Are you raising Chickens? Here's how to keep them happy and healthy!
Chickens are indeed a wonderful family pet but they are much more besides. By raising chickens you will benefit from scrumptious freshly laid eggs, help with pest control, natural fertilizer and if you wish, a very tasty and healthy meal. But ow can you be sure that your chickens are happy with their lot? Let's take a look at the ways you can make their life as comfortable as possible with little effort and without breaking the bank!
Feeding your chicken the right food is important. For all round nutrition layer feed or pellets are a good source, these are available from your local feed store and are normally quite inexpensive. Some people who are raising chickens prefer to feed them with food from their own kitchen but for beginners a commercial feed is easiest and simplest as it ensures your chickens are getting the best range of vitamins and minerals. Chickens do love clean water for drinking so make sure to give them fresh water every day.
It is equally important that your chickens have a coop that is adequate in size, layout and position. Coops should allow 2-3 square feet of space per chicken. So it's a good idea to buy or build a coop bigger than you need in case you later decide to raise more chickens. There should be a 2 inch thick perch positioned around 10 inches off the floor. Allow for about 10 inches perch space per chicken. Its important to remember when raising chickens that they must feel safe. They are prone to stressing easily and that can result in poor health and even death. If the coop is located off the ground then you are giving your birds much better protection from predators especially those who might burrow underground to get to your chickens. Remember each night to ensure that they are safe inside their coop and if necessary the coop door is closed.
The coop must be warm, dry and cleaned frequently. The material that it is made from must withstand the elements. Depending on where you live you will have to think about ventilation and heat. When raising chickens in warmer countries you may have larger doors and slider windows. For colder countries, smaller windows and doors and insulation might be necessary. It is not advisable to have a felt roof as it can be breeding ground for mites. Build or choose a coop that allows you easy access to clean the coop regularly.
Chickens love to scratch about. Create a chicken run that your chickens can freely move about in and scratch away until their hearts content! They will eat however eat your grass so don't place them in your prize winning lawn but on the flip side they will eat all your weeds, insects and bugs! Each chicken should ideally have 3-4 square foot of space to run about in.
If you are considering raising chickens and would like to build the ultimate coop to keep your chickens happy and safe and also find loads of chicken raising tips and tricks then please visit http://www.chickendiyguides.com.
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Back to Basics With Raising Chickens
Along with the interest in raising chickens you need to be aware of some of the poultry equipment required to maintain your new flock. Some people just jump right in without a thought--kind of like I did in the beginning--my husband brought home six chickens and we scrambled around looking for temporary housing until we could build better and something to dispense their feed and water. If you have a choice, first determine what is needed to start raising chickens and then get your chickens.
What comes first--the chicken or the chicken supplies?
At a local farm supply store I noticed a lady had purchased a new baby chicken and along with the chick she had a chick feeder, a chick waterer, and who knows what at home that was waiting for her new little chicken. She probably is not aware within a few weeks the baby chickens will about double in size and will not be able to eat out of the chick feeder without opening the top and the waterer will not hold enough to give them an adequate water supply. These are some of the things that you learn from experience in raising chickens.
If I was considering raising a few chickens in my backyard for the first time, here are the preferred chicken supplies I would have on hand:
Chicken House--when raising chickens the chicken needs a place to call home. Whether it be a chicken tractor, a chicken coop, or a livestock barn, give the chickens a place to get out of the rain, lay an egg, and roost at night. Baby chickens require an area with a heat source for a short time so the housing requirements will be different.
Poultry Equipment--this includes the chicken waterer, poultry feeder, and nesting boxes. The type of poultry equipment you purchase depends on the age of the chicken. The feeder and waterer requirements for baby chickens is different than adult poultry. You will need the regular feeders at some point. Unless you buy a pre-fab chicken house most do not come with nesting boxes so you will need to supply the area where you want to gather the eggs.
Used Poultry Equipment--there are many sources to purchase used poultry equipment and the first place I usually look is Craigslist and from there I search for any local livestock or small animal auctions. And don't forget your local trading posts papers. We have one that comes from our local electric company and sometimes they have some items at good prices.
Chicken Feed--when you bring home your new chickens one of the first things they want to do is eat. Again what type you buy is determined by the age of the chicken. There are a variety of chicken feeds out there so do your homework to choose the one that is right for you.
Storage Containers for Poultry Supplies--what do I mean by this? Somewhere to keep your food and grain so other animals do not have access to it. The likelihood of attracting critters of some sort is very high with all the scratching a chicken does in its food that helps to spread it around. I use metal trash containers and they do the trick. I keep my food supplies in one and my chicken equipment in the other.
I have been raising chickens for over five years now so I have my preferred methods of feeding and watering along with my preferred poultry equipment, some homemade and some store bought. If you are just starting out and not sure where to turn, visit your local feed store. Check out their prices and then compare them to the online stores. Most of the time you will find if you buy local you will save on the shipping costs. And there is the chance that if they do not have what you are looking for they will order it for you. With the interest in raising chickens you need to have the correct poultry equipment to maintain your new flock.
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Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
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Precautions When Raising Chickens During Summer and Winter
Some chicken can withstand the harsh conditions of winter and other may like to do sunbaths. It depends on the type of chicken and on the weather he is accustomed with. So don’t waste your money and your precious time with a type of chicken that likes a different weather than the one you have. It may be very hard to raise chicken under difficult conditions.
The winter time
In this cold weather, many people try to heat the chickens. They think that they will do them good. But don’t try that if you want alive and healthy chickens.
They can catch a cold or even freeze. You may leave them healthy and safe and in the morning you can find them dead. For your information, keep in mind that chicken can adapt to difficult weather conditions. Their body has a changing metabolism that helps them survive during cold temperatures.
If the place where you live has a cold weather with harsh temperatures, you may want to take some precautions before bringing the chicken in. In this way, you will be ready for them and you will not put their lives in any danger.
Some of these actions are:
1. Sometimes, the low temperatures cause the comb or the wattle to have frostbites. If you want to prevent this from happening, you can rub a petroleum jelly or another kind of moisturizer on that place from time to time.
2. Make sure the water supply is not frozen. Depriving the chicken of water can seriously damage their health. If the water is frozen, the chickens will not get near eat and they can die without water. Also, make sure the water reserve has no impurities. The chicken can get diseases from those impurities. If there is a danger or freezing, get a heater and warm up the water. Make sure the water stays warm at all times. If you don’t posses a water heater, get the water inside your house and bring it to the chicken in the morning.
Summer time
If you have a house located in a place where there is summer all the time, the chicken can suffer form being exposed to heat all day long. They could be dehydrated and that is not good. The one thing and very important thing you need to do during summer is to make sure they have water all the time. Make sure the water is fresh and pure. Refill the supply whenever it is possible. Also, don’t let the chickens run around without providing them some shade. Also, you can provide some ventilation in their pen.
Another important thing is that when heat waves occur, the hens can lay excessive eggs. This is not a good sign. It means the hen is very stressed because of the heat. If the heat stops or the temperatures goes back to normal, the laying process will resume to normal.
Also, during extreme weather conditions it is good to observe the chickens for any abnormal behavior. Notice the way they walk, what they eat, how often they eat etc.
If you see one of them isolated in a corner or acting a bit strange, it means they have caught a disease. Get the chicken and put it in quarantine to prevent the disease from spreading.
The isolated animal also needs water, food and treatment. After he has recuperated, the sick chicken can return to the others.
Some symptoms of chicken sickness include: depression, sneezing, teary eyes, loss of appetite, mites, abnormal stools and the tendency to become isolated.
If you notice any of these signs, talk to the vet and get treatment for the chicken.
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