This has led to two housing designs for chickens: fresh-air houses with wide openings and nothing more than wire mesh between chickens and the weather (even in Northern winters), or closed houses with doors, windows and hatches which can shut off most ventilation. However, others who keep chickens believe they are prone to illness in outdoor weather and need a controlled-environment coop.
One philosophy, known as the 'fresh air school' is that chickens are mostly hardy but can be brought low by confinement, poor air quality and darkness, hence the need for a highly ventilated or open-sided coop with conditions more like the outdoors, even in winter. There is a long-standing controversy over the basic need for a chicken coop. There may be nest boxes and perches in the house. Chicken coop Ī chicken coop or hen house is a structure where chickens or other fowl are kept safe and secure. Some FDA-approved medications are also approved for improved feed utilization.
Poultry producers routinely use nationally approved medications, such as antibiotics, in feed or drinking water, to treat disease or to prevent disease outbreaks. One alternative to intensive poultry farming is free-range farming using lower stocking densities. According to the World Watch Institute, 74 percent of the world's poultry meat, and 68 percent of eggs are produced intensively.
