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.
|
Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
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.
=====================================================
Click here now and find the best chicken coop plans available for download online.
Learn how to build a chicken tractor and save money!
Things to Think about when Building a Chicken House
| When you are searching for the best chicken coop plans, there are a lot of things you should consider for you to come up with the right decision. There are different kinds of chicken coop plans. The choices are too vast that you may get confused on which one you should choose. Investing on a chicken coop plan is not a simple matter because it will highly influence the output of your business. You should grab a plan that will satisfy your needs. Here are some of the things you should think about when getting a chicken coop plan The Total Size of the Flock This is the most important issue because your entire chicken coop plan will depend on how many chickens you plan to keep. Be sure that the every chicken will have enough room. For example, a small chicken coop will be too crowded if you will be housing more than five chickens. This may cause a decline on the birds’ health and overall egg production. Get a medium or a large chicken coop to accommodate your chickens. By doing so, you can maximize their ability to lay eggs. The Ventilation of the Chicken Coop The second thing you need to pay attention to is the ventilation of your chicken coop plans. If you reside in a humid environment, the chicken coops should have proper ventilation. This will help prevent your chicken coops from getting excessively hot for the chickens. Warm environments can cause chicken coops to smell bad so it is important to situate proper ventilation so that air can flow through. When proper ventilation is installed, the air flow will reduce the foul smell. It will now be easier for you to be around. Cleaning the chicken coop will now be an easier task. A chicken coop plan with a good ventilation system will make the chickens comfortable. The Light Source of the Chicken Coop The third thing you need to have is good lighting for the chickens. Sunlight is practical and ideal to use in a chicken coop plan. Take advantage of sunlight when you make a chicken coop design. Light and a certain amount of heat can keep the chicken coops cozy. If your area does not offer much sunlight or your chicken houses are impenetrable to light, you can always use alternative lighting. Non-natural lighting will work much like the sunlight but will add up to your electric costs. Lighting will also help you check on your chickens as far as visibility is concerned. The Feeding Set-Up of the Chicken Coop The fourth and final thing you should consider is the feeding set-up. Perhaps the most important factor in maintaining the health of your chicken is by making sure that they are eating a proper diet. If the feeding setup is not place correctly your chickens may have a difficult time eating. Setting it high or low may cause your chickens to be uncomfortable leading them to lose body weight and making them vulnerable to diseases. Your chickens can also acquire injuries and muscle strains due to misplaced feeders. With these complications the rate of production and survivability of your chickens will go down. When you are buying a chicken coop plan, select the one that offers comfort to the chickens. Your chicken’s egg production will depend on how well you treat them. When nurtured properly they will have better outputs. Make sure that they receive everything they need from a good shelter, food up to the smallest of details. Consider this as an investment which will pay off eventually in the future. |
| Author Resource:- I’ve discovered a quick and easy way for anyone to build a chicken coop. By following this program you’ll discover exactly what you need to do to get your chicken coop built in the fastest easiest way possible. You’ll have the best coop on the block and the happiest, healthiest chickens. You can find this plan at http://chickencoopplan.org |
| Article From New Ezine Articles |
Different Breeds of Chickens You Can Keep at Home
You wouldn't want a dog breed that generally doesn't like children if you have children, or a breed that's aggressive towards other dogs or animals if you already have a dog. This is just as important when you are buying chickens.
Please don't miss understand what I am trying to say, generally chickens are great pets and are very sociable animals, but there are certain breeds that have specific purposes such as producing more eggs, or offer you more meat and many have different behavioral tendencies.
This isn't to say that they won't make for a great pet in your backyard.
As you learn more about the various chicken breeds you will find that some will produce more eggs, lay certain color eggs, some will be more suitable for your backyard and have very specific personalities. What will need to be determined is which breed will best suit your lifestyle.
Choosing the right breed of chicken will depend on what you want to get out of raising chickens. So you will need to ask yourself some questions when trying to determine which chicken breed will suit your needs or lifestyle the best.
Let's take a look at some of the different chicken breeds.
The Brahma Chicken is originally from India, and is a great bird for meat. This breed is also a great pet because they can handle confinement and also have a great playful personality. Some people keep Brahmas for their eggs too.
The Australorp Chicken are one of the best breeds for pets. They are sweet, peaceful, shy, calm and very friendly. These amazing birds are from Australia and grow to be between 7lbs and 8lbs, producing large brown eggs.
The New Hampshire Red Hen is a new breed that is known as a meat producer. But there are people who have them as pets also. Their personality varies depending on the individual chicken, so this breed is not going to be the best breed to select if you have small children.
These are just a few of the many different breeds that are available for you to raise for whatever purpose you want them for. The best way to uncover which chicken breed will best suit your needs is first by determining what you expect out of your chicken raising experience.
Do you want to use them for producing eggs, meat (both) or just keep for a pet?
You can use one of the breed finding tools that are available to you for free online. It will give you a list of the breeds that will best suit what you are looking for by simply answering a series of questions.
It's also important that once you find the breed that you think you want, that you do a little bit of research in order to learn more about them. You will want to learn if there are any special requirements or certain diseases that might affect that specific breed over others.
Take your time doing your research and it will most certainly pay off in the end. There are some beautiful birds out there that will make for a great pet.
BlueWaterArticles.com: - Different Breeds of Chickens You Can Keep at Home
Duncan Carver is the author of the free Chicken Keeping Secrets newsletter that teaches you how to keep happy, healthy, egg laying chickens in your own backyard chicken coop or hen house. If you are interested in keeping chickens at home subscribe free at... http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com
What Everybody Ought to Know About Portable Chicken Coop Plans
| There is nothing better than waking up each morning knowing that you have a fresh bunch of eggs to harvest. This is the importance of a good chicken coop plan. It improves the health and fitness of the chickens so that they can produce bigger quantities of eggs. But what if you do not have much land area? How can you implement a chicken coop plan with such a limit? We all know that good chicken coop plans require a certain space and most are usually built fixed on location. This is not applicable to people who have small land areas, some settle for inappropriate chicken coop plans, because of this they are not able to maximize the egg-laying potential of their chickens. If you are looking for a solution to this problem, you may want to consider implementing a portable chicken coop plan. Portable chicken coop plans are ideal for those who would like to raise a small chicken flock and those who do not have large spaces. It is highly recommended for those who are just starting up with minimal budget. Here are some reasons why a portable chicken coop plans work Portable Chicken Coop Plans are more convenient Portable chicken coop plans offer more convenience because they can be easily erected and disassembled with ease. It is light and does not require to be fastened so you can easily move it one place to another. Unlike when having permanent coops, you can easily transfer the entire construction when you find a more suitable location. This is very convenient especially if you need to frequently relocate your chicken coop. Having portable chicken coops also reduces your work because it can be easily removed when performing maintenance. Portable chicken coops are flexible and will suit any yard. Portable chicken coops can provide better protection Because it is portable and lightweight, it can be easily moved from place to place depending on what the situation calls for. You can prevent nighttime predators from attacking your chickens by moving the coops to a safer location. There are a lot of losses reported due to snake and coyote attacks. Portable chicken coop plans can also protect your fowl from extreme bad weather conditions and certain calamities like storms, flood, etc. When these threats appear you can transfer your chicken coops to an area with better protection such as sheds or garage. Protecting your fowl from danger and sickness is important if you want them to produce better outputs. Portable chicken coops allow easy cleaning Unlike the conventional chicken coops, portable chicken coops are very much easier to maintain and clean. Standard coops are fixed; this makes them harder to clean and may cause you to miss some spots. With portable chicken coops, if you need to clean an area, you can simply move it into a different location so that you can clean without much obstruction. Cleaning the coop itself is a breeze because it is compact and lightweight. Deciding on what chicken coop plan to take depends on your needs. Portable chicken coops are advantageous on many ways, but they also have their limitations. Portable chicken coops can only give room to a very limited number of fowl. If you would like to enlarge your coop you will need to buy a bigger one. But then portable chicken coops are really worth the dollar especially if you are still starting up with a small number of chickens. It is a lot cheaper than the premium sized ones. In choosing the perfect chicken coop plan, you have to consider what suits your needs best. |
| Author Resource:- Discover How to Build A Chicken Coop In Your Own Backyard Faster And Easier Than You Ever Thought Possible... You can find the plan at http://chickencoopplan.org |
| Article From New Ezine Articles |
The Most Amazing Mobile Chicken Coops
| If you live in an area where a permanent chicken coop is not suitable, you can innovate by creating a mobile chicken coop. A mobile chicken coup plan is really a good way to create chicken houses that are versatile. With this, you can move your chicken coops wherever you want, whenever you want! This feature of this chicken coop plan is very useful especially in situations when outside threats are posed upon your chickens. An example of this are bad weather conditions like excessive raining which eventually leads to flooding. If you have implemented a mobile chicken coop plan, you can easily transport the structure to a safer place. If you have decided to follow a mobile chicken coop plan, there are additional factors you need to consider. Unlike the regular chicken coop, the mobile chicken houses are more likely to be moved from place to place so it has to be durable and lightweight at the same time. If not properly built, the chicken coop may crumble resulting to larger expenses due to repairs. Prevent this and build sturdy and light mobile chicken coops by keeping these ideas in mind: Make sure to use the right materials Materials should be a primary concern, since it is a mobile chicken coop there is a “transportation factor”. This means that materials that are heavy and unreliable are impractical to be used. You should use materials that are lightweight yet durable. Avoid the mistake of buying cheap lightweight materials that do possess enough strength to support the structure/chickens. If the quality of materials is compromised, the whole thing may fall apart in a short amount of time. This will cause you more troubles and money in rebuilding the chicken coop. Research on what are the best materials for a mobile chicken coop. Make sure that your chicken coop plan utilizes materials that will not cause harm to your chickens. Investing in high grade materials is strongly recommended, they may be a bit more expensive but it will surely pay out in the future. Make sure that you have the proper tools to deal with the materials. Attach or create a Closure Latch for the doors Most mobile chicken coop plans require a closure latch. This is to secure the door while in transport. You don’t want the door swinging open while you are moving the chicken coop, this can lead to problems, accidents and the risk of it being damaged. Search for a good chicken coop plan that includes detailed instructions about attaching a latch. With this you can be sure that it will be secure enough to withstand abuses. If you already bought one and it doesn’t have this set of instructions you can buy a new one or better yet, you can improvise with the design. The Size of the Building The third thing you should be concerned about is the size of the chicken coop itself. If you build an oversized chicken coop you will have a larger risk of it falling apart during transport. In addition to that, building a chicken coop that is excessively large will require more resources. Instead of making a big one, you can resort into making several medium sized ones. The chicken coop plan should have a specific description on how much area the building will occupy. You should be also able to determine on how long it will take for the whole project to complete. Be sure that your chickens will have sufficient room in the chicken coop. Studies show that a chicken that is raised in an overcrowded chicken coop is less healthy than the ones raised in a roomy environment. |
| Author Resource:- Discover how to build a chicken coop in your own backyard using a simple, easy chicken coop plan that’s proven to be faster and easier to build than you ever thought possible. You can find the plan at http://chickencoopplan.org |
| Article From New Ezine Articles |
The Easiest Way of Raising Chickens
The first step in preparing for your new animals is making sure there is ample room for the number you plan on acquiring. The chicken house does not require anything fancy or specialized, only safe, dry, and clean.
You will need to include perches for night time roosting as well as nesting boxes for them if you plan on collecting eggs. Including a cover on your pen from chicken wire, or whatever you choose will protect them from flying predators and also keep them safely inside of the enclosure.
When choosing the location for the chicken, try to allow for ample grass areas as well. If the coop is roughly eight feet by twelve feet, you will need to have approximately double the amount of grassy area to suit. The chickens will probably eat the grass, and they need this area to catch bugs and scratch in the soil.
Offering easy access to clean food and water is imperative to their general health and you can find and water dispensers at most feed stores. These are designed with cleanliness and sanitation in mind. Depending on the type of hens you are going to have, there are different style feeders to suit any special needs. The food used to feed them can be obtained at feed stores as well, and can be chosen to also suit the brood you acquire.
Whether you have smaller hens or larger ones, they will need supplements as well as the addition of certain vitamins to aid in producing healthier eggs for human consumption. Grit aids in digestion, and crushed oyster shell helps their eggs develop strong shells as well. These items are all available at feed stores also.
Choosing your hens is strictly up to you, and since there are such an extremely large amount of different varieties, the choices are nearly endless. A little research will go a long way in aiding you in your choices, and educating yourself on the best brooding hens, or best producers, etc. will also benefit you when the time comes to choose your breeds.
Before deciding on whether or not you will have a rooster, it is imperative that you consider all aspects of having one. A rooster is not necessary for the hens to lay their eggs, the eggs will simply not be fertilized, however they will continue to lay regardless of whether or not there is a rooster present. Keep in mind that roosters are strutting loud creatures, and can cause problems for you if you live in a relatively busy or crowded area.
Close neighbors may not enjoy the early morning noise or the annoyance of hearing a rooster so frequently, so remember to think it completely through before purchasing one. Finding some excellent information before proceeding with your plans is wise and can give you some of the best results.
About the Author:
An online auction site, where it is FREE to buy or sell anything from real estate to chickens. It was started by my daughter and I, to give people a place to display their birds. Stop by and register for free at my website, which is at http://www.chickenauctions.com
Article Source-- Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/the-easiest-way-of-raising-chickens-354551.html
Chicks - Guide To Raising Baby Chicks
Raising baby chickens. A quick guide to keeping and raising chicks. This video shows the basic requirements of chicks for their first 5-8 weeks (by which time they should get their full feathers). They will grow quite quickly (and so will the size of their brooder). Once they have their full feathers they will be able to move into their chicken coop. For more tips and info about raising and keeping chickens visit :
http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com
How To Raise Chickens
Whether you have chosen to raise chickens as pets, food, or for game there are certain factors you need to keep in mind when beginning your project. Because they are relatively easy to maintain, chickens have long been the first choice for most people attempting to raise their own food. A decision must be made early on, preferably before acquiring your flock, whether you are going to use them for eggs, food, or both.
The first step in preparing for your new animals is making sure there is ample room for the number you plan on acquiring. The chicken house does not require anything fancy or specialized, only safe, dry, and clean. You will need to include perches for night time roosting as well as nesting boxes for them if you plan on collecting eggs. Including a cover on your pen from chicken wire, or whatever you choose will protect them from flying predators and also keep them safely inside of the enclosure. When choosing the location for the chicken, try to allow for ample grass areas as well. If the coop is roughly eight feet by twelve feet, you will need to have approximately double the amount of grassy area to suit. The chickens will probably eat the grass, and they need this area to catch bugs and scratch in the soil.
Offering easy access to clean food and water is imperative to their general health and you can find and water dispensers at most feed stores. These are designed with cleanliness and sanitation in mind. Depending on the type of hens you are going to have, there are different style feeders to suit any special needs. The food used to feed them can be obtained at feed stores as well, and can be chosen to also suit the brood you acquire. Whether you have smaller hens or larger ones, they will need supplements as well as the addition of certain vitamins to aid in producing healthier eggs for human consumption. Grit aids in digestion, and crushed oyster shell helps their eggs develop strong shells as well. These items are all available at feed stores also.
Choosing your hens is strictly up to you, and since there are such an extremely large amount of different varieties, the choices are nearly endless. A little research will go a long way in aiding you in your choices, and educating yourself on the best brooding hens, or best producers, etc. will also benefit you when the time comes to choose your breeds. Before deciding on whether or not you will have a rooster, it is imperative that you consider all aspects of having one. A rooster is not necessary for the hens to lay their eggs, the eggs will simply not be fertilized, however they will continue to lay regardless of whether or not there is a rooster present. Keep in mind that roosters are strutting loud creatures, and can cause problems for you if you live in a relatively busy or crowded area. Close neighbors may not enjoy the early morning noise or the annoyance of hearing a rooster so frequently, so remember to think it completely through before purchasing one. Finding some excellent information before proceeding with your plans is wise and can give you some of the best results. You can find all your chickens and many other animals and birds at www.chickenauctions.com LOOK A THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CHICKENS NOW!
How to Build a Backyard Chicken Coop
Growing chicken is not only a great experience for families with children, but also an excellent way to get fresh eggs, remove bugs from your yard, and get some much needed natural fertilizer for your garden. In order to provide the best environment for your home grown chicken, you should learn how to build a backyard chicken coop. The process is simple, but you need to make sure you have everything you need.
This is where your chickens will eat and sleep. Your coop will also need to keep them safe from potential predators. It is possible to buy a pre-made chicken coop and that is a good option for you if you have the money and don't have the time to build one on your own.
The first thing you need to do is come up with a plan. It is important to take a count of how many chickens are going to be in the coop as well as how large they will get when they reach maturity.
Other considerations are:
- How many nests you plan on putting in
- How many feeders you will need room for
- Where to put water and how many you need
- How many windows will give your chickens enough sunlight
Beyond choosing exactly what you'll need to go in your chicken coop and how much room you will need it is also helpful to make sure you choose a good terrain to build on. Definitely don't choose one that is hilly or rocky. Also, consider an area that will have the right sunlight conditions and keep the number of threats to a minimum. Be sure you have more than enough space cleared to build on.
After you're sure of those basics you can really begin to plan. Draw up a blueprint of your chicken coop. You need to draw to scale so you can make sure all your measurements will be accurate. Include all of the components like windows, feeders, and nests. This will help you get a visual on what the outcome will be.
Once you finished drawing your plans up you can start to buy the materials. At the bare minimum you will need:
- 2 X 4 wood pieces
- Concrete cinder blocks
- Chicken wire
- Insulation
- Nails and screws
- Saw
- Hammer
- Anything else you have included in your plans
Now the real fun can begin! Once you have your plan and your materials you can start to build your backyard chicken coop. Follow your plan and put in extra effort to make sure everything is sturdy. Do remember to leave areas for ventilation but also seal everything up to keep predators out.
It's not hard to learn how to build a backyard chicken coop, and the end result will be perfect for you. Soon enough you'll have chickens in your backyard and you can brag to friends and family about the wonderful coop you built.
Be sure to visit http://www.betterbackyards.com to learn more about how to create the backyard of your dreams.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adriana_Copaceanu