Housing & Fencing

Coop Design

Chicken Coop Design: Space, Roosts, Nest Boxes and VentilationA good coop is dry, ventilated, safe and easy to clean. The numbers and layout that work for Sussex-size birds.
The Speckled Sussex Coop: Size, Ventilation, Perches, and Nest Boxes Done RightHeavy hens need more floor, wider roosts and better air than most coop kits assume. Here is how to size and fit out a coop around them.

Confinement vs. Free-Range: What Works Best for Speckled Sussex (and What Doesn't)Sussex are known foragers, but a good life for a hen is not an all-or-nothing choice. Here is how to match the system to your land and risk.
The Garden and the Flock: Using Speckled Sussex for Pest Control Without Destroying BedsHens eat slugs and beetles with enthusiasm. They also eat seedlings and dig dust baths in your lettuce.
Why Some Speckled Sussex Don't Free-Range Well: Maturity, Confusion, and Flock IntegrationA breed known for foraging can still hang around the coop door. Here is how to diagnose why.

Predator-Proofing: Hardware Cloth, Locks, and the Weak Points You MissedMost coop break-ins happen at a gap the keeper never noticed. Here is a walk-around audit for the weak points that get missed.
Predator-Proofing Your Coop: What Actually WorksRaccoons, hawks, foxes, snakes and dogs all want your hens. Here is how to build a coop and run that keeps them out.
When a Speckled Sussex Goes Missing: Predator Clues and Coop Security AuditRead the evidence left behind, then walk your coop and run like a predator would.

Bedding and Cleaning: Deep Litter, Shavings, Sand and Composting Chicken ManureA clean coop is the cheapest health care a flock gets. How the main bedding choices compare, what deep litter really involves and how to turn droppings into compost safely.
Bedding Choices for a Speckled Sussex Flock: Straw, Shavings, and Deep LitterThe best bedding is the one you can keep dry. Here is how the common choices behave under heavy hens.
Keeping the Coop Dry: The Ammonia Problem and How to Prevent ItAmmonia is a moisture problem wearing a smell. Fix the water and the air, and most of it goes away.