year. She was the flightiest bird last year, and a total knucklehead as well. She's actually becoming friendly this season. This, after I caught her a couple of times and forced a facial massage on her.

 

[nminusyplusm]

I just took so many mental notes! That sounds like a very well thought out design. I like the feeder and waterer especially, and I don’t think I can handle shoveling out pine shavings either so deep litter it is.

So, my concern with the breeds is that my last flock I had 15 or so different breeds of all types. I know which are heat tolerant (generally, large combs and compact build did better) but it seemed like usually the fluffier ones were friendlier. Was that a coincidence? In particular I hated the way my leghorns, EE’s, and sometimes Wyandottes acted. Way too flighty, always acted like I was going to kill them. My cochins, Brahma, and barred rocks were my favorite, but the first two started panting on an 85f humid day. (Extremely humid heat here)
Maybe I just need to buy from a serious breeder who can tell me what their lines are like..

My EEs are from Meyer and they're very friendly and not at all flighty. They come to me when I call, they're easy to pick up and I never have to chase them. I've trained my favorite to fly onto my arm and she loves to be held. I'll give her a head or neck rub and she'll purr and fall asleep in my arms.

I think it's just about the particular gene pool they came from and of course individual variation but in general it seems that EEs (and Ameraucanas which were bred from EEs) are pretty friendly.

I also have an Ameraucana x Faverolle and a Welsummer x Cream Legbar OE. The Fav cross is heavier and reacts to heat before anyone else but she manages fine. The OE is totally neurotic, basically wild and goes broody all the time but she's completely streamlined and handles high temps like a champ.

If I knew then what I know now I'd have an all EE flock and maybe add an Ameraucana or 2 if I didn't have any EE blue egg layers.

 

[Tesumph]

My EEs are from Meyer and they're very friendly and not at all flighty. They come to me when I call, they're easy to pick up and I never have to chase them. I've trained my favorite to fly onto my arm and she loves to be held. I'll give her a head or neck rub and she'll purr and fall asleep in my arms.

I think it's just about the particular gene pool they came from and of course individual variation but in general it seems that EEs (and Ameraucanas which were bred from EEs) are pretty friendly.

I also have an Ameraucana x Faverolle and a Welsummer x Cream Legbar OE. The Fav cross is heavier and reacts to heat before anyone else but she manages fine. The OE is totally neurotic, basically wild and goes broody all the time but she's completely streamlined and handles high temps like a champ.

If I knew then what I know now I'd have an all EE flock and maybe add an Ameraucana or 2 if I didn't have any EE blue egg layers.

I guess I just got unlucky with my EE’s. I’m not sure how to guarantee that I get friendly birds other than a proper breeder or whatever.. but I don’t know any breeders lol.