Showing posts with label Water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Water. Show all posts
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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Important Things To Know About Baby Chicks
However there are some things that you must know about chickens before you actually own them. This goes for any type of pet that you plan on raising.
Understanding these things will help you to keep your chicken friends healthy and happy. One great thing about having chickens for pets is that they require very minimal attention, unlike a pet dog that can be very demanding.
The little attention that your pet chicken does need however is extremely important, such as keeping the coops clean, daily playtime, feeding and water. Chickens have many hidden dangers, and many of them can be prevented as long as you offer them a clean coop, proper food and daily water. Let's take a look at how to raise chickens when they are just baby chicks.
Chicks are absolutely adorable and generally during Easter time you will find that they are sold in many stores. These little baby chicks are nearly irresistible. Their fluffy fuzzy yellow fur is so soft and cuddly and definitely increases the desire to own one. But there are some things that you must understand to offer them the proper care.
These little baby chickens will need to be kept in a warm area. The sufficient temperature will need to be between 90 and 100 degrees, and this should decrease 5 degrees each week.
You need to house the chick in a box that they cannot hop out of and put a 100-watt bulb at one end of the box. You will not need to heat the entire box but they need an area to warm themselves.
Chicks require time to play with you and also need to have time outside to play. When your chick goes outside you will need to be sure that they are in a secure area because they do like to explore and can find their way into a bit of trouble.
It's not easy to catch them and if they have a large area to run it will be much harder to catch them. So the smaller the place the easier it will be.
It's absolutely amazing to watch these little baby chicks grow up into adult chickens. You'll find that as babies they begin the pecking order. This is how they determine who the boss is. It's funny to watch as they flap their little wings and circle around one another.
Chickens are not only great pets that will offer you endless amounts of fun, but they will benefit your organic garden as well. You can use their manure in your compost pile and it will definitely improve the growth of your garden naturally.
I would suggest if you make the decision to purchase a chick this Easter holiday that you buy more than one of them. Chickens are social animals and enjoy playing with other people and also more chickens. Playing with other chickens will help to keep the chickens occupied and offer them warmth during the colder months.
You can find books right near the chicks in the store when you purchase them. It's a good idea to pick one up, or you can learn more about raising them by researching it on the internet. These baby animals need to be taken care of properly in order to make it a full grown healthy adult chicken.
BlueWaterArticles.com: - Important Things To Know About Baby Chicks
About the Author
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
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Raising Chicken Tips: Baby Poultry Brooding Plan for the Floor
How do you go about planning and building the brooding floor?
Step 1
There are wide selections of products that can be purchased for brooding that will provide a draft free and comfortable environment. For a cardboard ring that is formed around the area suitable for brooding, the popular 13 to 19 inches high ring is commonly used. If you’re planning for a 50-chick capacity, a diameter of 5 ft circle is needed.
Assuming you want to increase the number of chicks, the ring diameter must also be increased that is proportioned with the number of chicks added. This is to reduce the negative outcomes of overcrowding. Aside from the huge cardboard boxes, your child’s plastic pool or an old tank can be an alternative.
Step 2
You have to cover the floor using one to two inches of materials that are absorbent and do not mat that easily. Shavings, ground corncobs, rice hulls, etc. can be your choices. Cedar shavings are not to be used for these are toxic and can lead to chicken poisoning. For the litter, the covering must be of cheesecloth, burlap, towels made of paper, and other materials that are non-slick.
This is appropriate for the first 3 days. With this, there will be easy access for feeding the babies via sprinkles above the material. It will also lessen the possibility for the chicks to have sprattle legs. Lastly, it will prevent litter eating.
Step 3
For a 50-chick capacity, you have to provide adequate heat from lamps. It must be a 250-watt with reflector. Regardless of the baby number, it is required to install at least 2 heat lamps. Picking is the result if the lamp reflects excessive light. That is why red heat lamps are more preferred. Red heat lamps provide sufficient light without going beyond its temperature. Heat lamps are hung at least 18” just above the litter. Inspect the light if they really provide the needed heat.
Step 4
Feeder lids should be made available for feeding. Cut a box down to an inch on its sides. If you are raising game birds and bantams, sides with only three quarters or less is preferred.
Step 5
Wire the brooder system of the floor. A wire floor is required out of materials that are not larger than a half-inch cloth. For raising game birds and bantam, a floor with a size of one-fourth inch is preferred.
Step 6
As specified by the manufacturer, the floor should be of adequate space. This is because the manufacturer recommends the appropriate number of chicks that can be started within the vicinity of the brooder. Check the heat if it is working properly.
Step 7
Provide a 15-watt red night-light. This serves as the brooder’s light during the night for them to see properly.
Step 8
Providing water troughs is wise but can also be a problem for it provides not only sufficient but also excess water access.
After all of these are brought together, make sure that things are working properly and things won’t result to jeopardy. These are just the basics for raising your chickens.
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Raising Chicken Precautions During Winter and Summer
While some can withstand winters, others preferred to sun bathe during summer sunshine. It will all depend on the weather that you are having when you decide to purchase the right kind of chicken so as not to waste money and time raising them and just have them end up in a chicken graveyard.
Winter
During wintertime or in cold weather days, never try heating your chickens just because you fear that they might catch a cold or freeze. You may find your flock dead in the morning. F.Y.I., chickens can adapt to extreme cold conditions because their body can change the metabolism as the cold weather approaches.
If you live in a place where winters are more prominent than summer or is literary winter all the time, you might as well take certain actions for your chickens that will not put any of your chicken’s lives in danger.
a. There is a risk that a chicken’s wattle and comb can be affected by frostbite. To avoid this, you can rub some petroleum jelly or any moisturizer every other day.
b. Look out for frozen water supply. You can’t deprive them of water. They will not drink from a frozen water outlet. Chickens can’t take water with impurities. It must always stay fresh and clean. You can take out a water heater so that the water stays in its liquid form. Or if you don’t have one, better bring the waterer inside the house then return it in the morning.
Summer
If you live in places where summer is the only known season, your chickens are prone to be exposed to excessive heat all the time. With this, they might be in risk to dehydration. The only thing that you have to look out for during summer is that their water supply never runs dry. It must always have clean water. Don’t let your chickens roam around without providing them a sort of shade. If there is no run, you can provide ventilation inside the pen.
During heat waves, hens would lay lesser eggs. If this occurs, it is a typical sign that your chicken is stressed because of the excessive heat. Their egg laying tendencies will go back to normal once the heat recedes.
If things get worse, you have to observe the behavior of your chickens. What are manifesting? If you’ve seen that one catches a cold or is acting a bit odd, isolate the chicken instantly to prevent further spread of the disease. Don’t forget to provide water and feed to the isolated animal.
Then, when things are manageable, consult with your vet. Tell him or her how your chicken/s are reacting. Are they having:
a. mites
b. abnormality in the stool (blood, worms and white droppings)
c. sneezing and teary eyes
d. depressed
e. unable to mingle with the flock
f. loss of appetite
Tell your vet what you actually see so that he or she can give you the appropriate answer to your dilemma. These are only bits of areas that you have to ponder upon regarding raising your chickens in winter or summer atmospheres. It’s better to be safe than very sorry.
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