Different Types of Chicken Housing/Shelter and Facilities

Different Types of Chicken Housing/Shelter and Facilities Most local chicken keepers in Nigeria provide some form of shelter for their birds at night. This varies from the use of spare rooms which are usually kitchens, stores, wire cages to the building of a “Companion house”. The companion house Mud structure Companion house is a small mud structure of about one metre high attached to the main building. A wicker basket cage. Although some form of light (usually bush lanterns) could be provided, it is mainly to scare away thieves and predators, but not for heat. When purpose-built structures are used for shelter , it is usually a handwoven wicker basket cage shaped like a round-bottomed cone and made of spilt rachis of palm fronts It is used as a night shelter, as a brooder or hatching cage and for transporting trade chickens. The peasant farmers cannot afford intensive poultry keeping, but the local fowls need some form of confinement, to reduce chick mortality, loss from predation, harsh climatic factors, accidents and others. The Semi-Intensive system of poultry keeping is therefore recommended for peasant chicken keepers. In this system, birds are usually confined with an expanse of land (garden or yard) in which chicken houses with nests and cages are erected. The chickens are allowed freedom outside the houses which are usually opened in the morning (6.0-6.30 am) and closed only in the evening (5.30-6.30 pm) when the chickens are back to roost for the night.