This is probably going to be one of my longer posts, so if you are up for a read, grab yourself a cup of coffee, or a glass of something cold to drink. This may possibly end up being a 2 part post, I'm not sure yet, we will have to see how wordy this one gets.
So, I've been asked a lot of questions from people who have been thinking about getting chicks, or ready to lay hens. I've also been reading a lot of posts full of some really crazy stuff. It's amazing to me just how much info is out there that is really wild, weird or inaccurate. So, I'm just going to jump right in.
Let me start with chicks, because, well that's what chickens start out as. There are a few ways to get these little critters, you can get them from a feed store, a local farmer, from a mail order hatchery, or you can hatch them yourself. You need to pay close attention to these terms, Strait Run, Pullets, and Cockerels.
In a straight run, you are going to get a mix of boys and girls, but the thing is, you are more than likely going to get three times as many boys as you will girls. Pullets are girls, and cockerels are obviously boys. Most places are not going to let you buy less than 6 at a time. Most mail order places are going to make you order between 10 and 25 at a time.
The reason for this is, chicks are social creatures. They need to have other chicks to help keep them warm, to talk to, and to play with. Another reason is, sometimes, chicks die. I don't know any other way to put it, but they do. Sometimes their insides didn't develop quite right, or they didn't fully develop their yolk sack quite right.
One of the things you have to look for in chicks is pasty but. That's where they aren't quite getting enough water, and their poop gets hard, and will block their vent, and keep any more from coming out. It can kill them if not caught in time. The easiest way to fix it is to 1. pull their food and make sure they have lots of clean water and then 2. give them some strawberry greek yogurt. That will help their system reset itself. Then after about an hour, go ahead and give them their food back, but keep a close eye on them. I just go ahead and treat the entire bunch of chicks just to be safe.
Chicks need heat. They need the warmth, that fluff they have doesn't do much to help keep them warm. I don't use heat lamps, I used brooder heater panels. Those can be purchased from lots of different sources now. Amazon is a great place to check. They come in different sizes. Depending on how you are keeping them, they need to have heat for 4-6 weeks. I tend to only give them a heat source until they hit 4 weeks old. That's when their feathers are out, and I have them in the house anyways. In warmer weather I tend to put them out between 6-8 weeks of age. I have a special place that I keep them that keeps them safe away from the grown chickens.
Chicks need to be fed a special diet of starter grower pellets, and lots of fresh clean water. They cannot be given layer pellets until they are 4 months old. The layer pellts, which are designed for chickens 4 months and older, have too much protein and calcium in them. It will do damage to their kidneys and liver and can kill them.
Now, you're going to ask, when will my chickens start laying??? They start laying between 5-8 months of age depending on breed. Some breeds are very slow at maturing.
So, I'm going to ask you now, if you've made it this far, what are your plans for your chickens? They are quite the commitment. They require daily feeding, even when its cold outside. Are these chickens going to be for eggs? Are they going to be pets? What are your plans for when they stop laying? Will you keep them until they die? Are you going to sell them when they stop laying to people who butcher?
Chickens only have a good laying lifespan of 2 years. Some will lay for 3-4 years, but after those 2 years of good laying are over, the next year of laying is going to be about half if your lucky of what they laid before. Hens will live for 7-10 years. I've herd of some very well cared for pet chickens that have lived for 19 years. Once a hen stops laying, they start eating. And by that, I mean, they eat like a small dog. They probably eat twice what they ate when they were laying. So, if you feel like you cannot butcher these birds when they stop laying, and you cannot sell or give them to someone who will, you are going to be spending a lot of money and time on these birds, all the while you are buying store bought eggs. Or eggs from someone else who raises their own chickens. You will be cleaning a chicken coop, and cleaning up after them, etc. etc. All while having to buy eggs.
Now that we've gotten past that part, lets move on to the other down sides of chickens...so you've decided to free range your chickens, and you have a beautiful garden. You have a perfectly manicured landscape. The best manicured landscape on your road....not for long! These fun feathered friends which you have turned loose on your lawn, are going to get into those flower beds, and after they have eaten every colorful bloom, and have mowed that decorative grass, they are then going to dig up your mulch, and take themselves a dust bath. On the plus side, your bug problem is going to no longer be a bug problem.
Your chickens safety is also going to be an issue if you free range. You have to deal with Hawks, neighbors dogs, and if they don't stay in your yard, and end up in your neighbors flower bed, you will have to worry about what your neighbor is going to do to those guys. I personally don't free range, because as you all know, I have Siberian Huskies, and those chickens are a tasty fun game to them. Then, you have night time. You need to have a coop for them to sleep in at night where they will be safe against raccoons, opossums, cats, skunks, and other wild life. Chickens cannot see in the dark, and won't be able to defend themselves.
Finally lets talk about roosters. I love my roosters, and think they are a lot of fun, but I do respect their personal space. They have 2 jobs, and the number 1 job is to protect their flock. Their second job is to make love sweet chicken love to the ladies. If you have roosters, you need to respect their space. If they decide they want to be your friend, you will never ask for a better pal than that rooster. If they decide they don't like people, then they can be the most aggressive creature you have ever met.
You absolutely do not need a rooster in order to get chicken eggs. You only need a rooster if you want to hatch out chicks, but they are also a great idea if you are going to free range, because they will defend their girls to the bloody end. However, this goes back to your neighbor as well, if they don't like your neighbors, you could end up with a lawsuit on your hand. But roosters will lead the girls to tasty treats, and help them find cover when their is a hawk over head. So, unless you absolutely want a rooster, you have no need for one.
These are the basic things that you need to know before you get into raising chicks and keeping chickens. There are a lot of great sources on the web, but there are also a lot of really bad sources on the web as well. You need to read carefully, and think long and hard before you decide that you truly want to go down the path of backyard chicken farmer.
If you have any questions, please leave comments, or email me.
crochetbrandi@gmail.com
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