Topic 2- Chickens

[dilligaf]

Here are some fun facts n figures and etymologies on the almighty chicken. We will begin exploring the various breeds beginning monday.

Fun facts

In Gainesville, Georgia, the chicken capital of the world, it is illegal to eat chicken with a fork. (i had to start with this,,, only in georgia ...:rolleyes:)

There are approximately 450 million chickens in the United States. (dont be pissin them off )

Chickens make sounds with actual meaning. They give different alarm calls when threatened by different predators.

A rooster will attack anything that he thinks will harm the hens ( that includes humans ). Their spurs (located at the back of their leg) can cause a very painful puncture wound.

If a rooster is not present in a flock of hens, the dominant hen will sometimes take the role, stop laying, and begin to crow. This is rare but it does happen.

It is thought that the nearest relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex is a chicken.

Alektorophobia is the fear of chickens.

Wild Red Jungle Fowl are the ancestors of today's chickens. The breed has survived at large for about 8,000 years—rare for a wild ancestor of a domesticated animal.

The waste produced by one chicken in its lifetime can supply enough electricity to run a 100-watt bulb for five hours.

A hen must eat about four pounds of feed to produce one dozen eggs.

A chicken will lay bigger and stronger eggs if you change the lighting in a way to make her think a day is 28 hours long. *

Over 9 billion chickens are raised for food annually in the US. *

Researchers have found a way to turn chicken feathers into strong, plastic composites for products as varied as car dashboards and boat exteriors.

Feathers make good paper, even for filters or decorative wallpaper. They work best combined with wood pulp to increase the number of times the fiber can be recycled.

The superfine size and shape of feathers make them well suited to filtration needs.

Agricultural researchers have found a carbonization process that converts ordinary poultry manure into granules and powders that can mop up pollutants in water.

The chicken can travel up to nine miles per hour.

A hen now lays an average of 240 eggs a year, as compared to about 100 in 1940. A pullet (a hen less than one year old) becomes an egg layer at about five months. It is not necessary for a hen to be mated to lay eggs. In fact, almost all eggs sold commercially are unfertile.

There's only one catch for the hen in her increased egg-laying capacity, but it's a big one. She can maintain her high production rate for about 14 months. Then she's slaughtered and sold for meat. Nevertheless, a laying hen has better odds than meat chickens, which are killed and sold as broilers and fryers when less than three months old.
Chickens are virtually earthbound. If they can fly at all, it is only a few sporadic feet off the ground. They also have an inferior sense of taste and smell, although their hearing and eyesight are acute.

The average cock (rooster) weighs from 6 to 13 lb., the average hen from 4 to 10 lb. Bantam chickens can weigh less than 1 1/2 lb.

T here are four places in the United States with the word "chicken" in their name: Chicken, Alaska; Chicken Bristle in Illinois and Kentucky; and Chicken Town, Pennsylvania. According to lore, Chicken, Alaska got its name because the locals wanted to honor the state bird, the Ptarmigan, by naming their town Ptarmigan, Alaska. But they couldn’t spell Ptarmigan. However, they could spell Chicken

The "Chicken Dance" was introduced in the United States in 1981 by the Heilbronn Band from Germany during the 1981 Tulsa Oktoberfest. The song was not actually the Chicken Dance, but "Der Ententanz"—"The Duck Dance." There was not a duck costume to be found anywhere in Tulsa; however, a chicken costume was available at one of the local television stations. The station donated the costume for use at the festival, and the rest is history. At that time the tune was all the rage in Germany.

Dance Like a Chicken Day is May 15


Chicken related etymologies

egghead - An intellectual.

golden egg - Great profit.

spring chicken - A young woman.

chickens coming home to rost - A person's words or acts come back to cause trouble

like a chicken on a June bug - very quickly

mad as a wet hen - very angry

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. - Don't risk all you have on just one thing.

pecking order - The way people are ranked in relation to each other.

walking on egg shells - Behaving in a careful manner so as not to offend someone.

egg on - Urge someone on.

like a chicken with its head cut off - In a hurried or disorganized way.

egg on your face - Embarrassed.

lucky break - Unexpected good fortune

chicken feed - A small sum of money

bad egg - A person who disappoints expectations

counting your chickens before they hatch - Depending on getting something before you actually get it.

[hillbillygal]

It is not necessary for a hen to be mated to lay eggs. In fact, almost all eggs sold commercially are unfertile.
So, do you not have to have a rooster? I guess that shoots your continuing flock though doesn't it? One of my biggest concerns about raising chickens is cracking an egg and finding an unfinished chick. I understand it's a delicacy elsewhere but I think I'd never eat another egg.

[dilligaf]

no there is no need for a rooster unless you want fertilized eggs,
the fertile eggs will not begin growing until they reach 86 degrees and then incubate between 99 and 101 degrees thereafter, for the 21 day cycle before hatching, below that they do not grow at all. So long as eggs are collected out of nest boxes every few days there is no real chance of them growing into a chick...
Yes that would end the grow hatch cycle if you had no rooster, but there are ways to all together eliminate that worry if its a big worry. Our rooster is completely free range unless i need to incubate eggs for a new crop of hens. There are a few different methods to actually go about the hen/ rooster thing. :)

I can say in all my years I have never had that happen ,,( unfinished chick),,,,,i dont think i would eat them either if i did...

[dilligaf]

Why chickens? Here is a top ten reasons list of why chickens make a wonderful first time farm animal.

1. Low maintenance pets - they don't need walking or grooming, just feeding and watering a few times a week, shutting in and out, daily egg collection and cleaning out. They are quiet with the exception of roosters. Chickens make good companion animals and many cities allow hens.

2. Cheap - chickens are a lot cheaper to keep than a dog or cat.Feed costs can be very cheap and they also be fed scraps from the table as treats, further reducing feed costs, and also recycling.

3. Great tasting, nutritious eggs. Once you have tasted an egg produced in your own back garden, as fresh as can be, there is no going back. The yolks are a deep orange, rather than the pasty yellow that comes from the supermarket, and they stand proud in the frying pan, instead of spreading out, because they are minutes, hours or days old rather than weeks or months old.(an average egg from the store is nearly two months old )Eggs do not need refridgeration except in hot conditions, they will keep several weeks.

Research shows that chickens allowed to roam freely and eat grass lay eggs that are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E and at the same time lower in cholesterol than eggs from the supermarket, making home-produced eggs healthier.

4. Personality. Believe it or not, chickens have great personalities. There are always the shy ones, and those that run up to you to be picked up and cuddled. They do quirky things that will light up your day, everyday.

5. Walking, living, breathing, beautiful lawn ornaments. Just take a look at our breeds section and you can see the wonderful array of chickens available - not all chickens are brown!

6. One step closer to sustainable living and self-sufficiency. Chickens give us eggs and meat that don't have food miles,

7. Organic, chemical free, pest control. Chickens love to eat bugs that bite you, such as mosquitoes and ticks, and the bugs that harm your plants like slugs. They sometimes even eat baby mice whole (all together now, EWWWWW!)

8. Free fertilizer. All it takes is a few months on the compost heap to rot down, and it is one of the best fertilizers on earth, better than cow and horse manure. You can also make liquid fertilizer from their droppings.

9. Save a hen from a life behind bars. By producing your own eggs and meat, you are reducing demand for eggs from hens in terrible conditions at factory farms, and some free range farms. By not buying their eggs, you are sending a clear message that you don't want what they're selling.

10. Be unique. Despite their growing popularity ( chicken keeping is the fastest growing hobby in the US), chickens are still comparatively rare. Amaze your neighbors with tasty blue eggs from your araucanas, your furry silkies and your friendly hens that come up just begging to be cuddled, and your garden will be the envy of your street with all that free fertilizer you've been putting in.

[dilligaf]

The basic needs in a chicken house are not much different than yours or mine are. Protection from the elements(but also have ventilation), food , and a cozy place to sleep. Chickens need between 1 and 2 square foot of coop space per bird (depending on size) and between 5 and 10 sq ft per bird if they are ranging or in some sort of fenced enclosure. They need places to roost and nest and a clean water and food source. Lighting is not necessary unless you have extreme cold , are trying to keep infighting down or increase egg production or are raising a batch of chicks.

There are ghetto chicken houses made from scraps n scribbles that we all have laying around and then there are the extravagant Mc chicken mansions available out on the market. They can cost from nothing to literally thousands of dollars depending upon what it is you would like .

Following are a few examples of different chicken housing options :

The Truck cap

Just as it sounds it is nothing more than an old truck cap placed either on the ground or on a few sheets of plywood. For cleaning , it just lifts up and you scoop out the manure . The back door on the cap serves as the door in and out of there home and usually there is a fenced run outside or they free range during the day. For ventilation purposes the side windows work well and we can control how much air circulation goes through it. Egg collection is probably the biggest issue with a truck cap coop.

chicken tractor or ark

The chicken tractor or chicken ark is a basic structure that has an enclosed area for the hens as well as a small run area.They work best when you want to allow your chickens to range and weed etc but do not have the space for them to run freely, It provides both protection for them and a controlled flock of chickens for you. It is generally portable by one or two people and are quite simply constructed or there are kits available for purchase There are many different variations and of course they will very depending upon what you use to make them.
http://www.permaculture.org.au/topics/images/chooks/chook2.jpg


The chicken Igloo

This is another alternative for small flocks of chickens. Remember the old igloo style dog houses? All you do with an igloo is attached a fenced area to the outside and you have a portable hen house for 1-4 hens. There are overpriced specially designed models available as well however I fail to see the difference in making your own as to purchasing one. The dog ones are also cheaper to find than one designed for a chicken.

the old shed conversion

If you have an old shed around, conversion is quite simple. Make a few roosts and nest areas and cut a chicken hole(like a doggie door) so that they may go in and out without using the main door, throw some fencing around it and instant house. If the chickens will free range then no fence is needed.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y286/helena_the_chicken_lady/All%20About%20Chickens/dropdownpopholeopen.jpg

The Mc Mansion

The mcmansion style chicken coops are quite astounding, many of them are more fancy and ornate that the highest priced subdivisions. I personally do not see the need for them but to each there own and they are fun to look at.
http://backyardchickens.com/images/coops/deena/exterior1.jpg

what we have

We generally have between 30 and forty chickens total at any given time here on the farm.Predators are a big issue so we use what we call semi free range practices (we let them out to range during the day and lock them in the enclosure at night or I take veggies and greens etc to them in the enclosure ). We have a 16 x 8 foot coop with a row of nest boxes on each side at 32 inches in height. There is a door on the inside of the coop so that we can close it during inclement weather ,use it to keep peeps n pullets inside or round up chickens easily. It also serves well to close the hens outside in the attached 20x30 or so fenced run for cleaning purposes. Our coop has a 6 foot high chicken mesh wire fence around the outside and a net covering over the top because of predators. We also have an electric line out to the coop for lighting purposes and/ or heating purposes when needed.http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/2426/coop_1.jpgIf you look along the inner wall , you can see the row of nest boxes, the other side has same . If you can see to the right on the outside of the coop there is an added on section of wood. This also has more nest boxes and an enclosed area for the chickens as well. we sometime block off half of the outside run in order to segregate different ages chickens or roosters from the rest of the flock.

These are just ideas for different types of chicken homes. They are many other options available out there for us to choose fromor use your imagination and see what you ideas you can come up with for your own flagship flock.

[hillbillygal]

I would have to enclose the run area for the chickens due to predators around here. I would also have to enclose them to keep them out of our dogs' yard. The neighbor used to have chickens and he lost two to our dogs when they came across our fence. I have a lot of the materials you talked about for housing options. I'm beginning to see how do-able this would be for us. I've not had experience with chickens so I didn't know they had those types of personalities.

[dilligaf]

chickens really are quite awesome creatures, I enjoy just going and sitting outside their fenced in yard and watching them interact and such. As chicks they are quite funny and rather mean to one another,,, but it does show one how much of a pecking order there is with animals and how fast they learn it...
We had one that used to climb into the hot tub if it was left open for cleaning and he would come to the picnic table and eat dinner with us as well... would sit on the bench and peck at what i put in front of him on the table.

[dilligaf]

Chickens fall into one of four basic categories .Meat , egg laying, a combination of both and exhibition. Within each category there are several variations and crosses of birds; including temperament, color, egg size and colors and whether they will brood (raise there own young, this has been bred out of most birds today). Following is a brief list of sizes uses and varieties of some of the more common birds.

Meat birds or giant breeds
These birds grow at a fast rate of speed and although they do lay eggs they cant be depended on to lay regularly . The most common breeds are Cornish Giants and Jersey Black Giants.These birds dress out at between 8 and 10 pounds apiece. Commercial growers generally use a cornish giant / plymouth rock cross bred bird.

mid size or heavy breeds
These birds are generally dual purpose breeds, good meat but only average 3-4 pounds dressed out and produce eggs , but not as many as a bird bred for production. These birds often slow production of eggs during cold winter weather or stop altogether when not using artificial light in extreme cold and short day light hours. Barred Rocks, Red Rocks, Columbian Rock, Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorp. are all examples of mid size dual purpose birds.

small layer breeds

These birds are truly meant for egg production and not eatting unless of course you just like skin n bone. Leghorns, Araucanas and Anconas are some of the more popular small layers.


Banties or bantums
These are the lil gals in the chicken world. They are good layers however eggs are smaller than an average small egg. These lil guys are very alert creatures, must be to compensate for there size. They also make fairly decent inside pets , if that is your calling. Cochins, Mille Fleurs, Brahmas, and Silkies are some of the more popular bantum breeds.

I must add that there are several commercial cross breeds out there available now that combine the laying ability of one breed with the meat growing capabilities of another breed. When the egg production goes down they make a decent meal for a family. another good reason for crossed breeds is the use of sex linking of the chicks. Males and females are different colored making identification much easier.

There are several exhibition breeds as well that can be used for either eggs or meat as well as show. We have several different varieties of the polish crested here . They do lay decent egg amounts and are not too scrawny n bony, however they do need protection more so than most other breeds because of there adornments.

Here is a fairly decent link to the Univ of Ok site that has an alphabetical list of breeds and uses etc. http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/poultry/chickens/
Another good sight for a search is http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/ They have excellent pictures on the sight as well as breaking the various birds down into more precise categories.

Here we have a variety of different birds. When we originally ordered chicks, we got several different varieties of the polish crested birds.They are Pretty, but need overhead protection,,, not overly friendly but can sneak up on them because of hair in there eyes.We have ameracauna hens , my favorites, blue eggs,meaty and pretty calm and friendly girls. We also had a batch of the sex linked red stars.They are an overall good mellow bird for the , good layers n meaty too. I have only ever had one hen brood and out of all the eggs she amassed under her, (20 sum odd) two hatched . We do use an incubator here and hatch our own birds now ,resulting in a whole bunch of funny n neat looking crosses..

[bundick]

Hillbillygal is worried about finding a featherd dynosaur in an egg. That's not common at all. If it happens you aint pickin your eggs often enough.

You just havent lived till you've slid your hand under a warm hen to get an egg and wrap your fingers around a Snake! Not to worry, the poisonous snakes dont eat eggs.

In Alaska I kept 25 Rhode island Hens and one big handsome Rooster.
During the winter I had Heat lamps on a timer. I gave them about 12 hours of daylight with the Incandescent bulbs, but the Heat lamps were on all the time.

Egg production dropped down to three or four eggs a day in the winter, but I'd get more than a dozen in the summer.

I made a mistake, in my ignorance I put the roost's up above the Heat lamps.
One day I found my big handsome Rooster laying on the floor. frozen.
I never did fix that.
We began to eat the Chickens till that was all over.

I also had Ducks, Turkeys, Rabbits n' Bantums.

White Leghorns, (the Commercial birds) are a waste of time, food and energy for the backyard bird farm. Low egg production, low tolerance to bad weather and a short lived bird, dying for no appearant reason.

This story is supposedly true:
During the early days of the Peace Corps, some enterprising young collegiate went to South or Central America.
He supposedly talked ol' Gomez into buying some Rhode Island Chicks with his hard earned money.
Those big Chickens would be better eating, and lay bigger eggs. A whole lot better than those scrawny birds that lived off the scraps n' bugs around his house.
O'l Gomez went for it. Spent nearly a years wages buying those Chicks.

It wasnt long before Gomez realized those big chicks couldnt fly and wouldnt be able to roost in the trees to keep away from Predators.

They also dont eat well on what they can scratch up off the ground.
Soon Gomez was down to killing his Red's because if he didn't eat them, something else would.
Mr. Peace Corps was humbly apologetic and much wiser after that. I always wondered if the U.S. Gov. ever re-imbursed Gomez?

Dilligaf you are up on your chickens. Nice forum.

[dilligaf]

i was going to post on preparing for babies this morning,, however i myself was not prepared for the little bundles of joy i had awaiting me at chore time,, 2 teenie tiny itty bitty goat kids,,, that are so little they cant even reach a nipple on mama... needless to say they are now residing in front of the woodstove warming...


they are now outside with mama n hopefully the lil fellers will make it thru the night and be well,,,. they are the smallest kids i have ever seen i believe,, they stand 8 inches at the shoulder and weigh about a pound n a half apiece
http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/500/tweedledeetweedledum.jpg
http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/500/sneakersizedkid.jpg the sneaker is a woman size 7...

[HoneySuckleBlue]

I am really enjoying this dilli, I will have chickens, oh yes....

[hillbillygal]

Oh the goats are so cute! My dad had goats a few years ago. One snowy day one of the nannies had two kids and went insane. She'd have nothing to do with them. Dad ended up bringing them into the house and bottle feeding them. After a couple nights on the porch they went back to the momma and she finally took to them. They ended up being big boys.

[dilligaf]

I dont think these lil dudes are gonna make it ,,, they are just too little, lung issues and digestive issues,,, but i will give it a whirl n try ..if not then was way it meant to be... one thing ya learn fast with animals,,, they die , its nature and ya certainly cant stop it ...

[dilligaf]

Here is a comprehensive list of chicken vocabulary . Before you begin looking for your flock, you will want to become somewhat familiar with the terms.Education before hand saves alot of problems and dissapointment further on down the line, people will and do pull one over on you any chance they can get even in the homestead/ farming world.


Bantam- A variety of chicken that is 1/4 to 1/2 the size of a Standard chicken breed, kept mainly for ornamental purposes. Some chickens come in both Standard and Bantam varieties; some come in just Bantam and some in just Standard.

Bedding- A material, usually wood shavings, added to the coop floor and nest box in order to absorb odor and droppings and provide a soft surface for chickens to walk on.

Bloom-The delicate, invisible membrane outside an egg's shell that protects the contents from bacteria and other foreign matter.

Brood- 1. The desire of hens incubate and be a good mother to baby chicks. 2. A group of baby chicks.

Broodiness- The desire of some hens to sit on eggs (whether fertilized or unfertilized) in order to incubate and hatch them.

Candling- The process of shining a light on an egg to see inside and determine whether the it is fertilized. (Used to be done with a candle; now done with normal lightsor candles if you prefer)

Capon- A castrated rooster.

Chook- "Chicken" to Brits, Aussies and Kiwis. (Hey, if they can call chickens chooks, we can call them by their nicknames too, right?)

Clutch- A group of fertilized eggs that a hen incubates.

Cockerel- A juvenile rooster.

Comb- The red, rubbery flesh on top of a chicken's head. There are several variations of a comb which i will post on at a later point .

Coop- A chicken house.



Complete Feed- A feed that contains everything your chickens need to maintain proper health.

Crested Breed- A breed of chicken that has feathers on top of its head, such as a Polish or Sultan. hippy chickens

Crop- A part of the esophagus where food is digested and softened before it enters the stomach.

Droppings Tray-A collection unit located underneath roosting poles that collects droppings for easy disposal.

Dual Purpose-A hen that is bred for both egg-laying and meat qualities. Dual-purpose breeds are valued for their good nature and cold-hardiness.

Dust Bath- A behavior pattern whereby chickens dig themselves a hole in the ground and immerse themselves in the loosened earth, rolling around and trying to get as dirty as possible. Dust bathing is an important defense against mites and lice, and if they don't have access to a dust bath, they need an artificial dust bath set up indoors.

Dusting Powder-A solution that allows chickens confined to the indoors (or without access to dry earth) to take a dust bath.

Feeder-The container that holds and delivers feed to your chickens.

Fertilized Egg-An egg laid by a hen that has mated with a rooster and is capable of becoming a baby chick. (Only possible when roosters are present!)

flogging- when a poultry d of any sort attacks a human.

Fluff- The soft, profuse feathering on a chicken's butt.

Gallus gallus domesticus-The species name (in Latin) of chickens.

Grit-Sand or bits of crushed rock which chickens eat and store in their crop. Essential for proper digestion of food.

Hackles- The feathers around a chicken's neck.

Hen- A female chicken.

Incubation- The process of hatching a fertilized egg via the application of a constant heat source, frequent turning and the maintenance of a humid environment. Incubating baby chicks takes 21 days.

Layer Feed- A complete feed made especially for laying hens.

Molt- The chickens' yearly process of shedding its' feathers and re-growing new ones. During the molt, hens will not lay eggs.

Nest Box- A man-made box designed to encourage hens to lay eggs in it. Common wisdom is that one nest box is required for every 4-5 hens.

Non-setter-A chicken or breed of chicken that does not have a tendency or desire to incubate fertilized eggs or care for baby chicks. most hens today have had broodin and setting bred out of them

Ornamental Breed- A type of chicken bred mainly for its appearance and for show, not for egg production value or meat.

Pecking Order- The social organization created by a flock of chickens whereby a bird with a higher rank may peck a bird with a lower rank, but those with a lower rank may not peck those with a higher rank. (The bird with the highest rank can peck all the other birds; the one with the lowest rank can peck none.)

Poultry Show-Much like dog shows organized by the American Kennel Association, Poultry Shows are venues for judging poultry according to breed standards, organized by the American Poultry Association. They include chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other poultry. (Unlike dog shows, you don't have to take your bird out and make it trot, sit, stand etc.)

Production Breed- A type of chicken bred specifically for its value as an egg layer.

Pullet- A juvenile hen.

Roost- 1. When chickens perch on a pole or branch, as in when they sleep.
2. A pole or branch that chickens perch on.

Rooster- A male chicken.

Roosting Pole- A man-made perch, usually constructed of wood and located inside the chicken coop, that chickens perch on while they sleep.

Rumpless- A breed that does not have tail feathers like normal chickens (such as the Araucana).

Run- An outdoor area where chickens can roam freely, usually attached to the chicken coop.

Saddle- The feathers on the lower part of a chicken's back.

Scratch- 1. A special treat that chickens love made of various grains. (Not to be substituted for feed.)
2. An instinctual behavior chickens perform with their claws to dig up bugs, worms, tiny rocks and other goodies they find in the soil.

Setter-A chicken or breed of chickens that has a tendency or desire to incubate a batch of fertilized eggs also called brooder

Sexing- A process by which the sex of a baby chick is determined.

Sex Link- A relatively new type of chicken whose sex is indicated as soon as they hatch by the color of their feathers. Sex Link females are known for excellent egg production and males as good "fryers".

Shanks- The bottom part of a chicken's legs.

Sickles- The tail feathers on a rooster.

Spur- An additional appendage-like protrusion on a rooster's shanks. (Used for fighting.)

Started Pullet- A juvenile hen between that has already started laying eggs.

Starter Feed- A complete feed formulated specifically for baby chicks.

Vent-The exernal opening of a chicken through which all waste matter and eggs pass.

Waterer- The container that holds and delivers water for your chickens.

Wattles- The two red, rubbery flaps of flesh on a chicken's neck.

Wheezer- A chicken's butt (colloquial).

Wormer- A medicine or treatment that rids animals of intestinal worms.

[hillbillygal]

Why would you want to castrate a rooster? Oh I got another definition: Flogged- when a person is attacked by any member of the poultry family

[dilligaf]

i really dunno lol..., i have never seen a castrated rooster and as far as finding out the real reason all i have found is it makes them grow fatter, greasier n more tender ...some also say it reduces crowing but if you ask a vet that question they will tell you it doesnt.. ....
thanks for adding that hb gal, i completely forgot about that one lol

[dilligaf]

There are several methods in which you can go about getting some chickens to raise.

Most often a local feed and seed or farm supply store carries them in early spring. You can purchase them from there.They are generally baby chicks they have ordered in from a large hatchery and are a bit pricier than mail order, however they are on the spot buy n go .They generally carry a few different varieties and maybe if you are lucky, they will even know what breed, etc that they are. My word of caution if you go this route is that they are in a place where oodles of people are in and out and often around other various critters, therefore, they may not be healthy .

Check local papers or market bulletins, there are often ads in them for chicks or chickens in those. Again, they are coming from another homestead or farm and could carry disease etc with them and unless you know what to look for, how would you know if they are not healthy. It is very important that if you purchase animals from another homestead or store, auction etc that you quarantine them away from any other stock or animals you have until they are proven to be healthy.


If you have an incubator already at hand then you can order fertilized eggs and then incubate them once they arrive home. If raising animals and using incubators is new to you then this may be a difficult task for a beginner and could turn what should be fun and exciting into something that was not a good experience and ruin things in you r mind about chickens.

My favorite way in the home environment is to mail order the babies. Aint nothing like having the local post office call you at 6 am saying "get these things the hell outta here n hurry before we go postal!" There is really something great about watching very young chicks . You learn the the habits, eating rituals, etc as they grow and get to see each stage before attempting to hatch some eggs of your own or having a flock arrive partially grown into adulthood. Mail order chicks are hatched and out n gone for delivery within 8 hours generally. They also vaccinate for one of the bird diseases before they are shipped or you can choose not to have this done it is up to you . They are generally there at the post office within a day, so your babies are around 24-36 hours old when they arrive and they come hungry. Here are a few things to remember about mail order chicks. They most often come in groups of 25, . Be sure and look through and read closely about how the critters are shipped ... I can remember my mothers first order of chicks, being the city gal she was,,, she didnt bother looking very close at how they were shipped and when she thought she ordered a dozen chicks, she order 300.Our local post office was not happy to say the least, but atleast it was a farm town and they were used to such craziness, just not to the extent mom had gone n done.We were also not prepared for that many. Often times they will ship several extra baby roosters to keep the others warm in the box they are shipped in(especially in winter). They place a large green stripe on the extras they toss in so that you know they are extra and roosters and not lil aliens that managed to somehow infiltrate the box along its route to you. The green wears off after a while and then leaves you in a quandary as to who is who until the bad guys learn to crow,(, that is another adventure...).

The only company i have ever used to buy chicks thru mail is McMurray . There are several others out n about , i have just never tried them so I can not say as to how good a service they provide. McMurray has always been very helpful and they have a great catalog as well as phone service with real people on the other end and have never had any problems whatsoever with any poultry i have ordered from them. Have a look around at some of the different places and stores and go with what feels right for you...One last benefit from mail ordering the chicks is that it gives a little bit of time for you to prepare the nursery in advance of them coming.


Here is a pretty good site for the US and Canada . It gives lists of many different suppliers of poultry in general as well as equipment.The main site also has several active forums, links , pics and products.

http://www.poultryconnection.com/hatchery.html

[dilligaf]

hey yall, our main computer had a nervous breakdown n is goin to comp doc for a couple few days. All my info is on there but i will post the next classes asap.

[hillbillygal]

Looking forward to the next class. I have ordered a catalog from McMurray's and called my local co-op. The lady there said that if I didn't want to order 25 chicks to come in around March and let her know what breed and how many I want and she will add mine to her order. She said that all the ladies that work at the co-op order their chicks together early in the spring. I have bought Carla Emery's Encyclopedia of Country Living and it has a lot of info. Thanks for the inspiration and knowledge dilligaf!

[dilligaf]

that is really awesome hb gal,,, makes it nice to have it so that you can pick a couple of one or another and get them rather than having to order 25 of all the same type ,,, have you any sort breed type you are leaning toward or not got that far yet?

Setting up nursery for chicks is really quite simple and basic. As long as it is warm , dry and giving them a source of food and water, chicks are happy.

A large box ,wading pool , wash tub, etc will do or a corralled area in a large coop will work nicely. A heat lamp above them and a thermometer, feeders and waterer's, a bit of bedding and you are good to go. I start chicks out at 95 degrees Fahrenheit under the lamp. The lamp should not take up the entire area, but only an area large enough for the babies to huddle up under and sleep and be warm. They need to be able to move about and not be under the light at all times. Each week drop the temperature by 5 degrees until you are down to 70.In cold weather i leave the light on even after they are down to the 70 degree mark. This not only provides light, warmth, but you can manipulate the length of days for laying later on and some say that it cuts down on pecking. with the red heat lamps. Over the time i gradually increase the area in which i have them enclosed so to give them more room to grow and allow them to be real chickens.
For feeders and waterer's, once can buy commercially available models of both .Problem is, tiny peeps often cant reach into them in order to eat and sit in waterer's and feeders thereby pooping in both. I often use small lids for both purposes until they are big enough to use the store bought ones. As the chicks get older, recycle plastic coffee cans and use them as waterer's and scatter there food about there pen for them. They enjoy the scratching and picking things and it is instinct as well so i try and keep things as natural for them as i can.

When the new babies arrive , whether by box in mail or from a store etc, dip the beaks in a bit of sugared water as you place them in the corral or box you have made for them,, this not only shows them where there water is but sugar gives them a bit of energy after there travels. Keep an eye on them , and you will find any poor doers , those i either repeat dip process with or remove all together. Rarely is there a problem with the babies, They are amazingly adept at eating and drinking from very young age and do well in the living game.
A few things to watch with chicks. They are mean little creatures, not to you but amongst there own. They pick n drag each other around while young and yell and scream about it , it is normal. They grow out of the beat each other up for kicks thing over time(mostly)If after the first week they are still picking at one another they may be too crowded. This is a different picking than the baby hen pecking , after a day or two you will be able to identify the differences. Chicks are narcoleptic, they fall asleep while eating sitting and walking, they grow out of this as well within a few weeks. I must admit, this is one of the funniest n neat things with baby chickens and until i learned it was normal for them i was quite worried about my lazy falling down babies. They like to keep in a flock with others,,, if one gets separated you will know it and they are pretty good jumpers or squeezers at times. Finally, they are little and fragile, be very careful when handling and in the first few weeks of life adults only should handle them. Kids love to hug them and cuddle them and squeeze them and eventually kill them completely by accident. Watch where you walk , expect to trample at least one out of every twenty five chicks , it just happens. If you read books on raising chickens you may notice the amount of disease they have or can have , rare is it that they actually get any of these unless they are living in horrible conditions to begin with. Do not let the books scare you into thinking that you are bringing disease and pestulance by having chickens.

Here is an ideal set up for your new babies, remember you don't have to buy all these things, use what you have around and cater it to you and what you have that is suitable.

http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/2426/brooderbox.jpg

http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/2426/chick_set_up.jpg

[dilligaf]

WHAT CHICKENS NEED
1. Grains (whole, living grains are better than cracked, and a mixture is better than pure corn)
2. Greens (grass, weeds fresh veggie parings from kitchen!)
3. Protein (in summer, they get enough bugs, but in colder weather they need protein supplementation,)

And WATER, WATER, WATER.
Chickens won't always search far for food or water. Sometimes they won't even go around a see-through fence to get it. And they need lots of water, especially when laying.

The most convenient way of feeding chickens is with a balanced pelleted ration, whether the birds are confined indoors or allowed to range outdoors. Most diets contain corn for energy, soybean meal for protein, and vitamin and mineral supplements. Commercial rations often contain antibiotics and arsenicals to promote health and improve growth, coccidiostats for combating coccidiosis, and sometimes mold inhibitors. However, it is possible to obtain unmedicated feed-check feed labels to see if they contain feed additives.


In the industry, the feed is pelleted so the bird can eat more at one time. Chickens are nibblers and make frequent trips to the feed trough for small meals, which requires energy. Pelleting reduces the amount of energy required for a bird to feed. However, many producers of pasture-based, "natural" poultry believe that the meat is better when the bird receives more exercise.

If the bird is eating a fibrous diet, grit, (Not oyster shells) is supplied to aid in grinding up coarse feed in the gizzard. Industry birds usually don't use grit because the diet is low in fiber. Outdoor birds also pick up small stones. Here i take our shells from eggs crunch them up and bake them a bit to dry them and scatter in pen.

Different rations are often used, depending on the production stage of the bird. Starter rations are high in protein-an expensive feed ingredient. However, grower and finisher rations can be lower in protein since older birds require less. A starter diet is about 24% protein, grower diet 20% protein, and finisher diet 18% protein (1). Layer diets generally have about 16% protein. Special diets are available for broilers, pullets, layers, and breeders. Whole grains can also be provided as scratch grains. Feed comes in either mash form or pelleted. Mash is simply smashed up pellets. I generally start chicks on mash and after 3 months or som move them on to pelleted feed. May just be my hens but they seem to make a giant mess of the mash and waste oodles more.

There are a few varieties of organic feed out on the market, although they are very expensive to buy and hard to come by.

Mixing your own ration is done fairly easily if you have a feed mill in town or close by. You simply tell them what grains etc you want in and they mix it for you.This generally has to be done in bulk sizes 500 pounds or more. storage becomes an issue if you only have a few birds. Depending on how extreme one would like to go with mixing and growing there own food there are multiple ways of going about finding a happy medium for you and your flock. One can sprout there own grains n beans, grow maggots and worms etc and feed back to the chickens. Here, I feed, pellets and scratch grains and supplement them with greens from the yard, worms, bugs n stuff i find and collect for them ,and alot of compost from our kitchens and different gardens. Currently about 50 % of our flocks feed is coming from sources other than bags of purchased feed. In the near future i am hoping to raise that amount closer to 75%.

[hillbillygal]

I am leaning heavily toward Rhode Island Reds. I was first wanting white egg layers but because everything I read says that brown eggers are more laid back I think that may be the way to go.


Do you have your chicks innoculated at the hatchery? I was checking them out at McMurrays and they offer to vaccinate 25 chicks for 3.50. I'm not sure if I should go ahead and let them or not.

I am going to order from the co-op so it may not even be an option. I am guessing if one person says yes the rest of the chicks in the shipment are treated.

Glad your computer's working again!

[dilligaf]

I do usually have them inoculated at the hatchery, to me its cheap and even though we are as antibiotics free as can be i figure there is a good reason they inoculate for what they do

i like my reds. they are pretty laid back gals.. my polish ones , beautiful as they are are blockheads,,,,my favorites are my ameracaunas, even though i have no real reason why other than the coloring, which isnt ornamental or anything , and blue eggs are kind of fun,,,,
fun fact ... the green eggs and ham from dr sceuss fame was from aracauna hens laying green eggs, not cuz it was rotten like most of us seem to think...

[dilligaf]

If you pick up a book on raising chickens or any other animal for that matter, you will probably notice the enormously large section on illness , parasites and diseases . By reading the books one would come to the conclusion that chickens and all animals should not be around humans for fear of becoming ill yourself. Simple fact of the matter is, I have never had an encounter with diseased chickens in large numbers and i have been around them since i was a very small child. By far predatory animals are the chickens worst illness or cause of death in flocks. Poor sanitation is secondary and those conditions are what causes most illnesses in a flock . Cleanliness is the key preventive measure, and i do not mean sweeping and dusting out your chicken coop daily or even monthly. Keeping the bedding dry, keeping extreme cold out and providing clean, fresh and plentiful amounts of water and clean feeding places is usually sufficient with a two to three time a year complete cleaning.

Following are some home , old time remedies for your birds that are both cheap and often times there is no need to run out and buy special treatments for them.

Onions and garlic fed regularly are a natural preventative of any worms that might be thinking of a home in there guts. (If your hens are laying, they will pick up the flavors of the garlic and onions...) Sour milk or buttermilk mixed in their feed or drinking water will deter diarrhea, epsom salts fed at 1/2 tsp per bird will also ward of diarrhea. I put a tsp of bleach per gallon of drinking water, it keeps waterer's clean and i have been told by several folks here that it also wards off worms.

Hen house's ,brooders and incubators should be thoroughly aired and washed between flocks. I do this at least every 6 months whether i have a new flock or not. I completely clean all poop and bedding, and nest boxes out and then use a bleach water mixture and allow to dry before re bedding the coop and nests..

During the winter, keep chicken house litter dry and exposed to air by scattering scratch feed around on it every day. This serves the added purpose of providing the hens with exercise so that they stay warm and healthy. Some say , on especially cold mornings try adding one tablespoon of kerosene to their drinking water as a pick-me-up. (I have never done this myself but thought i would include it just in case anyone is so inclined)

Among the actual diseases that infect domestic fowl, diarrhea is the most common. This condition-revealed by white or greenish, loose droppings-can be caused by cold, dampness, dirty surroundings and unclean food. Isolate the patient in warm, dry quarters and give her potassium permanganate solution to drink. To make this remedy, dissolve one tablespoon of the chemical in one quart of warm water. Then, for each bird, take one tablespoon of this concentrated solution and further dissolve it in one cup of warm water . . . in severe cases use a stronger solution, potent enough to turn a dipped finger slightly brown. (Don't keep potassium permanganate mixture in a metal container.)

Roup is caused by cold, damp or drafty quarters or by overcrowded housing, and is spread through the drinking water or feed. The symptoms are like those of the common cold: sneezing and a watery discharge which later turns foamy white and then yellowish-from the eyes or nostrils. Sometimes diarrhea, weakness and swelling of the head will also occur. You'll find on examination that the bird's throat is inflamed, with patches of gray and yellow forming a membrane that almost closes the passage. To treat this illness isolate the hen in a warm coop or box lined with hay or straw. The container should be placed in a sunny spot and covered at night. Feed the patient stale bread moistened with milk (preferably milk in which onions have been boiled) . . . or try cooked rice mixed with chopped parsley and onion tops with a tablespoon of powdered charcoal added twice a day. For drink use a weak potassium permanganate solu tion.

Gapes is a disease caused by a parasitic roundworm which is about 5/16 this of an inch long and looks like a fine thread. These pests lodge in the hen's throat and multiply there, so that the bird frequently opens its mouth wide as if yawning. To treat this condition make a salt brine, or steep tobacco in water for ten minutes. Pour one teaspoonful of either mixture down the chicken's throat. Then, keeping its head up, close the bird's nose holes and count slowly to five Next hold the patient by the feet, head down, and it will usually cough, sputter and evict the worms.

Scaly legs-which makes even young hens look like old crones with bumpy underpinnings-is actually caused by a parasite and is contagious. Combat the disease by bathing and softening the bird's limbs for a few minutes in a medium strong solution of that old cure-all, potassium permanganate. Wash the skin thoroughly, dry it and rub on some vaseline Repeat the treatment every three days.

Liver trouble is a non-contagious ailment that affects mostly older, heavier birds in the late winter and early spring. Sometimes the fowls die without warning, or they become sluggish and their faces and combs turn either yellowish or purple. The chickens may also have diarrhea and lose their appetites. The disease is caused by too little exercise and too much heavy, rich feed. It can be prevented by giving the flock a good supply of greens the year round. If this disorder does occur, the remedy is a dose of Epsom salts as for diarrhea.

Molting Once per year, every year, chickens will shed and re-grow some of their feathers. This process is called "molting". This usually happens in summer. During this time they may look a little ratty, and they definitely won't lay eggs. Not to worry. This isn't a sign of illness! The feathers will grow back and your bird will look better than ever. (If, however, it takes a long time for the feathers to grow back, this could be a sign of parasites or other illness.) You should be able to tell the difference because a sick bird behaves differently from the rest of the flock in other ways .

Here, I do not use any commercially available antibiotics or medications for the birds. If one does become ill, I simply separate it and use home remedies for her. If this fails, I put the bird down or watch n see if she gets better while keeping it separated from others . Personally I cant see taking a chicken to a vet and the subsequent bills. Most people are just not in the position to be rushing old Gladys the hen for an emergency vet visit at 3 am on a sunday... putting a value on an animal is not easy but rational thought processes need to be used when it comes to homestead life and death is a part of it.

potassium permanganate can be found at most home depots, lowes , feed and seed stores or pond/ aquaculture supply stores , it is widely used for both aquaculture as well as in water systems and is an effective way to control many bacterial, parasitic and fungal agents before systemic infections become established, often eliminating the need for antibiotic therapy.

***always wash hands thoroughly after handling, birds, eggs, meat or working in the coop. A pair of shoes or boots specifically used in barnyard chores is always a good idea as is never wearing them to any other locations. Keeping your boots or shoes clean is always a good practice as well a good rinsing on the outside with a little soap and bleach water is all that you need.

[dilligaf]

egg production
Most chicken breeds start laying small eggs around 6-7 months of age(some breeds around five months ). They will continue to lay well for about 2 years, then they start to taper off,...might lay 3 eggs a week then 2. Most farm people do not keep laying hens beyond -3 years..they go into the pot, unless of course you are vegetarian and they just become garden/yard helpers Bear in mind that the first eggs that are laid are generally little tiny buggers (kids love them because they are kid sized) don't be alarmed when you find what appears to be a robin sized egg in a nest, they will get bigger. Eggs do not need refrigeration unless they will be unused for over two weeks. If a hen can lay a clutch of eggs over a two week period before beginning her actual sitting on them to incubate them, why would they need a fridge? Eggs from a store are generally sitting around a warehouse for a length of time before ever finding your local grocer.

basic over view of how reproduction works
Chickens, as well as other birds, have a common opening for reproduction and for the evacuation of stools and urine. This opening is called the "vent". They do not have a bladder ,Ttheir urine is not a fluid,it is a white paste, called urates, that you can observe surrounding the droppings. The intestine, ureters and oviduct come together into a common chamber called the cloaca. This is a rather dirty place, where as the egg is always clean and almost sterile when laid.
The hen turns part of the cloaca and the last segment of the oviduct inside out, "like a glove." The described red membrane is then everted inside of these organs. The egg emerges far outside, at the end of the bulge. So it cannot contact the walls of the cloaca and get contaminated by stools or urine. The intestine and inner part of the cloaca are kept shut by the emerging egg, and their contents cannot leave when the hen strains to deliver the egg. Eggs are always clean as they are laid,however, sometimes a hen with dirty feet, will get the egg dirty anyway.
here is a basic diagram of how it all works
http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/2426/reproductiondiagram.gif http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/data/2426/reproductiondiagram2.gif


brooders
Brooding has been bred out of most chickens today. In the four years we have had 30 or more hens at all times here, we have had one hen hatch 2 chicks . On occassion a hen will go broody on you even without a rooster in the flock, if this happens either ignore it and she should return to normal after about three weeks (provide food n water nearby) or remove eggs dailyand it should fix the problem. If it doesnt work, try distracting her and walking her around a few minutes a day to get her mind off of sitting, usually within a couple days she is back to laying. If this still is an issue,,, simply put her in solitary confinement in a wire bottom cage with no nest, supply her with food and water and within a few days will be back to being a layer.

Happy turkeybird day yall!

[dilligaf]

incubators
An incubator is an enclosure having controlled temperature, humidity, and ventilation in which to hatch eggs of various types of poultry. Air exchange is attained by the rise and escape of warm, stale air and the entry of cooler fresh air near the base of the incubator..Some units also have egg holders and automatic turners. Prices will very immensely depending on what model or series you want or need .You can build your own... (http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_make_incubator.html)

There are basically two types of incubators available, forced-air and still-air incubators. Forced-air incubators have fans that provide internal air circulation, often have automatic turners,are used more commercially than for just a hobbyist/ homesteader and thereby more costly and less hands on with the eggs/ chicks.
The still-air incubators are usually small ,without fans for air circulation and require you to turn the eggs several times daily.

http://www.caimanhunter.com/images/080106nestg.jpg
a basic still air incubator (no frills, no fans, no egg holders n no turners)$39.95 is what i paid for ours. They pay for themselves in one hatch of 20 chicks... and are not limited to chickens

collecting and storing eggs for incubation

***Your eggs need to settle for at least 24 hours if they came through the mail. This allows the air-cell inside the egg to return to it's normal size.

Hatching eggs should be incubated within 1 week. Hatchability declines rapidly when incubation is postponed for more than 10 days.

Until they are incubated, hatching eggs should be stored in cartons or cases—large end up—at 40 to 70° F. (50-60° F. is best) with a relative humidity of about 75 percent. . If the eggs are to be stored for more than 2 to 3 days before they are incubated, their positions should be changed each day to reduce the tendency for the yolks to stick to the shells, for the final day allow them to rest with pointy end down.

***Keep in mind that about 50% success rate in hatching is normal...**

Choosing your eggs
They should be of a regular shape and average size, not larger or smaller than a typical egg produced by your chickens. Their shells should display no holes or cracks because such damage could encourage disease organisms to penetrate the egg. With this same concern in mind, you should not wash or wipe the egg, as you could remove the egg's natural protective coating that guards against such organisms.

Mark eggs, using a pencil only , with an X on one side and an O on the other. Make sure to turn the eggs at least 3 times a day (turn an odd number of times a day). You cannot skip weekends - you might get deformed chickens or none at all.

Incubation tips

Always start with a clean disinfected incubator .

Eggs should hatch in 21 days, give or take couple, after the incubation has begun .Some will not hatch, discard any unhatched eggs after 24 days.

Before putting your eggs into an incubator, plug it in and make sure the temp is steady at 100.5 degrees. I use a thermometer and a hygrometer (which measures humidity). Hygrometers can be purchased quite cheaply. Try your local cigar shop first, Radio Shack and some walmarts carry them and if you live in an area where poultry is popular, then you should have poultry supply places as well as local feed and seed stores that carry them. You want 50% humidity for day 1-18, then 70-80% for the last few days.


Candling
Eggs can be candled anytime after about Day 5 of incubation through Day 17 in order to see if the chicks are developing properly etc. Candling is using a beam of light to see inside the eggshell. You can use a simple wooden box with a light bulb inside it and a small hole at one end big enough to sit the egg on right up to the professional lens focusing, high powered units. The basic wooden box is suitable for most people.

The method of candling is very simple you hold the large end of the egg towards the hole in the box or lens, and then look at the side view of the egg. Rotate the egg slowly till you can see the insides clearly. I generally candle eggs 4 times for each incubation period.

1. Before placing in the incubator, by doing this you can see the freshness of the egg by the size of the air sac. The longer an egg sits or is stored the less chance of a successful hatch.Thin shelled eggs do not generally grow into a chick, so i discard them immediately.

2. 7 days, this will tell you if the egg is fertile or not. A clear egg means the egg is not fertile or early death of chick.. Fingers of blood vessels are a sign that all is OK. A C shaped vessel the chick is dead. This could be from rough handling or lack of Vitamin. K

3. 14 days, the egg should be a solid dark shape with a well defined air sac. By looking at the sized of the airsack you can and some practice you can tell the humidity levels in the incubator. A very large air sac you will have a small weak chick, the humidity is to low. If a small air sac is seen the chick will be all sticky or could drown during hatching .you can adjust the levels as required according to directions on your incubator .

4. 18 days. The chick is fully developed and the air sac is should be about 1 quarter the total volume of the egg. This will give the chick enough air during hatching and that the humidity levels are good. Do not candle after 18 days. The chicks need to setle and prepare for there grand entry into the world for the next three days.

Here is a link to a good reference site with good photos on candling an egg .
http://www.homestead.com/shilala/candling.html



trouble shooting tips

Symptoms eggs candling clear
No blood rings or embryo growth.
Possible cause
Eggs from a flock having no roosters.
Poor flock management.
Eggs stored below 40° F or which were too old before setting
Symptoms
Eggs candling clear
But showing blood or very small embryos on breaking.
Possible cause
Incubator temperature too high.
Eggs stored below 40 or above 80° F. before setting.
Symptoms
Dead Embryos
Before hatching time.
Possible cause
Eggs haven't been turned at least 3 times a day.
Lack of ventilation.
Incubator temperature set too high or too low.
Breeder flock having poor hatchability or fed inadequate ration.
Symptoms
Eggs pipped but not hatched (Chick pecks hole through shell)
Chicks dead in shells.
Sticky chicks
Shells sticking to chicks.
Possible cause
Low average humidity.
Low average temperature.
Low humidity at hatching time.
Excessive high temperature for short period.
Symptoms
Hatching too early
With bloody navels.
Possible cause
Temperature too high.
Symptoms
Delayed hatch
Eggs not pipping until 21st day or later.
Possible cause
Temperature too low.
Symptoms
Draggy hatch- Some chicks hatch early, but hatch is slow in finishing.
Possible cause
Temperature too high.
Symptoms
Crippled chicks
Possible cause
Abnormalities in development.
Poor nutrition of hens.
Incubator temperature too high.


after the hatch

Do not be in a hurry to take chicks out of the incubator. Gallinaceous birds, such as chickens,quail,turkey, and pheasants survive up to 3 days without feed or water. The yolk of the egg is drawn through the navel into the stomach of the baby bird before it hatches. That provided enough nourishment for the transitional period from the time the bird hatches, fluffs out, gains strength and becomes active enough to go out and seek food. Chicks continue to grow and develop in the incubator, before they receive food. Of course, they do not gain weight, but they do gain in stature, activity and use of their faculties.

They will instinctively be interested in drops of water, each other's toes, and other objects of possible experimentation. Do not assume from these evidences of interest that the chicks are hungry. It is simply nature's way of experimentation, exploration, and learning of the young. In general chicks are taken from the incubator after 24 hours. No harm is done if they are not taken out for 48 hours after they hatch.

Feeding Baby Chicks

Feed and water must be available at all times from the time they are out of the incubator. Do not dole out a measured daily ration. Do not let feed or water run out! As i remove chicks from the incubator to the brooder,I dip the beak into sugared water and feed.
Water receptacles are a problem with baby birds during their first week, in that if they can, the birds will drown themselves. The urge to get into water is thought to be related to the fact that the birds are fresh out of the fluids of their natural environment. The younger the bird is, the stronger the urge to throw herself completely into any water that is available. After a few days, this instinctive compulsion to flounder in water disappears.

A common device to prevent drowning is to use a shallow water cup with marbles set in the water over the entire drinking area. The chicks will drink in the spaces between the marbles.

[dilligaf]

We have reached the butchering stages of the chickens life cycle. So as to not offend , I have a separate thread for just butchering of animals. Only go to that specific thread if you want to learn and see how butchering is done.

I believe we have pretty much covered the basics of raising chickens from start to finish, I am sure some things have been missed or left completely out, but if you have something to add or feel needs to be discussed or gone more in depth i will be glad to do so .. just post it... A bit later on in the course the class we will be looking taking a closer look at other various type of poultry and fowl to raise on a homestead, as well as good companion animals for poultry.

Here is the link to the butchering thread http://www.hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3897787#post3897787 ....

[ninfan77]

I have a couple quick questions, admittedly i read through this first lesson pretty quick.

1. I live in Pennsylvania, it gets quite cold here. Do you have some suggestions for outdoor, laying hens?

2. Also, what is an acceptable temperature range in the shed/henhouse? I have a large shed, 24' x 16' that i could easily use or just build something off the back side of it, like a lean too, and pen it in. I'm just worried that they will be too cold in the winter, and there really isn't an acceptable place indoors for them.

3. My plan is to give them a small area to outside of the shed but as far as feed, i guess go to an Agway (farm store) and tell them i have egg layin hens, and i need some good food? How much should i get per hen? Is there a "better" type of feed over others available commercially?

[hillbillygal]

Just a quick update on my chicken progress. I have found a shed to convert to my coop. It's nicely made and can be moved if need be. We just need to add nesting boxes, perches, chicken door (it has a full size door but that will be my entrance from the back), windows for ventilation and light, and fencing. We are going to put the chickens near the dog lot so hopefully they will discourage the larger predators. We just have to be extra careful on that part of the fence so the two can't mix. My dogs don't have a good history with chickens. The neighbor had some once and two died because they crossed into our yard. (The rest of the chickens died in a coop fire but that's a different story.) Everything seems to be taking shape.

[dilligaf]

I have a couple quick questions, admittedly i read through this first lesson pretty quick.No worries these lessons will all stay on here forevermore i am imagining and i am seriously considering when it is all said and done making a huge handbook sort of thing with all the lessons available in one easy place seperate from this site.

1. I live in Pennsylvania, it gets quite cold here. Do you have some suggestions for outdoor, laying hens? If they are going to be outdoors all the time in the elements, which they do pretty well most of the time except under extreme cold, (there combs n such will sometime freeze n fall off, it wont kill them , just makes ugly chickens) . You can simply buy a nest box or make some nest boxes that can be out doors for them. ideally this would be out of the elements and out of wind areas ..For extreme cold, below zero, a heat lamp would help although ours here often do not have one going evenwhen it gets super cold and i have never had one freeze ,,, i can only ever remember one hen even in ny getting froze and one of her feet fell off she survived...


2. Also, what is an acceptable temperature range in the shed/henhouse? I have a large shed, 24' x 16' that i could easily use or just build something off the back side of it, like a lean too, and pen it in. I'm just worried that they will be too cold in the winter, and there really isn't an acceptable place indoors for them.That is a pretty large shed for chickens, you could put a good bunch in something that size. For inside enclosure, chickens of average size require 1.5 sq foot of space.(personally i would divide my shed and build a goat pen as well to share with the chickens :))It isnt so much the cold that is dangerous to any animal it is the wind and dampness levels in any enclosure where they are, so long as you can enclose an area and keep it relatively draft free they should be ok. For anything other than chicks a lamp is only needed for extreme conditions . Peeps need to gradually go from 95- 70 degrees over the course of several weeks and dropping the temp by 5 degree increments weekly

3. My plan is to give them a small area to outside of the shed but as far as feed, i guess go to an Agway (farm store) and tell them i have egg layin hens, and i need some good food? How much should i get per hen? Is there a "better" type of feed over others available commercially?If you start with laying hens , there are two basic feeds both the same just one is mashed and one is pelleted. For laying hens i prefer the pelleted, mash just seemed to turn into goo and a whole lot more waste. Expect to pay about 9-10 dollars a bag. I also buy scratch for ours here and feed 1part scratch to 3 parts or so of pellets.... I just toss the scratch around there stomping grounds in order to keep some of there few instincts intact and keeps the ground a bit aerated n such. a hen will eat about 4 oz of total food per day. This includes , greens , scratch , grains and any kitchen scraps. We go through 100 pounds of feed and 30 or so of scratch a month and have about 40 birds total.
If you start with chicks, start them out on starter mash for the first two - 3 months before changing them over to laying pellets or mash.

If i didnt quite cover all your questions or you have new ones be sure and ask ,,,,

[dilligaf]

Just a quick update on my chicken progress. I have found a shed to convert to my coop. It's nicely made and can be moved if need be. We just need to add nesting boxes, perches, chicken door (it has a full size door but that will be my entrance from the back), windows for ventilation and light, and fencing. We are going to put the chickens near the dog lot so hopefully they will discourage the larger predators. We just have to be extra careful on that part of the fence so the two can't mix. My dogs don't have a good history with chickens. The neighbor had some once and two died because they crossed into our yard. (The rest of the chickens died in a coop fire but that's a different story.) Everything seems to be taking shape.Just be certain the fence near where dog lives or is chained is good fencing, ... most dogs that ppl say are "good with animals" still luv a chicken dinner..
Sounds like you have this all figured out already, that is awesome. You should post some pictures in the pictures thread that i will start..

[ninfan77]

Awesome, so just to make sure it sticks in my head, as long as there isn't weather below 0F (which is pretty rare here) for an extended amount of time, i believe our winter avg is in the high 10's/low 20s, and the birds are protected from wind/rain they should be ok?

I really liked McMurrays website, ordered a catalog. My friend and I have about 3 acres of land, we don't plan on using it all for animals, but would like some goats, turkeys, and chickens next year. This class came at the PERFECT time, i'm sure i'll have more questions. Thank you so much !

[dilligaf]

yuppers you have it right :)

I enjoy mcmurrays site and books etc,, there staff has always been very very helpful as well if i have any questions and have never had a screwed up order or anything either... aint nuthin better than the post office callin ya to come get your peepin demons at 5 am,,, i never realized govt employees got on job site so early til i ordered chicks
Three acres is a nice amount of land for just a few animals and some gardens etc,,, The topic on goats is just beginning so hopefully you can glean some info from there as well,,, and as always if you dont see something covered that yo uwould like covered just scream and holler a lil bit and we can include it ..

[hippiestead]

Do Ginnea hens have similar needs to chickens?

[dilligaf]

yup.. in alot of ways, they a lil bit different than chickens are....I think they are going to be the next set of critters to go over in here.

[hippiestead]

I hear that they are excellent for grasshopper control :)

[shameless_heifer]

Hi Y'all,
I hadda get in on the chicken talk :) I gots chickens, guienie, turkeys and cockatiels, plus we host a huge amount of freeflyers that like to hang out here.

We have around 100 birds, I'm only guessing here bc they won't be still so I can count them. I think we have 20 or so Turkeys, The Grays with the pretty feathers, like you see in the wild. They are Lynns favorite, he has been raising Turkeys for 20 yrs. They follow him around like hungry puppies. I never seen anything eat like a turkey. The phrase eat's like a bird would be the opposit in their case. They eat more per body weight then my cute little ass, Crackerjack.

My favorite chickens are Rhoad Island Reds and Domineckers. The Rhoad Island Ladies are so eleigant in their little red skirts of soft feathers and make good layin' and settin' Hens, as with the Dominecker in their checkered pantaloons, both large birds and lay 'big' dark brown eggs. The Red Roosters are beautiful with their colorfull tail feathers and can be deadly with their spurs. Plymuth Rocks look a lot like doms but are smaller and their pattens is more of a strip then a check. I found this out when a seller sold them as Dominecker. Their eggs are smaller and a real light brown. They are very similar when there are pullets.

We have Auracanas(sp) but they are mixed, they still lay blue and green eggs tho. I don't seem to have any that lay white eggs, bc I don't see any white ones in the basket in the mornings. Lynn gathers around 30 eggs a day.

The Guienie run free bc they don't reproduce caged. They are very strange looking little creatures, and have a unique way of talking, with a totally distinct sound, quiet unlike any chicken. They hang together and take turns sitting on the communal nest

We got some pure white ones last spring (about 20) and Lynn put them in with the turkeys and now they think they are turkeys, they can fly and roost in the Catapal trees but they stay with the turkeys even when the other guinie come through.

I love the sound of the Barnyard in the mornings, when all the critters are wakin' up and greeting the day. Then when they see their bucket of feed coming they really start to rock and roll, the whole corner vibrates with their joyous music.

It's utterly fantastic to hear. The Roosters, with their bold 'cock-a-doddle-do,, the Hens clucking in rythem, the donkey, taking the courus to hights unkown, with Breeze whinnying beside him, the guinie, with their 'pot-rack' adding demention and the herd of goats bleating in the background, with the hounds howling in harmony. With all that racket it is somehow peacefull.

So starts my day as the sun rises.

Bright Blessings
sh

[Whiskers123]

Where I live it occasionally gets -40 (Fahrenheit or Celsius its the same thing) and regularly gets -30 Celsius. What kind of insulation is good for a winter coup? If nobody can help me here (and even if somebody does) I will make sure to check with the locals and see what they use.

[dilligaf]

It isnt so much the cold that is going to bother them. It is the moisture and draft levels. Those are what you have to be more concerned with over the cold temperatures . I would suggest putting yourself where the chickens would be and feeling around you,,Is it damp? Can you feel wind coming in. Some ventilation is always needed so keep that in mind however the chickens need to be able to be draft free and dry air. If it i s draft free and dry air then depending on how big of a coop one has a simple brooding light or two would help keep it from getting too cold and helps with light sources in winter months and if they are laying hens would also help with keeping production levels higher . Heritage breed chickens do better than other breeds in extreme conditions heat or cold so i would suggest possibly looking into the various breeds ( buff orphingtons are well known for there survivability) rather than crosses or fancy breeds etc..

one can always insulate the walls of the coop as well with insulation so long as it gets covered so that they do not peck and eat at it. Cardboard stapled otr tacked to the inside walls of a coop can also help in the insulation of a coop.


in all honesty, one is much more likely to lose a chicken from extreme heat than extreme cold...

[ChronicTom]

There is no delicate way to say this... chickens are just about the stupidest creature on the face of the earth (turkeys run a close second)...

I don't say this to be mean to them... I say it as a forewarning to those getting into them for the first time.

Do not give them any credit for being able to figure something out. Even something simple that will save their lives.

When I was running the hog farm, the barn had a third story loft in it. One room was about 6 feet wide and 20 long. I set this room up for a bunch of layers... roosts, nesting boxes, automatic waterer, lights, both visible and heat lamps... was very proud of it all.

On the floor about half way down the length, there was a 2x4 nailed on its edge, forming a 3 1/2" 'wall' between the two halves of the room... the roosts and nesting boxes were on the one side, the feed, waterer and grit were on the other. Just below the level of the 2x4, there was a 3/4 inch hole in the wall (probably used to be a wire running there).

Well, one night the automatic waterer got stuck open and flooded half the room (up to the 2x4 and hole in the wall). We're talking 3 inches of water... in half the room... the other half, completely dry... with roosts and boxes that were also completely dry... I had 30 chickens the night before... 18 of them drowned...

The lessons here?

First.... Make sure that if something like a water line for whatever reasons, bursts, leaks, valve sticks open whatever, that your set up doesn't let it harm your critters...

Second.... Chickens are stupid... do not count on them to figure out that staying on the dry side of a 2x4 will save their life.... lol

[ChronicTom]

A few years after that incident, I was on a different farm (the one I was being a hermit at), and I built my chickens a palace... at least in chicken terms.

It was in the back of an old tool shed. I lined the walls and floors with sub-flooring, built roosts up one corner of it, and an access door to a run out the back. On the inside wall, (in the tool shed itself), I built the nesting boxes and a feed trough. The feed trough was a Vee shaped flip in trough. You walked up to the outside, flipped a catch, pulled the trough out, filled it up (without chickens going mad around you), tipped it back in and locked it. Then right above that on the same wall were the nesting boxes... Open another catch, lift the flap, have access to four nesting boxes, (there were three of them side by side). Eventually, I was going to have a slide out floor in it. Chase the chickens into the yard, lock them there, lift a flap at the bottom of the wall, hook the edge of a piece of subflooring that is just reasting on the main floor, slide it out, flip it over, tap it a couple of times, flip it back, slide it back in. For a room 8'x8' just have two pieces side by side.

That would also give you the chance to leave the sub-flooring that you slide out, sit in the sun for a while, killing off a lot of bacteria that may be developing. You could even wash it off and disinfect it easily without flooding the chicken house which could lead to mold problems.

On feeding chickens their egg shells back to them... it's really important that they are boiled first (the egg shells). Two reasons, one is that they could carry bacteria and such back to your chickens, the other that it changes the taste of them, so they don't get a liking for raw egg shells.