It needs to be tall enough to keep the chicks from jumping out. It needs to be large enough for a food dish, water dish and the chicks.
Brooding boxes come in all shapes, sizes and costs. If you are not sure whether you will be brooding chicks again, get the cheapest brooder to start with — you can upgrade yourself later. Something soft like pine shavings. These are sold in small bales at most farm stores and they are inexpensive. If your brooder box has a slick floor like plastic , lay some paper towels under the bedding so they can grip and stand properly otherwise they may develop problems with standing and walking.
They do not have true feathers until they are around weeks old so cannot regulate their own temperature, so you must help them. They will need to be warmed for around weeks or until the ambient temperature is roughly the same as the brooder. During the first week the temperature at chick level will need to be 95F. This will reduce by 5 degrees each week until ambient temperature is reached. It is recommended that you feed your chicks the following:. The medicated feed is medicated with a coccidiostat, which protects them from coccidiosis — a terrible disease.
Chicks are messy; they will scratch their food all over the place, poop in it and get their bedding in it, so you need a feeder that will eliminate some of that mess. For more details see our article on feeders.
Water is essential to the wellbeing of all creatures, chicks are no exception. The water should be at Goldilocks temperature — not too hot, not too cold, but just right. You will need to dip the beak of each chick into the water at first so they know where it is, after this they should all be able to find the water dish. Do the same with the food dish too. After a week or so you can remove them since the chicks will now be big enough not to drown themselves. Change the water frequently several times per day as they will kick bedding etc.
It is imperative that their brooder area, feeder and waterer be kept clean. The poop needs to be removed daily, change litter as frequently as you need. Once it becomes wet, it must be changed.
Remember, the brooder is very warm, there is poop and it is wet — it is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Wash and sanitize the feeder and waterer at least every other day.
If your chicks are as messy as mine, you will have to throw out a good amount of feed too. Once they poop in the feeder — out goes the feed. Your brooder full of chicks needs to be somewhere safe from predators — and I include house pets as predators too.
Try to avoid keeping them in areas such as the bedroom, dining area and kitchen. They kick up a lot of dust and dander, people who are allergic to dust may have problems with them in the house. If you intend to keep the chicks in an outbuilding, you need to exclude any predators you may have in the area. Rats like a chick snack as do foxes, weasels, raccoons and a host of other carnivorous creatures. They will need you to care for them intensively until they are around 12 weeks old.
Some folks say sooner, but I err on the cautious side. If you are thinking of putting them outside for a few hours every day you will need to have something like a dog crate or even a mini-chicken run for them.
Of course it will need to be predator proof — and that includes hawks and owls as well as digging creatures like foxes. They will need to have a shady area where they can escape from the sun and keep the food and water cool. The hen does all the work and you take care of her needs.
However, there are certain things you should know before you get overwhelmed by hiccups in the process. A hen will drink about a cup of water each day. She will take frequent small sips throughout the day. Too little water can affect egg production among many other things, so make sure they have plenty. There are approximately fifteen cups of water to one US gallon, so if you have many birds, you will need a couple of drinkers for them.
For example, I have around forty birds and put out four drinkers in various places, which ensures they all have access to water. You can place the water in any sort of plastic container, but the easiest way is to buy a drinker. Giving your chickens the correct food will keep them happy and turn them into an egg laying machine. Give them the wrong food and it can lead to all sorts of problems including bullying and weight loss….
Read our complete guide to chicken feed here. You will also need a feeder to store the food in; you can read chicken feeders here. In the morning you will want to let your chickens out of the coop, check on their feed and water, and have a general look around to make sure everyone is ok. There will also be weekly tasks like cleaning the coop and tending to the nesting boxes…. Several common problems occur when you have chickens.
Molting is the process of losing all old, worn out feathers and replacing them with new plumage. It happens to all birds including roosters. Some birds can take up to two years to complete a molt, but the humble chicken is usually done in three months. Read our guide to molting here. What is a broody hen? You will know it when you see it! She will sit in the nest constantly, if anyone approaches her she will grumble, squawk and puff herself up, she may give you an almighty peck too.
What exactly is a broody hen and how to stop it? The pecking order is so called for a reason. Every bird in a flock will have their own place. Those at the top get to eat first, those at the bottom eat last. It is a straightforward but effective hierarchy so that all members know their position.
Bullying does occur to a small degree each day because of this. If a chicken goes out of turn she gets a quick peck to the head to remind her of her status. Even if you live in the middle of the city, there will be a chicken predator in your neighborhood. You are encouraged to read and ask questions, especially if someone nearby has been raising chickens for a while.
We wish you much happiness and fun in your chicken raising endeavors — write and let us know how you get on in the comments section below…. I have just discovered this site and LOVE it. I grew up with chickens then after I married had a flock but they got sick and all died ;.
I am wanting to try this again. I purchased chickens at our local auction last night and realized after reading this I may be in trouble. I am not sure what age my girls are at out can you tell what age so you can feed them correct food. Before I even decided to get chicken, I linked up on your website and it was very educational.
My chicks now are doing on 7 weeks old and are growing fast and healthy. Thank you for all the helpful information you provide. Do you have any good arguments for keeping bantams in our yard? My chicks now are going on 7 weeks old and are growing fast and healthy. Thank you very much. They will come to you when you whistle very reliably and it comes in handy or can be a good party trick for the kids!
I'm not sure if its a hen or roo. I'm nervous its a roo because we have 2 hens ans we dont want baby chicks.
Is there a way i can tell if its a hen or roo? It's hard to tell a male from a female. The rooster will try to crow about 2 months though it could be later. I'm new to this but recently bought 4 chicks from the local feed store. One was a bit more outgoing and curious as a kitten. Its comb grew faster, wider and redder than the others and it started to "dance" in front of the others.
It's been almost 6wks. I'm no pro but Id say I have a roo! If you collect your eggs daily, you will never have to worry about having baby chicks. A rooster can be a great asset to your little flock. Just got some baby chicks - 3 days old. I have them in a large dog crate 5 of them on newspaper with some water and their food. I just stuck a few pieces of fresh hay into the cage and they loved it. Is this OK? The birds will need a place to spread their wings, so to speak: a 20x5-foot chicken run, thanks Regards best part of this post is Chickens are sociable, so plan to keep four to six birds.
I have eight month old chickens they haven't started laying yet my other chicks were always laying by 6 monthes what are they missing indiet. I currently am giving them corn and oats and eggmash. Eight months isn't too old for some chicken breeds. Are they free-range? Chickens do best eating naturally--with grass, bugs, and other foraged material. You sound as you have a good mix of nutrition. We've never fed eggs to our chickens. We use soybeans, worms, and yogurt mixed with whole grains not corn.
We have two hens that are two years. A Blessing from our daughter. One of the hens is leaving a very loose stool. This morning a very soft shelled egg was found. What are they missing in their diet? Is is grit or ouster?
It sounds as if they need more calcium and vitamins. Try mixing oyster and egg shell into their feed. Also, add one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water so that they can drink it.
This will help the hens absorb the calcium in their system. We are starting up with 12 chickens and a nice size coop. My question is I have a 20 ft x 40 ft garden all nicely fenced in and critter proof. Could I place my chicken coop to attach to the garden for the hens to run around in? Would they damage my plants? Or would you recommend a separate run for the chickens to range around in?
It's great to see that you want your chickens out and about, it's so good for them and you as they will be much healthier birds. They will tear up your garden, so I dont recommend that you let them range there. I would set up a separate area for them using electric poultry netting and a charger. How much noise do they generate?
My neighbors are very fussy and I do not want to create a stir every morning. Glad to read you do not need roosters around to get eggs. Chickens do make some noise, but not necessarily any more than dogs. Only roosters crows, but hens will make noise when laying. Shrubs and insulation can help muffle the noise. It might be worth visiting a chicken coop to get a sense of the noise level and what you think will be acceptable.
Odor can also be an issue. Keep well ventilated. What great advise! My husband and I recently moved onto 10 acres, we have been wanting to raise chickens for years. He loves eggs and I love to bake. We converted an old two stall horse barn, it's perfect for our 6 peeps coming on Wednesday and the two ducklings that I couldnt pass up last week from our wonderful local grange.
Not to sure about duck eggs though. Last year I got a puppy chi-wawa, she has become the ducklings new mama. She got in the bath tub with them last night. Can we do too much trying to make them social? Are we overthinking them? New duck and peep mom looking for advise. I had chickens growing up and loved raising them for 4H. We will be moving back to the country very soon where we can garden and enjoy home canning. I insisted to my husband that we order chickens and begin raising them.
It will give me a great deal of peace knowing that between the garden and the chickens my family will always be well fed no matter what the economy does. We moved back to the country 10 years ago. We had a large corner lot in the city and my neighbors all called my hillbilly because my back yard was full of container vegetables and a raised bed for corn. We got rabbits, as I showed and raised those for 4H. I am thinking about chickens and ducks now.
I got miniature goats for dairy and make cheese too. Yes, it is awesome knowing that my children, and grandchildren now too, will always be able to have healthy food and be able to feed themselves. We have three hens that are just starting to lay eggs. The eggs are soft. We have seen chickens pecking at the eggs. What should we do? This will be our second year with our Chickens and we started out with four, on was killed by a crow so we knew we had to cover the top of their outside area, now we have 16 chickens and they have a large chicken coop, with a large free range to go in and out freely, and a nestling area that we can use to just lift up the hinged top to collect eggs from the ouside, the coop is full of hay and long three long perches that they perch and sleep on at night, we feed them lots of corn, they love old crusty bread, we get over a dozen eggs a day, and give to family and friends so its so worth to have chickens and the kids love to come feed them..
So happy to hear about the cold weather. I'm a country girl-city girl-finally going back to the country girl and can hardly wait for my chickens to raise. Thanks for all this great info! Do chickens have to have a rooster around to lay eggs? I say no, but my friend says yes. I don't want babies or meat, just the eggs. Thanks for the info.
I really enjoyed reading it and everyone's input. Yes, chickens can be cuddly. I used to carry mine in the basket of my bicycle as a little girl. Also, my mother would hold her and pet her neck until she fell asleep. Happy Farming to You All. So excited to see this subject as I've been contemplating raising some chickens no roosters. Recently moved to a farm and I am in heaven and want to take advantage of the space and area to have some feathered friends - but want to do it RIGHT for the chickens sake.
So, have been doing much research and was glad to come across this when I came to FA to see about seed starting. Am looking forward to reading future snippets as I can use all the info I can get.
I've always wondered, though; I see where chickens have personality - but can they be cuddly? No heat lamp necessary. I live in Northern Ontario, and only used heat lamps for babies chicks and lambs.
Even in weather, the chickens were fine as long as they were sheltered. We had about 40 free range chickens on our farm. Every time my Husband would go outside, a Rhode Island red would always hang out with him I mentioned that he had a "friend" and he was skeptical So, we painted the friendly hen's tail blue to see if it really was the same hen hanging out with him Her name: BLUE She would come in the house if the door was open just to find him.
She followed him everywhere. Chickens are very cuddly! I have one big girl who jumps on my lap times a day, puts her chest on mine, roosts down and falls fast asleep to the point of snoring! Chicky poo is great for the garden after it has been composed for 90 days.
We have 39 hens and 5 roosters and not one of my roosters have attacked a visitor or family member. In addition, we put up fencing to keep the chickens out of the gardens, they are trainable. If one gets in, they are immediately traumatized with the hose, yelling and clapping.
I have yelled at them from the top floor out the window and was surprised that they got the message and got out!! They're smarter than you think. Michelle, you're right about chicken manure being to harsh to put straight on the garden.
Composting is the way to go. And PellyRdGirl, thanks for the chicken-training tips. Just so you know, chicken poop is very harsh so don't plan on using it in your garden which, by the way may be destroyed by your chickens--they scratch everywhere! And roosters can be mean and deadly to ones ankles. Mom had four hens and two roosters. They were all gorgeous but the roosters did not like my sister and I. We had to use a broom to keep them off our ankles if we went in her backyard.
I build the coop and I loved the chickens. They are great fun to watch and they do have personalities. Don't know why only my sister and I weren't their favorites--they did not bother Mom or Dad or my brothers and their wives! Wish I could have chickens in my condo!
So glad to see this I've been contemplating starting a coop! Keep the advice rolling. Do you have any suggestions for breeds that are "especially heat hardy" I live in the southern most part of South Carolina and our summers can be nasty.
Heat is a problem, isn't it? Worse than cold. Check out the breed list on backyardchickens. And their daily offerings of food, fun and compost building donations are great too I would recommend researching the predators in your area, as well as breeds of chickens that are best suited to where you live.
We love having chickens and allow them free-range. However, if you are particular about your patio furniture, or anything for that matter, you need to know that they will perch wherever they can. We do close them up in a coop at night so they do have a safe place to go, but we do have a significant problem with black snakes in warmer weather.
That being said, I would not trade our chickies for store-bought eggs, nor for the entertainment they provide with their antics. They are also very helpful in the compost pile by turning it over looking for food. Thanks for the blog, I look forward to additional entries.
I am really excited about this blog. My fiance and his family have always had chickens. They are all gone now, but we are considering starting back up with them. I agree with everybody about the taste of fresh eggs as compared to store bought. I have fibromyalgia, and one of the best things I have done for myself is to study foods and keep a food diary. When I eat organic and fresh, non-processed foods, I do much better. I am looking forward to the next blog!
Happy farming :. Plus it tastes better! I was shocked to learn that grocery store eggs are at least ten days old when they hit the shelf. Most eggs in cafes and stores can be around 6 months old as told to me from a supplier to cafe chain.
Hi Chickens are great even without the eggs. My kids moved me to town. I was so sad without my chickens. My son in law finally built me a chicken tractor and brought in my Silkies. I am content here now. They have such funny personalities. I will very much enjoy this.
We did a frame run. The "T" posts are not strong enough for a determined big dog. That's one determined dog if it's damaging metal T-posts! A frame run is a great idea. Did you have to go to hardware cloth instead of chicken wire? Chickens are awesome little creatures!
We have 9 bantams smaller versions. We hatched out some eggs and got another rooster. Maybe it's because they are related. You wouldn't think it but they have such personality. Keep them safe, dry and clean and it's a joy. I have had 3 roosters at one time and didn't even know it because 1 becomes dominant, the "alpha" The same thing happened with the third when I found a home for my second rooster!
This incident did beget the purchase of more, older pullets and the owner of the evil dog was gracious enough to compensate us for our financial loss but not our mental anguish. Yes, we anguished the loss of our dearly departed backyard chickens.
We knew that chicken sexing is only a 90 percent proposition when we got our flock. We were also over-confident and hopeful that we would not get a rooster in our bunch for it is both illegal to have them within the city limits in Seattle and annoying as hell.
They are my nemesis. For weeks we happily raised our flock until one day, my wife pointed out that she thought the Rhode Island Red named Scarlett was a rooster.
I scoffed at the notion until a couple of days later when I heard the beginnings of a nascent cock-a-doodle-doo at about a. Over the next few days he perfected this party trick and was aptly re-named Scarleto. Getting fresh eggs from the flock takes patience. I did my research on this.
I even created a spreadsheet and highlighted the chicken breeds that should be laying early between 17 to 26 weeks. I bought those breeds. One has yet to lay a single egg and is now at the ripe old age of I have started to plant the seeds of her becoming dinner but once again have been rebuffed by the family. Perhaps if I send them all away on a trip and enjoy her all for myself?
But I digress. There seems to be no rhyme or reason when backyard chickens will decide to lay eggs. They may lay every day for a month, then take a break for a few days, then lay every other day. Has your kid ever had a nagging set of symptoms that you simply could not diagnose? Well, prepare to do the same with your chickens. You will spend hours reading, asking for and getting random advice from strangers on what to do with your chickens. You just might save the rest of your flock with this quick cure-all remedy.
I mean — they smell. They poop everywhere and it accumulates like all get out. Yes, you can throw down more straw and even some diatomaceous earth D. Oh, and then there are the flies that come to the party. My backyard now consists of two fly traps that smell like dead fish , square feet of straw about three or four inches deep, and twice a week sprinklings of D. This helps but the only true solution is cleaning and replacing your straw weekly. Buying expensive products like Dookashi which may or may not help to solve the problem.
To me, this is the number one reason to get backyard chickens. The eggs are supremely good. The yolks are bright yellow and they stand up nicely. Having a basket of fresh eggs on the counter to draw from is a lovely experience. The colors of the shells are beautiful and picking them up, warm from the brooder, is the most positive sign of freshness one can imagine. Eating fresh eggs is a sublime culinary adventure.
For this reason alone you should get your own chickens. Before you get started, check out some DIY chicken coop ideas or you can consider chicken coops you can buy right now. Then outfit your coop with all the necessary accessories from our chicken coop buying guide. You should also do some homework about the different types of chicken breeds.
Once you've studied up on all that, check out these helpful tips from a panel of grade-A poultry experts. Here, they answer some of your most pressing questions about raising chickens, from time commitment and costs to safety and, yes, even how to get those pretty blue eggs. The short answer: probably so!
Chickens are relatively small birds, in turn requiring relatively little space. Tricia Earley. For a flock of, say, six chickens, that translates to a 6'-by-4' nesting coop plus a 6'-by' run. See below for more scoop on chicken coops. In reality, the amount of room is rarely the deal breaker for backyard chickens.
The bigger question is if they are permitted in your neighborhood. Surprisingly, many suburban and urban areas only have restrictions on the number of hens allowed or on the possession of roosters. Part routine, part respite, starting and ending the day with some fresh air and labor can confer a kind of self-care.
In other words, the health benefits go way beyond fresh eggs. Give each a quick once-over, looking for bright eyes, red comb and wattles, steady gait, and shiny feathers—all signs of a healthy hen.
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