 Video 3. Housing This video is part of a series developed for the Sustainable Wildlife Management Program to provide guidance for a successful family poultry production. It focuses on small extensive and extensive scavenging systems, but could also be useful for semi-intensive production systems. There are many reasons why poultry should have a house, including protection from rough weather, thieves and predators such as dogs, cats, snakes and birds of prey. Housed birds are easier to catch to inspect for signs of illness or injury, or to vaccinate against diseases. It is also easier to collect the litter and waste. Characteristics of a good poultry house Some characteristics of a good poultry house include being rainproof and capable of protecting birds from the direct sunlight, strong winds and floods. Good ventilation is important, which is affected by the windows, the orientation of the house and height of the ceiling. Openings can be covered with wire mesh to allow for good airflow while preventing predators from entering the poultry house. You should also be able to lock the house securely. Ease of access helps with the day-to-day management and cleaning. If constructing a new poultry house, plan ahead and think about the potential flock size now and in the coming years. The size will depend on the number, type and ages of the birds and the production system. Will your birds be confined in the house all day, or will they use the house at night only? For 10 to 15 adult birds, the size of the house should be about 2 meters squared. For a bigger flock of fully confined broilers of about 2.5 kilograms each, a 1 meter squared poultry house per 10 to 12 chickens is recommended. For example, if the house is 5 meters by 5 meters, this corresponds to 25 meters squared of living space for 250 to 300 chickens. However, this number can vary depending on the season. Less space is necessary in the cold season and the age and weight of the chicken. If the poultry house is too small, especially in intensified systems, several problems can develop, including unequal distribution of food, increased temperature and chickens biting each other. You can also build an enclosure-rander poultry house to limit the wandering of the birds, but you would have to make sure that the chickens always have a sufficient quantity and diversity of food. This open-air fence space is typically 25 meters squared or more, typically 10 times the size of the poultry house and is called a chicken run. This is an example of a poultry house with a chicken run developed for the Sustainable Wildlife Management Program in Madagascar. Poultry houses, feeder, basket for small chicks, powder tray, sand, ash, antiparasitic, perch, nesting box, hatchery, litter, types of poultry houses and their materials. Different types of poultry houses are made from different materials, which vary widely from simply housing a few birds for extensive systems to housing many birds for semi-intensive to intensive production systems. If you own less than 10 birds, a mobile house or a night basket placed in a quiet and dry place can be sufficient. An adequate shelter can be constructed from materials available locally, including used or discarded construction material. Some commonly used materials are bamboo, wood, reeds, wire mesh, thatched grass, and clay and cement bricks. Always remove the bark from the wood you use in order to prevent parasites from hiding behind it. To prevent the spread of disease from chicken droppings, select either an easy to clean solid flooring or a slatted floor, for example, made of wooden slats or bamboo sticks. Any crack or hole in the house should be immediately repaired. Poultry House Location Location must be considered when building a house for chickens. For better management of the birds, it is recommended that the house be constructed close to the homestead so that you can hear if something is happening at night. But at least 25 meters from other poultry houses to avoid the spread of diseases. The house should be constructed on a well-leveled and well-drained ground or can be elevated from the ground if floods are frequent. Elevated houses are also useful to protect birds from predators. It is wise to have the enclosure close to trees for shade, as well as close to a clean source of drinking water for both hydrating the birds and cleaning utensils, such as the feeders and drinkers. Around the house, maintain the grass cut low to keep snakes and rats away from the chicken. Equipment Maintaining clean nests and locating them in safe places assists in controlling and improving productivity. The quality of eggs is better if they are clean. Moreover, it is easier to find eggs if nests are provided rather than allowing birds to lay eggs in hidden locations. You should provide at least one nest for five adult birds. Roosting on perches will minimize the contact between the birds and their droppings and therefore help to prevent diseases. Perches are best made of bamboo or round sticks that should match the size of the bird's feet. 20 centimeters of perch space per bird is recommended, which corresponds to a 1 meter perch for five birds. Removable perches and nests will ease the cleaning of the poultry house. Legislation Depending on your country or region, it is likely that for semi-intensive or intensive systems, some specific legislation has to be followed. For example, it may include farm registration, reporting of diseases, or the requirement that the location of these activities be far from residential areas to reduce the potential nuisance caused to the residents by bad odors. Contact your local administration to learn about the rules that apply to your situation. Take-home messages When constructing a poultry house, plan ahead and think about the potential flock size now and in the coming years. The poultry house should be roomy, dry, airy, and easy to clean. Use cheap locally available materials such as bamboo, wood, reeds, thatched grass, or clay bricks. Place the house close to your homestead and close to a clean source of drinking water. Include enough perches and nests, preferably removable.