A rewarding and enjoyable hobby, keeping backyard hens can give you fresh eggs and manure for your garden. However, it would be best to prepare before bringing chickens home. You will need the following to get going.
A Place to Keep Your Chickens
- Chicken coop: Your chickens will live and lay their eggs in a coop. It must have a location for roosting and be well-ventilated, dry, and draft-free.
- Run: Chickens can exercise and breathe fresh air in an enclosed space called a run. It ought to be shielded from the elements and safe from predators.
- Bedding: To give your chickens a dry and cozy sleeping environment, bedding—such as straw or sawdust—is required. It ought to be updated frequently.
Water and Food
- Feeder: A feeder is required to keep food off the ground and dry.
- Waterer: A waterer should be kept conveniently and regularly cleaned to prevent disease.
- Feeding: Chickens require a well-balanced meal with protein, grains, and greens. You can make your feed blend or buy food specially designed for hens.
Equipment
- Scoop for chicken feed
- Brooder: For recently hatched chicks, a brooder is required. It ought to offer space, light, and warmth.
- Basins for feeders and waterers for birds
- Egg crates
- Chicken feed
- Poultry bedding
- Litter scoop for a chicken coop
Supplies
- Cleaning supplies: To keep your chickens healthy, routinely clean and disinfect your coop.
- Medication: If your chickens become ill, have a basic first aid kit on hand and see a veterinarian.
- Scratch: Scratch is an additive you may give your chickens to provide them extra nutrients and keep them from getting bored.
Maintenance and Care
- Feed and water: You must provide food and water to your hens daily.
- Keeping the coop clean and germ-free is important.
- Examine your chickens frequently for parasites and treat them in a way if necessary.
Safety and Health Issues
- Diseases: Human-transmissible diseases can be carried by chickens. Keep their living spaces tidy and free of manure, and avoid them if you are sick to reduce the danger.
Chickens can also harbor parasites like mites and lice. Keep an eye out for indications of infestation and act quickly if necessary. - Predators: Raccoons, foxes, and hawks are predators that can harm chickens. Keep the areas where they live safe and protected.
- Food safety: Regular egg collection and prompt refrigeration are the keys to keeping eggs safe for ingestion. Keep eggs clean and dry when storing them.
Selecting the Best Chickens
- Breeds: Many different breeds of chickens are available, each with distinctive traits and behaviors. When selecting the ideal breed for you, keep things like egg production, hardiness, and temperaments in mind.
- Quantity: Think about how much room you have and how many hens you want to maintain. In general, a backyard flock should begin with three to four hens.
Final Reflections
Keeping hens in your backyard may be a lucrative and enjoyable hobby. You may successfully maintain a healthy and content flock with careful planning, preparation, and maintenance. Always prioritize your chickens’ health and safety, and abide by all applicable municipal ordinances and rules.
Sources:
- https://extension.umn.edu/small-scale-poultry/raising-chickens-eggs
- https://chickens.org/how-to-start-raising-chickens/
- https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/keeping-backyard-chickens
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