Caring for your chickens.
Firstly I would like to welcome you to the hobby of chickens, but be warned they will become addictive! Once you have made the decision to keep chickens there are some points you should consider. What do you want from your chickens i.e. good egg layers, or something ornamental. Once you have made your choice you will need to consider the following aspects of poultry keeping.
You will need a feeder and drinker but which type will depend on your own preferences i.e. plastic or galvanised. The galvanised containers are good for outdoor use whereas plastic containers are suitable for use indoors. Your chickens will need clean, fresh water in a clean drinker at all times.
Feed
If you have purchased chicks you will need to feed them chick crumbs from day old to 8 weeks, followed by growers’ pellets which are fed until the birds reach 18/20 weeks old. After this age you can feed your chickens either layers pellets or layers mash. Layers pellets/mash provides the birds with a complete food giving them all the necessary nutrients.
Chickens need grit, but there are two different types:
Housing
No matter what type of chickens you decide to keep they all need to be able to sleep in safety and have shelter when it is cold or raining. Chickens normally like to perch at night but different sizes will have different needs i.e. large heavy breeds will not be able to reach a perch if it is too high.
Nest boxes are needed as a chicken needs to feel safe when laying an egg. The nest box will need to be kept clean and one nest box will serve four hens.
Chickens need dry bedding in their house which can be wood shavings, sawdust or chopped straw. Provide birds with a clean house as it will minimize flies and bad smells. The frequency of cleaning will depend on how many chickens you decide to keep and whether they free range therefore as a general rule if the bedding is damp remove it.
FAQ
What is the Moult?
Once a year chickens will go through a moult whereby they will lose a lot of their feathers while they start to grow new ones. You will notice them going off lay (stop producing eggs) and looking a bit out of sorts until a few weeks later when they will have all their lovely new feathers. The moult process takes a lot out of the birds so it helps to provide them with extra vitamins in their feed.
Do hens lay eggs all year?
You will find most chickens will stop laying over the winter months, but sometimes you will manage to get the odd egg all year round. The optimum daylight is fourteen hours as you will notice the number of eggs you will get depends on the breed of bird as well as the length of day.
How long does it take for a chick to hatch?
The incubation period for chicken eggs is 21 days but it is only a guide as chicks can hatch earlier or even 4/5 days later, therefore give them time.
How do I introduce new chickens into my flock?
You will find that when you introduce new chickens into an already established group there will always be a couple of weeks of bullying no matter the age as they have to establish a new pecking order. If they have plenty of space there shouldn’t be too much fighting otherwise a possible solution is to create a temporary barrier (i.e. chicken wire) between the new chickens and the existing flock which will allow the birds to become customised to each other first. Once you are happy all the birds have settled down the barrier can be removed.