Feeding
Chickens require a balanced diet with pelleted feeds & mixed corn with additional fresh vegetables & greens. Using a poultry feeder for pelleted feed saves waste. Scatter mixed corn on the ground for them to scratch about and to keep them amused.
Free range chickens have the advantage of picking at grass & they love to eat slugs & snails
Grit is essential in chicken’s diets for them to store in their crops & to help them to digest their food. It can be mixed with their food in the feeder or on the ground. Oyster shell in the grit helps with egg production.
Fresh clean water must be available at all times. A poultry drinker helps keep the water clean
Housing
Make sure you buy the correct chicken house to fit the number of birds you have. The house should be warm, dry & be able to be secured a night to prevent predators attacking your birds. It also needs to contain a nest box and have suitable perching for the birds to roost upon.
As long as there is suitable ventilation sheds, stables & outhouses can be adapted for keeping chickens in.
Chicken houses must be cleaned out at least once a week.
If you have lots of birds this may need to be done more often. If droppings are allowed to build up this creates ammonia & can cause health problems & attract flies.
Put a layer of shavings on the floor of your chicken house & use straw not hay for the nest boxes. The mixed straw & droppings are excellent for the garden but must be composted for some time before you put them on plants When cleaning the chicken house be sure to get into all the nooks & crannies & keep an eye out for fleas & red mites which will feed on your chickens
Eggs
Hens do not need a cockerel with them for them to lay eggs. He is only needed if you want to rear chicks from your hens. It is worth remembering before purchasing a cockerel that during the summer they can start crowing as early as 4am in the morning which may not be popular with your neighbours.
Collect your eggs every day to prevent your birds from sitting on them & to stop them falling prey to magpies & other egg loving birds.
When you collect the eggs mark them with a date in pencil so you know which to use first
Moulting
Once a year your chickens will loose their feathers & grow new ones; when this happens they will go off colour & will go off laying. This is stressful for them so to ensure they are in tip top condition give them a tonic as a boost.
General
When you get your chickens home put them into their new house with feed & water & allow them to settle. If your house has a run allow them to explore it the following day. For free range chickens you need to allow time to educate your chickens as to where their home is so they automatically come in each night to roost. Attach a run to your chicken house, shed or whatever so the chickens can come out & explore, let them do this for 2 weeks so they learn where the night time door is. After a couple of weeks you can remove the run & allow them free range in their new surroundings.
During the summer they will stay out much later than in the colder winter months.
Remember to shut them in each night to stop them being taken by foxes because you can be sure the one night you forget will mean an empty hen house in the morning.
When you let them out in the morning check the birds & make sure they are all eating, there are no signs of bullying and that their feathers are clean especially around their bottoms.
Check they have clean feet with no balls of mud collecting around the toes, if they have gently pick it off or they risk loosing their toes & toenails.
Above all enjoy your chickens & remember the quantity & quality of the eggs they produce is dependant on the quality of life you give them. Contented busy chickens will lay well & provide you with many eggs & you will certainly notice the difference in taste & colour of the yolks compared to Supermarket eggs
Housing & Equipment
In the late spring & early summer when the weather is warmer housing requirements & equipment for rearing young chicks can be quite minimal. While they still require heat day old chicks can be kept in good sized cardboard boxes or even large rabbit cages or if you have a garage or shed with electricity for heating your chicks will be fine there. In the colder months you will need a heat lamp as the chicks will succumb to cold even indoors. Hang the light above the chicks by a chain or some extra wire never by its flex! Always make sure you have a spare bulb in case the current one blows. As the weeks go on you can gradually raise the heat lamp so they are getting less heat & eventually turn the lamp off all together & allow them to acclimatise; remember if there is a cold snap you may need to provide heat again. If chicks are cold they will huddle together directly under the lamp & if they are too hot they will lie on the outskirts of the box, so adjust the lamp accordingly.
Line your box or cage with newspaper & some shavings, do not use news paper alone because it is slippery & your chicks could end up splay legged. As your chicks grow & you move them into their new quarters you can bed them on shavings & straw.
It is best to use small poultry feeders & drinkers rather than dishes because young chicks can easily drown in a dish of water. Hygiene is vital so ensure everything is kept clean & feeders & drinkers are washed on a regular basis. Boxes & cages must be changed or cleaned weekly depending on the amount of birds housed. Always watch your chicks for a few minutes after feeding to make sure they are all feeding & drinking & none are being bullied away from the food.
When your chicks are ready move them to their poultry house making sure it is the right size for the amount of birds you are keeping. The house should be warm, dry & be able to be secured a night to prevent predators attacking your birds. It also needs to contain a nest box and have suitable perching for the birds to roost upon.
As long as there is suitable ventilation sheds, stables & outhouses can be adapted for keeping chickens in.
