Il domestic chicken coop is becoming one an increasingly frequent choice in many families, with a garden or who are lucky enough to live in the countryside.
For this purpose the laying hens are the best type of hens, they do not need the rooster to lay eggs, they can lay one per day, almost 300 eggs in a year.
During the year with the arrival of cold weather they will have a drop in production but do not worry in spring and summer they will resume the usual brooding rhythm.
Their life spans from 5 to 11 years, this means a long production of home made eggs!
They are extremely intelligent animals, you have to raise them with love so that they are maximally productive. Love and care must be present in all elements, from hen-house to feed.
5 practical tips
1 - A good one hen-house, is the first element that must not be missing! It is the home of your chickens, it must be resistant, warm in winter and cool in summer, above all it must be able to protect them from the red mite.
2 - In addition to the chicken coop for the hens it is necessary also have an outdoor space to tumble freely. The hens must have their moments of leisure, they must not always be in the hen house, they must be able to have fun with each other and enjoy the sunlight.
3 - The feed that is given to the hens must be complete, containing all the proteins that the hen needs to grow and to withstand the production of eggs without losing its nutritional needs.
4 - Constant attention, any animal must be loved and respected, for this reason the hen house must always be well cleaned, a weekly cleaning is mandatory, followed by a more thorough cleaning to be carried out at least twice a year, in hot weather better, in order to leave out the hens without making them suffer from the cold.
5 - Last but not least, hens are pets should not be isolated and confined only to the garden, but to make them participate in our domestic life, for example by playing with them, spoiling them with extra food, in short, loving them and not treating them just like an animal churning out eggs!
The different breeds of laying hens
Among the most widespread breeds there are; la Paduan hen, known for its size and for the tuft that distinguishes it, is an affectionate and docile hen, lays small eggs. Its aesthetic characteristic has always made it bred as one of the most beautiful ornamental and pet hens.
Another laying breed of Italian origin is the Livornese it is the laying hen par excellence, among all the laying breeds it is certainly the most productive, producing almost 300 eggs a year.
Even the laying hen Siciliana has Italian origins, it is compared to the Livornese for its egg production.
Chickens Hamburg they have a decent production, around 200 eggs a year.
The hen Amrock it is sweet and sociable so much that it becomes attached to its owner, its size is larger than other laying breeds.
