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Caring For Chickens
Tips to Keep Them Happy and Healthy
Caring for chickens is not nearly as complicated as you may think. Follow these few maintenance tips and your flock will remain contented, strong and good egg producers.
You should approach caring for chickens the same way you approach your organic gardening.
Take a few extra maintenance measures to make certain your brood remains strong on the inside out.
Home Sweet Home Should Be Home Safe Home
Whether you keep your flock in a stationary coop or a chicken tractor
you will need to protect your flock from the wind and sun. A roof is especially important when caring for chickens.
Your birds will need shade during the hot summer days or they could go into early molt.
Hens that go into molt will not lay eggs, so be sure to provide your birds with protection.
While their dwelling space should be well ventilated, there also should be some protection from wind, especially during winter, when the north wind is particularly cold.
Your hens will need nests to encourage them to lay indoors.
A good rule of thumb when caring for chickens is one nest for every two birds.
Also, keep their waterers and feeders clean. The coop should be easy to clean as well.
So while your birds might not need high ceilings, make them high enough so that you can get inside easily.
If you plan on keeping your chickens in a stationary coop, provide your chickens with a dust bath.
Fill a washtub with diatomaceous earth and set it inside the coop.
You will need to protect your flock from predators, especially dogs, who tend to love killing birds.
A good solution is a portable electric fence surrounding your coop.
Also, make certain the door to the coop can be latched shut to keep out unwanted guests.
Make certain your birds have adequate space.
Provide three square feet per bird when caring for chickens.
Provide these simple maintenance precautions and you're on your way to a healthy flock.
Feed 'Em Right
You'll want your chickens to get the best diet possible, something that will be a challenge when caring for chickens who are confined.
Of course, if you want your birds to get the best nutrition possible, keep them on grass in a chicken tractor
That way they'll get a daily diet of fresh greens and insects.
However, the greens usually won't be enough for a healthy maintenance, so you'll need to give your flock rations as well.
To make sure they get their complete nutritional needs met, buy commercial rations for them.
You can find Get feed from feed stores or purchase feed online.
The type of ration you buy will depend on the age of your flock and whether you are raising layers or broilers (meat).
Most farm supply stores will sell chick ration (for the first ten weeks of your flock's life); broiler ration (both grower and finisher); pullet ration, both grower and developer for your female birds; lay ration for your laying hens and scratch grains, a bit like candy to your flock.
Free-choice feeding - where you leave rations out all the time - is a simple way of caring for chickens and making sure your flock is getting enough to eat. A large tube feeder is easier to use; you only have to fill it once a day.
Keep Things Clean
If you keep your chickens in a coop, the end result will start piling up and getting higher by the day!
It's not healthy for anyone to live in their own manure, and your birds are no exception.
So an important part of caring for chickens is to remove that manure on a regular basis, and add it to your compost pile.
They'll appreciate the maintenance. Also scrub their waterers once a week and clean their feeders.
If you don't want to put the manure in a compost, you can also treat it using a natural bacteria.
Avoid Visitors of the Feathered Kind
Other birds can bring diseases to your flock, so keeping them away is one of the best ways of caring for chickens. Even if these birds look healthy, they may not be. If you get a new bird from somewhere, isolate her for two weeks to make sure she is healthy.
Also, keep other poultry lovers away from your flock. They could spread diseases with their shoes.
Don't mix birds of different ages or species as they could spread disease as well. And finally, keep wild birds away from your flock. They can bring in parasites, along with the dreaded avian flu.
Just Stay Calm, Everyone!
Spend any time at all caring for chickens, and you'll realize they tend to panic easily.
Today, one of our roosters got out of his pen and got chased by our dogs.
He was so terrified he fainted dead away! Hence, the term "chicken-hearted."
It won't take much to stress out your birds. But stress is not good for anyone, and especially not for your flock.
To keep things calm, talk gently or sing to your hens and roosters whenever you get near, and always handle your birds gently.
If they do get stressed, give them a probiotic.
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More Great Chicken Information
If you're looking for a supercharged alternative to the traditional coop, look no further than this great design.
Great tips on caring for your flock in winter.
Live in the city? It's likely you can still keep a small flock. Learn more.
It's best to start with chicks. Here are tips on housing your baby chicks.
More great information on caring for your flock.
Learn why a portable coop is best.
Ready for fresh, delicious eggs? Read this great benefit of Keeping hens for their eggs.
Thinking about ordering baby chicks? Learn which chicken breed is right for you.
Tips on raising the organic flock.
Want chickens in your urban neighborhood, but the laws forbid it? Learn how you can get a chicken law passed in your neighborhood.
Learn why self-sufficient living and having chickens go hand in hand.
Ready to have your own backyard flock? Here are some maintenance tips.
Looking for an excellent way to build the health of your flock and protect you and your family from diseases such as Salmonella and E-coli?
Add probiotics to your flock's water every day.
Learn more.
Thinking about raising meat chickens?
Read this.
Want to learn how to butcher your chickens? Read this article.
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