In the past raising chickens was solely for eggs, protein, and breakfast but in recent times it’s all about having a pet in our backyard that is therapeutic and rewarding at the time – the eggs for breakfast that are way better than the store-bought ones, and fun that comes with raising them! But it’s not all that easy, as it can be a bit nerve-wracking and to claim your chicken coop as my chicken coop and raise some healthy chickens you will be required to have the correct information.
How to Raise Chickens: The Basics
Before getting chickens you will need to see whether your neighbourhood law allows you to have chickens or not and make sure that you have enough space for a full-size chicken coop. You will also need to have food and water all the time and a reliable chicken sitter if you plan to go away on vacations.
The Food – Feed your chicken a diet that is complete with carbs, fats, proteins, and minerals. You can buy either a conventional or organic diet.
A Place to Sleep – They won’t be requiring bedding from Bed, Bath and Beyond but proper bedding consisting of a pile of clean hay and old used papers will do.
Waterer and Feeder – Get one that is suspended a few inches above ground level so that they don’t jump on it. You can also get an automatic refill.
Other Essentials of Raising a Chicken
Choosing the Breed – Start with choosing the right kind of chicken. Is your purpose, egg, meat, both, or just ornamental? This will define what breed you should be getting. For eggs White Leghorns, and Golden Cornets are great. Also, chickens are productive in the first 2 years of their lives when it comes to laying eggs. For meat, you can choose one that grows quickly and weigh well such as Cornish Cross. For a combination of eggs and meat pick Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, and Sussex as they possess the talent of vast egg production and grow larger and faster.
Building a Coop – Make sure you build the chicken’s kingdom or my chicken coop at a “four-star” level so that they grow healthy and happy. It should be “predator-proof” meaning the design should be secure enough from every angle and when selecting a wire mesh it should be the right size. Make the coop floor blocked to ward off any rodents. Build it in such a way that it has the right ventilation that is not super breezy. Provide your hens with a roosting pole of 2 inches in width with round edges with 8-10 inches of space in between them and make sure to put them in nesting boxes to encourage the egg laying. Place it several inches above the ground so that they don’t touch the soil. For every bird make sure to have a room of 2-4 square feet in the coop.
Has the idea of raising chickens piqued your interest? Well, with this how-to guide, raising chickens will be more exciting than ever!
