Raising Chickens – Some Necessities

Once the chicks hatch, there’s around 4 to 5 weeks of time for preparing yourself, the baby chicks and also the backyard to be ready when they turn to adult chickens. It is better to start the preparation before the baby chicks are brought home. This makes you give complete attention to the baby chicks. Given below is the list of items required.

Chicken Coop – Chicken coops are available ready made. There are also chicken coop kits available which you’ll need to assemble or my personal favorite you build the coop yourself from chicken coop plans. Make sure that the coop is large enough to accommodate the number of chickens you’ll have.

Food – There are commercial chicken feeds available which you must get to feed the chickens. You can give them the snacks, but the commercial feeds are must since they contain the essential minerals, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and proteins that the chickens require. You can provide layer feed to the chickens once they begin laying eggs. There are different types of organic as well as conventional feedstocks available at most pet and farm stores.

If you are considering raising chickens you may wish to check out this related topic chicken houses and runs.

Scratch – Scratch is like a treat for chickens. This is made of oats, wheat, rye and corn. Toss a handful of it on the ground for the chickens to peck and they will just love it. But such treats or snacks should not replace their meal nor should not be given as a daily part of diet. In order to stay fit, they need to eat enough of properly formulated feed.

Waterer and Feeder – The best option would most likely be to purchase both a proper feeder and waterer. The best option for a waterer would be one that can automatically refill itself. This will eliminate the need for daily checks. Also be sure they cannot tip it over and/or poop inside it. The Feeder should be sized for the breed of chickens you get and should also be poop and tip proof.

Bedding – The carpet placed inside the chicken coop is known as the bedding. Bedding helps in keeping the surface soft so that the chickens can walk on it. It also helps in absorbing up the droppings and the odor from the chickens. Let the nest have some bedding too so that when an egg lands on the nest floor, it is not broken. Keep the bedding atleast 1″ thick. The recommended bedding material for the chickens is pine shaving.

Grit – Chickens do not have any teeth and hence need some small pebbles known as grit for grinding the food. They pick up the grit and then store it in their digestive system to grind the food, grains or any other things they eat. You can either mix the grit directly in the food or provide the grit in a separate dish.

Dust Baths – Most birds will want to take dust baths to help prevent mites, lice, and other parasites from finding a home inside their feathers and legs. If you are going to allow the chickens access to the outside you may not need a dust bath. However, if they will spend most of their time inside the coop or if you get lots of snow you should provide a dust bath. Just use a box around 10-12 inches high and fill it with road dust, ashes, loose earth and sand about 6 inches deep.

GreenBeluga.com provides information on green living. Raising chickens is just one of the many topics that we cover on a regular basisc. If you would like some information on how to make a chicken coop pay us a visit.

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