Raising Chickens
Well, I’m not really sure where to begin but I feel like this is the best place, with the gateway animal…the chicken. Most people, when they want to start raising their own food immediately think of chickens for their eggs. Then they get hooked on watching those little fluffy butts walking all around their yards day after day…thinking, well, if I can raise these animals, then I can take on the world!
So, yes, that’s how it begins and I can help you get started. Raising chickens isn’t hard, you just need some basic information and tools to begin.
1. Choose the Right Breed
First, you should decide on the reason why you want to raise chickens, is it for eggs, for meat, maybe both eggs and meat or maybe you just want some cute little pets. Whatever the reason, the right breed is kind of important. Plus, making sure you take notice of the climate you live in and if the disposition of the breed is right for you.
For instance, if you are raising chickens for eggs only, then you might be interested in the ISA Brown, the Australorp, Wyandotte or even the Easter Egger (they lay super colorful eggs). These breeds all do well for families and have great overall tempermants. The Wyandotte know for it’s great mothering skills and that means if you can raise chicks, she might be the right one for you. Now, If you are thinking of meat birds then the Cornish Cross is the name of the game but remember with that variety of meat bird, they cannot live as long as a dual purpose and you will have to purchase eggs to replenish your stock each time you raise them. The Cornish Cross is also very susceptible to heart trouble from quick growth and can die from overheating in extreme temperatures, so it’s important to plan out when you will have them at their peak of growth. (you don’t want to have them in the high heat of summer) On to the dual-purpose bird, this is a breed like the Red Ranger or the American Breese. Both of these breeds don’t grow as fast as the cornish cross meat bird but they grow to a good solid size and can offer eggs as well as solid meat turnout. Rasing a dual purpose bird can ensure that you are able to be self sufficient at growing your own and not depending on a store or hatchery for your meat birds. And finally, maybe you just want some cute pets? How about a bantam, these feather footed cuties are small but mighty and you can enjoy their pocket size company while they lay some eggs for your kitchen if you wanted. Raising Bantams can be so much fun and they are a great option if you are in a small space.
2. Build or Buy a Secure Coop
When building or buying a coop it’s imperative to ensure proper predator proofing. Using hardware cloth and having solid latches on your coop is crucial to offer your birds the best chance of survival. So many people go with chicken wire for their coops but in all honesty, chicken wire is flimsy and has never really worked for us raising birds. Also offering your chickens good ventilation free from drafts is super helpful. Without proper ventilation, the coop can become filled with ammonia or dusty and this can cause respiratory issues with your birds. Nobody wants a sick chicken. Also, when raising chicks, you should consider where you will put the heating lamp or heating pad. Baby chicks need a heat lamp until they are fully feathered and able to retain their own body heat. One more thing to consider then selecting or building your coop is making sure you allow enough room for each bird. The average is to give about 4 sq ft of space per chicken inside the coop and approximately 10 sq ft per bird in the run area (this doesn’t apply if you are free ranging your chickens)
3. Provide Proper Feed and Water
When you first begin with chickens you should start with starter feed for chicks and then go on to layer or grower feed for the older birds. Clean, fresh water should be offered at all times. You can supplement feed with grit, and oyster shell for the layers and occasional treats. In the summer that might mean offering some cool treats like watermelon or frozen veggies and in the winter it might be warm oats or fresh fodder (grass grown in a container). You can also offer fresh veggie scraps from your kitchen or garden. Offering different feed options to your chickens will help not only assure their physical health but their mental health also. Chickens can get bored and they will often harm one another when they aren’t able to scratch for bugs or be mentally stimulated.
4. Know Basic Chicken Care
Cleaning your coop weekly will help prevent disease and keep parasites (mites, lice) away. There are several options for your coop bedding, from pine shavings, horse pellet bedding, hay or even some artificial turf, whatever you decide on, just make sure you know how to clean it properly. And NEVER ever use cedar bedding for your birds. Cedar has oils in it that can aggravate the respiratory system of birds and make them very sick (even kill them). Just stay away from cedar. Also, know the basic health signs of a sick chicken vs a healthy one. Knowing to watch for pale combs, drooping posture, a limping foot with a black spot on it and how to care for each of these symptoms is so helpful when raising chickens. Just don’t panic when you have a sick bird, just take a breath and look for ways to help your bird recover.
5. Follow Local Laws and Get Supplies
Finally, before you get started make sure you check all your local rules and laws for your community. You don’t want to get your flock started and then realize you can’t have them and make your neighbors angry. Then you can gather your supplies, like your feeder, waterer, bedding, a heat lamp for htose chicks and some nesting boxes for those older gals ready to lay. Don’t forget to get a notebook and keep it handy to make records of how your flock is doing.
