Join the "metropolitan chicken movement" and raise your own poultry in the garden! Chickens are fun and useful to have. Don't think about running a farm with noisy roosters, but the chickens will pay you back by producing great eggs. Chickens provide healthful eggs and meat, quality nitrogen-rich fertilizer, pest control and company. Perhaps surprisingly, many chickens could adapt very well to metropolitan conditions; no doubt, it is also possible to keep chickens at home using diapers. Here is your guide to keeping chickens in the city.
Steps
Step 1. Learn about local laws and regulations
It may be illegal to keep chickens where you live, so call the animal welfare office or city hall and ask about the laws in the area. You can do an internet search, many ordinances are posted online.
- Because roosters are very noisy, they are normally not allowed by public quiet ordinances, while hens are very quiet and therefore may be allowed by law. Check the laws before you have chickens and get attached to them!
- Some cities limit the number of chickens you can have in a certain area.
- In rural areas or with a consistent agricultural culture, there is no law or license to be respected in this regard.
- If chickens are banned in your area, all is not yet lost - many places have obtained a specific chicken ordinance. However, you will need to be activist to influence local authorities.
Step 2. Find out about the species and number of chickens you want to have "before" buying them
There are many ways to choose the species of chickens, based on the ability to produce eggs, the quality of the meat or because they are aesthetically beautiful (sometimes you have all these qualities together). Some species of chickens are purchased when they are still chicks (equal to the size of puppy dogs) and measure a quarter of a normal chicken. The Buff Orpington is a good choice that can be found in a large or small size. Some friendly species like Rhode Island Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks are always affordable choices. These are good for both egg production and meat, and have a very good character. Another common breed is the Cochin Bantams. These are very good for egg production, they are very friendly and conceive very beautiful animals. For starters, two-purpose species are always a good choice.
- There is thousands of information available on hundreds of chicken species. See the different species of chickens online, for starters.
- There are many online forums where chicken owners provide very useful information on breeds, chicks, hens and give very useful advice on provisions. Some chicken coops have online forums.
Step 3. Visit local people who already have chickens and get advice from them
Ask for opinions and suggestions. If you're the only one interested, visit the nearest chicken farm (especially if you've never had any chickens before) to watch and learn. Visit the local farmers market, check if anyone is selling fresh eggs and talk to them!
Step 4. Build a chicken coop that is of a strong material
The chicken coop is the place where the hens will spend the night, lay their eggs and take refuge in bad weather. There are several types of chicken coops. If you are practical, you can easily build it using a design you find on the internet or some material you find around. There are excellent chicken coops built by people with very strange objects such as dumpsters or a dog's bed. The secret is to make the chicken coop a safe place for the chickens to lay their eggs and sleep.
- A good rule of thumb is to calculate 4 square meters for each hen (2 square meters for a chick) and 10 square meters of open space (8 square meters for each chick).
- It is good that there is good ventilation and a low perch where your chickens can sleep. Make sure there is good ventilation but no drafts. Hens produce a lot of moisture and also high levels of ammonia and carbon dioxide, which must be removed regularly making sure there is good ventilation.
- Use removable perches so they can be cleaned from time to time to disinfect them from mites and other pests.
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Build nests or boxes where the hens can hatch and lay their eggs. The boxes need to be wide enough to fit a hen (about 30cm) with a small cove to avoid rolling out the eggs after they are laid. A little straw, sawdust or pine needles (no hay as it does not absorb well) are ideal for maintaining a good condition that lasts for a long time.
- You only need one box for every 4 hens. Keep the boxes in the dark.
- If you build boxes that are accessible both inside and out, you won't need to go inside the coop every time to get the eggs.
- Line the floor with pine chips (cedar can be toxic to chickens), sawdust, straw or pine needles, and clean once a week. You can use cardboard to put under the perches to catch the feces, so they can be easily removed and cleaned. Chicken feces can be used as a fertilizer for your garden!
- Be properly prepared to take care of your chickens all year round. They will need shade in the summer and warmth in the winter. If you live in a place with cold winters, put a heat lamp or radiator in the coop and make sure you have chosen a cold-resistant species of chicken.
- Take precautions against rodents such as rats or mice by sticking the wire of the fence 6 '' underground and bending it outwards. This way, when these predators try to dig under the fence to get into the chicken coop, they will find themselves trapped in the wire. Remember that predators are very patient and have all night to get a good dinner, and chickens have a very sound sleep.
- When you have finished the chicken coop, check for any protruding irons or nails. Chickens are very curious, so it's better to prevent accidents than to take them to the vet.
Step 5. Give your chickens some space to roam
If you have a safe yard or an area away from the road, let them wander around during the day. If they have a place to take refuge from bad weather where they won't be in contact with the ground, they will stay close to us. Chickens often don't stray too far from the coop. If you can't let them roam, try to build a path made with a metal net, or keep them in the chicken coop and make a small path inside it. Do not use the chicken coop as it is too weak and is easily folded by predatory animals such as dogs - or even by people. Spend a little more to get a better quality fence material, avoiding having to find yourself one day with shredded chickens.
Step 6. Buy some food for your chickens before you buy them
Food stores and the internet are two good sources of supplies. You should have a sack of pelleted (for adult poultry) and crumbled (for chicks) food. Be aware that good quality eggs are determined by good food; for example, high-protein eggs come from a high-protein diet, while a hen will gain weight by eating protein and carbohydrates. A hen needs to eat 100 g of feed per day. Place the feed in a covered container and change it regularly after it has become stale. By being able to roam, the chickens will eat the grass and the insects - leave them free in the vegetation.
- Fresh, ripe corn is a favorite along with tomatoes, apples, and anything baked in the oven. You can try growing your own corn, wheat or barley to use for your chickens; they are all a source of protein, although corn contains less protein than the other two.
- Chickens love leftovers. A good rule of thumb is: if it's good for you, then it's usually good for your chickens. However, give them all the leftovers they want but can still eat in a quarter of an hour, beyond which they will neglect the healthy and balanced diet they should be eating.
- Don't forget to give the chickens some onion and garlic, as this will make the eggs tastier. Also, chocolate, raw potatoes, and avocados are toxic to chickens and should never be eaten. In addition, never give wet food; it could be contaminated with mold and toxins that can be lethal.
- Chickens should be able to eat pebbles. These will remain in their gizzards and this will help them digest the grain that is too large.
- Hens also need calcium. Crushed eggshells, crushed lemon seeds or chopped bones are a good source of calcium.
- Use common sense and keep any chemicals such as pesticides away from chickens.
- Clean up the remains of the chickens before they dirty their house.
Step 7. Find your chickens
There are many ways to find local chicken farms. Ask at farmers' markets, health food stores, or food stores. Search the classified ads for farms. You can also buy chickens over the internet.
You can even buy fertile eggs to hatch and give birth to your chicks! Conceiving your own chicks is a unique experience, especially for little boys. If you decide to do this, you need to be well prepared and do some research - simple enough but you need to be ready for those fluffy little balls
Step 8. Keep everything clean
Once or twice a week (depending on how many chickens and how much space you have) clean the coop, perches, and feeding trough. If chickens are laying eggs, clean their nests entirely, especially if any of the eggs have broken. By keeping their area clean in this way, you will reduce the risks of diseases, parasites and, in addition, you will not give rise to possible complaints from neighbors.
Step 9. Take care of your chickens
Check your feed and water every day. Observe them regularly and try to understand if there are any changes in their ways that could mean the need to make changes to their habitat:
- Do they eat and drink? Always make sure the food is fresh and clean.
- Do they gather together at a particular point? It may be too cold or there may be a draft.
- Are they breathing heavily? Make sure they have an area where they can stay cool.
- Are they losing their feathers? It could be some chicken supremacy. If any hens bleed, separate her from the rest of the flock until she is healed, as other hens may peck at the wound.
- There are all? Count your chickens every day, especially if you have more than ten.
- Look for signs of illness. Some of the common symptoms of diseases, infections and injuries are: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, warts or scabs, swollen joints, loss of feathers, reduced egg production, very thin egg shell, abscesses or open wounds, paralysis, twisting neck or head, nasal discharge, diarrhea, blood in the stool, refusal of food or water, weight loss, retarded growth, lack of coordination, enlarged abdomen.
Advice
- Find someone to look after your chickens if you plan to leave home for a few days. Chickens need to be looked after twice a day (to get out of the coop, to check for food, water and bring them back, etc.). If you can't do it, you need someone responsible to do it for you.
- Use fly traps and keep the coop clean. If there is no stench, the neighbors cannot complain.
- Keep YOUR chickens in YOUR space. Chickens love to dig in gardens, so just as you expect your neighbor to keep their dog in their home, you need to keep your chickens safe in your home.
- Cultivate your chicken hobby well by maintaining cleanliness. Nobody likes to live in ugly and smelly chaos. By ordering a chicken coop to build or buying a ready-made one, you will already solve many problems before you start.
- Tell the neighbors what you are doing. You will avoid bothering them if they occasionally see a few chickens in their yard from your home. Even better, make them friends by giving them eggs! You will surely have so many of those eggs that you will not know what to do with them.
- Protect the outside corridor of the chicken coop from hawks or other predatory birds that could damage the net. The chicken coop net isn't expensive and, without it, it's like inviting hawks for a daily snack.
- Read, read, read! There are many online poultry forums and websites with thousands of important information where you can share experiences, find answers to your questions and talk to your fellow chicken owners.
- Buy a book on the subject. In the beginning, you will need a lot. In the long run, you will update it!
- Generally, chickens take care of themselves if they have enough food, water and space. But it's a good idea to find a specialist vet before you need one - not all vets accept chickens or birds as patients, and if you own them you only want the best for them. 2am on a Sunday would not be a good time to look for someone to take care of your chicken, and such an emergency could be very expensive!
- If you can't buy chickens in your area, order them by mail. Keep in mind that you could order some, but only chickens - you don't need roosters to get eggs!
- Keeping roosters in town is a big responsibility. It's not worth it, for the problems and noises a rooster might cause. Hens produce wonderful eggs with or without the rooster.
Warnings
- Chickens can get infections like any other animal, so keep an eye on them if you have children. Tell them to wash their hands after touching them and never kiss them. Learn about chicken health, including diseases and pests.
- Be careful what you use to clean your chicken coop; make sure it's non-toxic. Also, when cleaning, wear a respiratory mask to protect yourself from parasites, especially if you are prone to respiratory diseases. Always wear gloves when cleaning their feces.
- Roosters are loud! All roosters love to crow in the morning, at noon and in the evening, and also during the day. Remember this if you have neighbors. The hens, on the other hand, are not noisy but cluck every now and then.
- Think about what you will do if you have some chickens you don't want. If you raise your own chickens with fertile eggs, half of them will become roosters. These cannot be kept together and could injure the hens as well. Conversely, if your only reason for having chickens is eggs, remember that hens live for 8-10 years and produce eggs for only 2-3 years (2 eggs every 3 days). It is not easy to find accommodation for roosters or hens that no longer produce, so your only option is to sell them for meat. However, having old chickens is another option. They no longer eat much food and produce delicious eggs. From the rooster you get good dried chicken. Be aware that rooster meat is very tough and is rarely used for food purposes.
- Check your garden for any plants that could be toxic to your chickens - they love to eat grass, so your garden is on their menu! Never use pesticides near plants your chickens might eat, and never use snail poison, as it could kill them. Chickens love to scratch and dig in dirt, so don't expect them to treat your favorite flowers very well. If you don't want them to touch them, fence them.
- Always treat problems that rodents may cause. Keep feed in sealed containers.
