Raising Chickens for Dummies

[jeffinsgf]

RE: Roosting...

My original group were born and raised together, and never knew anything but their coop. They put themselves to bed every night like clockwork. Most of that group were either stolen or taken by predators (not a single feather found, so I question predators). The replacements were purchased at a swap meet and were just a little shy of laying age. These chickens must have been raised in the wild, because they would rather roost in the cedar trees than in the coop. I've put them in lock down for weeks, and when I let them out, they'll come back to the coop one or two nights, then it's back to the trees. I've given up. They seem perfectly content roosting in the trees, so I'm through fighting with them. If they get taken by a raccoon, it'll just be the way it is. But, to answer your question, if you train them to a coop at a young age, they'll put themselves to bed like the most obedient children you've ever seen.

 

[Mousefield]

Do you leave the heat lamp on 24 hrs? One thing I read was <12 hr/day

We have always get our egg layers as pullets, so 18-20 weeks old. However we also raise meat chickens and those we get as day olds. I leave the heat lamp on 24 hours a day for 4-5 weeks. If it get really hot out then we may turn off the heat lamps in the day.
I do raise the lamps 2-3 inches about every week. I also have enough room so that if it is too hot they can get away from being under the heat lamp. At present we have 3 batches on the go, 2, 7 and 9 weeks old for a total of 209.

 

[Mousefield]

Ticks are one reason I really wanted them. We're almost overflowing here with them, not as bad as some, but worse than it used to be. Then their is Lyme Disease. Were actually in one of the Lyme hotspots in my province.

Dad just got bit by a tick, and is showing the characteristic bullseye markings. Dr. put him on antibiotics as a precaution. So anything that will make my yard safer for my kids is a good thing.

Will chickens roam far from their coop? If I let them out in the morning, will they be waiting for me to let them in in the evening? Like 2 legged cows?

Our chickens will range all around the barn and chicken coop and into the forest for hundreds of feet. They share the pasture area with the goats without any problems. At dusk they go back into their coop by themselves, we do lock up the little door they use to keep the mink and raccoons out.

 

[jeffinsgf]

They may need (or at least appreciate) supplemental heat for a couple more weeks...it depends on their feathers. Are they still covered in chick fuzz, or have they feathered out? I'd keep a heat lamp available for them until they're fully feathered. Like Mousefield said, keep it to one end of the brooder (that's what your cardboard box is...fancy, huh?) so they can get out of the glow if they get too warm. I would also get an infra-red bulb. White light at night keeps them stirred up and doesn't let them get in a proper sleep cycle. The red light doesn't bother them at all.

 

[Scooby074]

So heat lamp on 24/7 for the time being then? Ive read where your supposed to drop their temp 5*/wk by raising the lamp. I think after another and a half Ill switch over to a 60W ir bulb if i can find it. Im using a red 150W bulb. Judging by their constant sleeping, i think they dont mind

They have their wing feathers.. but their backs are mostly fuzz I think

Here's the "girls"

 

[Jstpssng]

Just my $.02 ;-) They're a lot of fun. I currently have 5 laying, 4 that should start any time, plus one rooster; the only way I'll break even is if I find the one that lays the golden egg. ;-) I have birds from 3 different flocks. They mistly free range yet go to the henhouse to lay, and to roost at night. And it seems that I get fewer eggs if I'm away during the week so can't be around to let them out.

 

[PhysAssist]

FYI, once the "bullseye rash" develops prescribing antibiotics is not really considered just a precautionary measure any longer.

While he may not strictly have Lyme Dz, or Babeosis, or one of the other "newer" tick-borne illnesses, the rash IS presumptive evidence of Lyme exposure, and per some experts may actually be the first (and often missed) sign of the disease.

Also take a look at Mother Earth News and consider searching the term: "chicken tractor" as a way to manage keeping chickens safer, while allowing a lot of the benefits of free ranging.

Good Luck, (to your dad too!)
Thomas

 

[scaredychicken]

I have nothing to add that hasn't already been said re raising chickens. Except that their personalities are a riot

I have raised chickens while growing up on a hobby farm. And for the past 5-6 years we have had several dozen chickens on our hobby farm.

they are free run, heritage birds, several varieties, "rainbow eggs" as I call them, we regularly feed layer pellets / scratch / oyster shells / kitchen scraps. All I can say is make sure that the chickens have a daily supply of fresh water.

we've had fun naming the chickens :laughing:: blanc, blackie, hawkeye, Houdini, Fog Horn, LegHorn, stir fry, souvlaki, noodle-soup, teryaki, Little, chop-suey, chicklet, and Bob ...

have fun

 

[jeffinsgf]

Jason,

Yeah, they're small enough you still want a little supplemental heat...but you either need a bigger box or your need to raise your light. That spread wing stance they're in says that they're too warm. They need someplace where they can get away from the light every once in a while. Cute birds. Put their water up on a brick or something, and they won't kick litter into it as much.

 

[dmccarty]

.... Except that their personalities are a riot ...

We have a local community college that has an active gardening and small farm program. We went over one day and had a chat about chickens and we read quite a bit online before getting them. One thing the instructor said was that they have fun watching Chicken TV, ie, just watching the chickens. Sounds odd but it is true. The family wanted 3-4 chickens but I said get six chick because I figured a couple would die before they they got to egg laying.

Our favorite chicken was named Sassey. That chicken was as friendly as a dog and would follow us around the yard. Unfortunately, Sassey got sick a few months ago and died. The wifey nursed that chicken like you would not believe. Our vet treated the chicken for free as well and did not charge a penny for the two courses of antibiotic much less her time or the tests that were run. The chicken was getting better but we had to go on a short school related trip. The person keeping Sassey put her in the garage and while it was not cold outside, I suspect that it was too cold for Sassey's condition and she died after we got back home. Very sad. The wifey had Sassey in a box with a towel and heating blanket. The box was sitting on the couch next to the wifey when Sassey died. Great chicken. Never thought I would say that about a chicken. :confused3::laughing::laughing::laughing:

So we were down to five chickens.

We bought three Rhode Island Reds and three Dominiques. Sassey was a Dominique. One of the Rhode Islands was a PITA. She was a bully. That $%^&*() chicken would hen peck the other chickens and she was especially brutal to Sassey. Sassey had many feathers pulled about the the head hen. I wanted to put that mean hen into a pot with some dumplings but I was over ruled. After Sassey died, and I think part of Sassy's health problems were caused by the bullying, the head hen started after the other Dominques. They had little bald spots on their back where the feathers had been pulled out....

To the OP, pay attention. The family politics are such that these chickens, and the OP's are certainly going to be in the same situation, are PETS, not livestock. I wanted to get rid of the head hen but I was over ruled. One day I explained the child that owns the chickens that I thought the mean hen had helped make Sassey sick and she was now doing the same thing to the other chickens. It took that child a second at most to say that the hen had to go. :laughing::laughing::laughing: Now go did not mean into the pot with the dumplings but to someone we know that wanted a Rhode Island Red. The other person swears she won't eat the chicken. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

We are now down to four chickens.

Lessons Learn:

• Chickens raised by momma and the kids are PETS not livestock.
• Chickens are expensive to feed. We certainly are spending more on chicken feed than what it would cost to buy eggs.
• Chicken feed don't cost chicken feed.
• Chickens are fun to watch.
• I don't tasted a bit of difference between our eggs and store bought eggs.
• Our eggs are LIKELY healthier eggs than store bought because we are buying a better quality chicken feed.
• Chickens are a fair amount of work. The wifey and child have to check the food and water every night and collect and clean the eggs. I certainly do not think it is worth the time and money.
• Did I mention that chickens raised by momma and the kids are PETS?

We have coyotes, owls, foxes, possums, and a seldom seen coon. Plenty of critters that would eat the chickens so I built a chicken tank that keeps the predators at bay. We ended up moving the coop into the garden that has a six foot tall fence to provide more security. We won't have a garden this year so the chickens are just using the space. We let the chickens out after noon for two reasons. They seem to lay eggs first thing in the morning so this keeps the eggs in the egg boxes. Two, the hawks are really looking for food in the morning so keeping the chickens in the coop in the morning keeps them alive. We have seen owls and hawks watching the chickens. The wifey saw the hawk hanging off the chicken coop one day...

The chickens have not made a dent in our tick or chigger population.

Later,
Dan