Raising the chicks is an extremely satisfying experience, as you watch their transformation from cute fur balls to beautifully feathered ladies. Hens make excellent pets, not least because they can be useful. Learn about the methods and procedures to raise them with affection and efficiency.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: What to Consider Before You Begin
Step 1. Make sure you have the right resources to raise chickens
Don't be in a hurry, even if you can't wait to get started. Think carefully about your motives and consider if you have the time, money and space to properly care for them.
- In terms of expense, chickens are relatively cheap when compared to other animals. Of course, you will need to buy the feed and take them to the vet if they get sick. You could also invest in a breeder and / or chicken coop if this is your first time.
- Raising chickens doesn't take a lot of time, but you'll need to feed and drink them daily, keep the coop clean, and collect eggs once or twice a day. If you leave them for a couple of days, you will need to find someone to replace you, which is not easy.
Step 2. Find out if it is legal to keep chickens in your area
This type of farm may be subject to restrictions so be aware of local regulations. Many municipalities prohibit roosters (due to noise) or impose limits on the number of chickens that can live in a house.
Some municipalities also require permits or agreements signed by neighbors, while others indicate the maximum size of outbuildings in which to keep chickens
Step 3. Try to keep at least three to six chickens
This bird is very sociable. Having one or two more is not a bad idea if someone dies from a predator or a disease.
Hens usually lay five to six eggs per week, so if you raise four, you'll have nearly two dozen eggs per week
Step 4. Choose the breed of chickens
Depending on the species, the temperament, the ability to lay eggs, the size and color of the eggs, the adaptability to the climate, the appearance and quality of the meat can vary.
- If you want to get eggs frequently, choose black Australorps.
- If you want to get both eggs and meat, opt for Buff Orpington or Silver Laced Wyandottes, which are larger than the previous ones, lay a lot of eggs and their meat is top quality.
Step 5. Find out where to buy the chicks
You can make them at a local farm in the spring or order them over the internet. However, when buying through a catalog, it is generally mandatory to place a minimum order of chicks, as this makes it easier to keep them warm during transport, avoiding too many losses.
- If you only want three or four chicks, arrange with the other breeders to place a cumulative order.
- If possible, specify if you only want females. Roosters can be loud and aggressive, so they are not recommended for those inexperienced. The hens also lay with less problems if there are no roosters around.
Step 6. Consider the space and equipment you need in advance
At first, chickens will need an incubator, a small enclosure that you can make out of a cardboard box or rabbit cage that can be kept indoors or in a garage. Then, when they are moved outside, they will require a chicken coop, in which they will lay their eggs while being safe from predators.
Once grown, chickens don't necessarily need a farm; in fact, those from cities are becoming more and more popular among those with a small courtyard. However, the space will need to be covered with grass
Part 2 of 4: Caring for Chicks Less Than Two Months Old
Step 1. Prepare an incubator and a lamp
For lack of anything else, you can use a cardboard or plastic box, but also a rabbit or guinea pig cage, which is easy to clean. You can buy one at a farm supply store or build it yourself.
- The incubator should be placed in the house or in the garage, in a place free from drafts. Keeping them warm is essential.
- The size of the incubator is not that important, provided the chicks are not crowded and have room to move, eat and drink. The walls should be strong enough to prevent them from popping out when grown.
Step 2. Choose the right soil
Make it with pine shavings or newspaper, although the latter is not the best option, as the paper is slippery and the chicks can get stained with ink. The soil should be changed every two days and never stay wet.
Cleanliness is very important at this point in the development of the chicks, because at this time they are vulnerable to various diseases, which can be avoided if the sanitary conditions are appropriate
Step 3. Monitor the temperature closely
Place a lamp in the incubator to keep the chicks warm. It uses a heating lamp with a reflector, which can be bought from the hardware store. You can also use a common 100 watt light bulb. Insert a thermometer into the incubator to check the exact temperature, which should be between 32 and 40 ° C the first week, then be reduced by 3 ° C week by week, until the chicks have developed feathers (usually happens after 5 or 8 weeks).
- Alternatively, you can tell if the incubator is warm enough based on the behavior of the chicks. If they are panting and / or huddling in corners, away from the light, it means they are hot. If they crowd under the light, they are cold.
- You can adjust the temperature by altering the distance of the light or changing the wattage of the bulb until you find the right one.
Step 4. Make sure they have food and water
Get the feed from pet or farm supply stores, which is specially formulated for their dietary needs; There are two versions, one medicated and the other not (in the latter case, pay particular attention to cleaning). This food is complete. The water will need to be fresh and clean for the chicks to stay hydrated. You should change it once or twice a day to keep it from getting contaminated.
- You can purchase special drinking troughs at stores that sell items for farms. They are cheap, light and cannot be knocked over by chicks. You can also use a shallow bowl, but you will need to make sure that it is not turned upside down and that it is free of excrement.
- Use a feeding trough to keep the incubator tidy. The special ones are made of galvanized steel and can be bought at stores that sell farm items, but you can also use a flat bowl.
Step 5. Play with them
Chicks are sociable and curious. It is important to spend time with them, hold them and talk to them, so that they become attached to you and learn to trust. After a week or two, they can be taken outdoors for short explorations, provided the weather is mild. Watch out for predators, including cats.
- Although the chicks get all the necessary nutrients from the feed, you can pamper them with a worm or insect from the garden, which they will play with before eating it. Do this after a week or two. Vegetables are not yet recommended, as they can cause diarrhea-like symptoms that are dangerous for the chicks.
- Once they are one month old, you can place a low perch in the incubator. The chicks will jump on it and may even start sleeping on it. Don't put it directly under the light, it would be too hot a spot.
Part 3 of 4: Caring for Over Two Month Old Chicks
Step 1. Transfer them to an outdoor chicken coop, assuming it's not winter
You can buy one at a farm supply store or build it yourself. This structure will provide them with shelter that will protect them from drafts and predators. It keeps them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Here are some considerations to make before buying or making one:
- Stay. Each coop should have enough space for the hens to roam, rummage and get fresh air. In terms of size, it should measure 1.5 x 2.5m to hold three to five hens.
- High perch. While there are chicken coops with outdoor perches, you may want to choose one indoors if possible. Like most birds, hens have an instinct to perch and prefer to do so in elevated areas. This part should also include a perch where they can sleep.
- Boxes for nesting in the perch area. These are spaces of 30, 5 x 30, 5 x 30, 5 cm in which the hens can lay their eggs. A box can be enough for two hens, as it is not a problem for them to share a zone. You can put straw or shavings in them.
- Cleaning. You should clean the coop once every four months and change the straw and shavings every 10 days or so.
Step 2. Protect them from predators using the right coop
In fact, safety should be your number one priority when choosing a chicken coop - chickens can be attacked by weasels, minks, cats, raccoons, dogs, and even hawks. Make sure the fence is wrapped 360 ° in wire, with holes no larger than 2.5cm. Check it regularly to see if there are any breaks or loose parts, which could allow predators to enter.
Step 3. At this point, change the food
You will need to feed them the right food to lay eggs, available at pet and farm supply stores. Hens may also like the tasty leftovers from your dishes and cut grass, provided it's pesticide-free.
- Also insert a bowl of sand into the coop, which allows the chickens to grind and digest the food, as they have no teeth.
- You can also give them a chopped oyster shell supplement, available at a farm supply store, to provide them with extra calcium for the purpose of making eggs with a stronger shell.
- Leave the food in a feeder and clean it regularly. Check it every couple of days to make sure it isn't moldy and wet.
- Remember to give them plenty of fresh, clean water. Buy a larger drinking trough so as not to fill it so often. In winter, you can use heated ones to prevent the water from freezing.
Step 4. Interact with them
Hens appreciate interacting with humans, so talk to them and call them by name. The domestic ones can also be picked up; if they are shy, encourage them with a handful of corn. Some will greet you, answer you or come running if you call them. Their sociability will depend to some extent on their race, but also on the level of attention you pay them.
Step 5. When will the eggs arrive?
Young hens, called pulastrelle, start laying between 20 and 24 weeks of age, churning out five to six eggs per week.
- Hens lay more eggs in spring and summer because they have 12-14 hours of light. In autumn, production will decrease, and then increase in spring. You can harvest them daily, even twice a day. The bigger the hen, the bigger the eggs will be.
- The hens can lay for their entire life (which can last eight to ten years), but the production decreases after three or five years.
Part 4 of 4: Why Raise Chickens
Step 1. They lay eggs that are fresher and tastier than those in the supermarket
Also, you can control what they eat and how they live. The eggs can be white, brown or blue-green depending on the breed of the hens.
Step 2. They provide great compost
Hens turn their food, plants, insects, and everything else they eat into droppings to use as compost in your garden.
Step 3. They eat almost any insect, but also mice, snakes, and minnows if they can
They also love to peck fresh grass, plant sprouts and will happily weed out of your garden.
Step 4. They are fun to watch
As chicks they are adorable, as teenagers they cackle and when grown up they have beautiful feathers, both common and exotic or tropical. Each of them has a distinct personality.
Step 5. They provide food
After three to five years, egg laying decreases. You can keep them as pets or use them for broth, sad as it sounds. If you have raised a rooster, you can eat it after five to six months.
Step 6. They are good pets because they are sociable and loyal
You can bond with them ever since they are chicks. Domestic hens let themselves be picked up, they can eat from your hand and greet you, especially when you call them.
Advice
- If you see stool sticking to the area from which the droppings are expelled, wipe it off with a warm cloth (which you will then throw away) or a warm, damp paper towel. This can save their lives because it allows the digestive tract to keep moving.
- To let them play, build a space where they can have fun.
- You can give the older hens various things to eat. In addition to the chopped wheat, some enjoy apple mousse, yogurt, and cornbread crumbs!
- Hens also eat rolled oats.
