Chickens are all the rage these days, and while I'm not usually a big fan of 'trends', I think it's a good idea to have a few in the back of your garden! There is a lot of information about (hobbyist) chicken farming online and reading it all can certainly be overwhelming at first.
Although I do not claim to be the absolute authority on all things chicken, but as a landscaper, I still have my little experience which has allowed me to raise chickens for several years. Here are some tips my chickens!
I know it might be fun to incubate and hatch your first batch of hens from eggs, but it's much easier to start with a group of healthy chicks. Although hatching your own batch is definitely something you will want to experience and see. It's best to familiarize yourself with the inner workings and take your first steps on "easy" mode to learn more about chicken health and behavior before tackling the sometimes frustrating world of egg incubation.
Chickens are generally classified into two varieties:meat breeds and layer breeds. If you're not sure which route you want to take, choose a breed that's known to lay a decent number of eggs, but can also provide you with adequate meat quality in case you end up with an extra rooster or a hen that would not lay.
I've seen some pretty crazy chicken coops recently! Adding gadgets to your chicken coop is not very useful. It will cost you dearly and the hens will not care. Prefer a simple chicken coop that protects your poultry from the heat. Remember that chickens don't need a 5 star hotel to be happy.
Chickens must have with their coop:
– protection against predators
– 1 place to sleep
– nesting boxes (for diapers)
– 1 piece to move
You can also follow this "how to make a chicken coop" tutorial to learn how to build your chicken coop with some wooden planks if you like a little DIY 🙂
Remember that your chickens love nature. Try to stay as close to their "wild" habits as possible.
– Free your chickens when possible, this reduces feed bills and provides them with a more natural diet. Remember that a free-range chicken is a happy hen.
– Avoid using chemicals or special “washes” to disinfect the cage. Instead, I use a natural, homemade solution.
– Add some eggshells to help your poultry supplement their calcium intake.
– Enjoy assorted kitchen scraps as it helps provide them with extra nutrients. It also avoids wasting a lot more trash in my bin.
– Remember to cut the lights:do not leave lights on them all year round to force them to lay eggs.
– Keep it simple in your accessories:I don’t buy the latest chicken equipment. Feed stores offer fairly expensive products, while it is quite possible to create your own chick feeders and drinkers from reused items such as plastic bottles.
