5 Common Chick Coop Mistakes Poultry Farmers Make

Besides paying attention to DOC feed, you also need to look at other factors, namely the coop. Coops for day-old chicks (DOC) are the same for every breed, but once the birds enter the grower or finisher phase, the coop type is adapted to each kind of chicken. For example, a grower-phase coop for broilers is different from one for layers. That's why you shouldn't focus only on the grower and finisher phases, because the success of both depends on the starter phase. To get through the starter phase well, you need to choose quality day-old chicks. The coop also has to be right so the chicks can live in it safely and comfortably.

Chick Coop Mistakes That Make It Less Than Ideal

Poultry farmers make several mistakes when building a DOC coop. These mistakes can keep the chicks from growing and developing fully. Here are some chick coop mistakes to avoid because they make the coop less than ideal:

Too Much Ventilation

The first mistake poultry farmers often make when building a coop is adding too much ventilation. Ventilation is good for a chicken coop after the starter phase, but not during it. Too much ventilation leaves the chicks chilled, and they end up catching a cold.

Also read 6 Tips for Building an Ideal Coop for Day-Old Chicks

Running from South to North

The next mistake is building the coop with its length running from south to north. The ideal coop runs from west to east. This lets sunlight into the coop, and sunlight is very good for the chicks' health.

No Partitions

Partitions or dividers limit how far the chicks can move. Without them, the chicks are free to roam all over the coop, even though their bodies shouldn't move around too much.

A Coop That's Too Dark

The next chick coop mistake is a coop that's too dark. In a coop like this, the chicks can't see their surroundings, especially animals that attack at night, such as cats and rats. Many poultry farmers complain that their farms see frequent nighttime attacks from cats and rats, which can strike the chicks at any time, so adequate lighting is essential.

No Heater

Many people assume chicks can get enough heat from the light bulbs in the coop. In reality, light bulbs alone aren't enough to keep the chicks properly warm in the coop. The chicks still need adequate heating at night to keep their bodies warm and protect them from getting chilled and catching a cold.

Why an Ideal Chick Coop Matters

An ideal DOC coop is one with no mistakes in it: a well-maintained temperature, the right humidity, not too much ventilation and so on. Why does an ideal coop matter so much for day-old chicks? Because chicks spend most of their time inside the coop, especially broiler and layer chicks. If the coop isn't ideal, the chicks won't feel comfortable in it. They'll get stressed, and their appetite will drop. Once their appetite drops, all kinds of diseases can easily take hold, because the chicks' immunity is weakened.

Also read 4 Ways to Build the Right Coop for Day-Old Chicks

Raising day-old chicks is harder than it looks, and it takes broad knowledge and experience to do it properly. One factor you need to watch when raising DOC is the coop. Avoid the chick coop mistakes explained above so your coop is ideal for raising day-old chicks through the starter phase.