A chicken can help bring balance to a chaotic yard or garden.
Chickens will eat common pests, dig at soft dirt which keeps the
soil loose, and help fertilize with their waste. Even as pets, they
are a very self-sufficient animal. Like with a cat, a chicken owner
will need to check on food and water, and keep the housing clean.
When selecting a chicken, decide what you want the chicken for;
eggs, meat, or as a pet, each breed can be very different.
Best Egg Laying Chickens
Rhode Island Red Produces ~300 extra large brown eggs annually
White Leghorn Produces ~280 medium white eggs annually
Golden Comet Produces ~300 medium brown eggs annually
Barred Plymouth Rock Produces ~250 medium brown eggs annually
Sapphire Gem Produces ~300 large brown eggs annually
Speckled Sussex Produces ~350 large brown eggs annually
Best Chickens for Meat
Cornish Cross Reaches age in 6-8 weeks ~ 8 lbs
Australorp Reaches ~ 5 lbs
Bresse Chicken Reaches age in 16 weeks ~ 6 lbs
Brown Leghorn Reaches age in 21 weeks ~ 4 lbs
Buckeye Reaches age in 18 weeks ~ 7 lbs
Orpingtons Reaches age in 20 weeks ~ 7 lbs
Other Tips for Choosing
Keep in mind that chickens will thrive differently based on where
you are. Get cold-hardy breeds if you live somewhere that gets very
cold frequently.
Different breeds also display "broodiness", which is also known as
how protective they are over their eggs and nest. A chicken that
gets broody is more likely to attack your hand when you reach for
the eggs than one that doesn't get broody. Broody hens, however
tend to be better mothers, and will have more successful hatches
that will survive.
Raising Your Flock
You can get your flock started at varying ages. Some people would
let you buy them from their farm fully grown, but they may be
apprehensive to hand over an animal that took a while to raise.
More likely than not, you will have to raise your own chickens.
You can usually get them as eggs or as chicks at your local farm
store. Eggs you'd likely need to get online. This page is dedicated
to help you get started with your setup.
Raising Them From Eggs
You can get eggs online or from a local farmer.
You will need:
An incubator
A heating lamp
A cage or housing unit
A chicken feeder
A chicken waterer
Chick feed
Small Animal bedding
Make sure you make note of when you purchase them, so that you
know how old they are at any given time. Your eggs go in the
incubator. Most incubators provide a heat source to keep the
eggs at a good temperature. If your incubator does not have a
heat source, you can use the heat lamp at a foot's distance from
the incubator to keep them warm. Once they hatch, they should be
put into an indoor enclosure with the heat lamp overhead (again,
at about a foot's distance), they are between 5 and 8 weeks old,
or when they develop their adult feathers.
As They Get Older
Once they have most of their adult feathers, they are able to
temperature regulate, and will no longer need the heating lamp.
They will also require adult foodAt this point, an outdoor enclosure
is recommended. If free-range keeping make sure they have a safe
space at night to minimize predator attacks. They should each have
at minimum 3-5 square feet of space per chicken. Depending on your
breed, they will start laying at different times. In order to keep
your flock healthy long-term, proper upkeep is absolutely necessary.
Keeping Your Flock Happy Long-term
Socialization
Chickens are very social animals. They are happier in
groups. For a small backyard coop, it is recommended
to have at least three birds. If you want to use them
for meat, it is recommended you keep five hens and one
rooster. This will allow for reproduction, but keep
social stress to a minimum. If you want more birds
than that, keep in mind the ratio of five hens per
rooster. A closer ratio may cause infighting for the
roosters. The more roosters, the more likely they will
crow. Tight spaces or low resources can also cause
fighting. During fights, they can seriously hurt one
another if they do not trim their talons or blunt their
beaks.
Feed
It is recommended that for long term health, chickens
get a mix of food - pellet, crumble, scratch, and grit
Most foods only provide 16% protein. Chickens, if fed
properly, can live up to 10 years old, producing as long
as 7 years. You should feed them a diet of about 20% protein.
So how do you make up the difference? A few good options are
mealworms, black fly larvae, and oyster shells. Giving them
pecking blocks will also provide a good option for them, as
well as providing a bit of enrichment to help with blunting
their beaks and talons.
