Raising Chickens for Beginners: Your Complete Guide
There are a lot of moving parts that go into raising a happy, healthy, productive flock of hens. It's easy to be overwhelmed by all the information out there, but luckily, chickens actually aren't that complicated. After all, humans have been raising them for thousands of years, so caring for them can't be rocket science. In this article, we'll go over some of the most important things to know, like types of chickens, chicken coop options, and how to choose the best poultry feed to help you prepare to take on your flock.
Types of Backyard Chickens
When building a flock, it is very important to consider the types of chickens and their distinct characteristics. Generally, most backyard chickens will fit into three different categories.
Egg Layers
The vast majority of backyard chicken keepers are interested in egg layers. Many different genetic varieties have been bred specifically for egg production. Because these types of birds put so much energy into producing eggs, they are usually very long, lean, and lightly muscled. These types of poultry also tend to grow quite slowly. It may take four months for these breeds to reach full size.
Meatbirds
When you hear the term broiler chicken, do you know what that means? Broiler chickens are birds that are specifically reared for meat production. These birds have been genetically selected to grow fast and produce muscle tissue. Broiler chickens are also very efficient eaters. For every 2 lbs of feed a broiler chicken eats, it will gain 1 lb of body weight OR MORE. Because broiler chickens grow very fast and convert their feed to body mass so efficiently, it is not recommended to keep broiler chickens unless you intend to harvest them for meat. Most broiler chickens will reach market weight in 6 to 8 weeks.
Dual Purpose Birds
Dual Purpose birds are the best of both worlds! These types of poultry are excellent egg layers, but they also put enough meat on their bones to make good meatbirds. Most of us who keep backyard chickens are probably keeping dual-purpose birds. Though admittedly, we usually aren't interested in the meat and keep them predominantly for the eggs! Most dual-purpose breeds are hardy, strong, and very ornamental. They make ideal additions to our backyard flocks!
The Age of Your Chickens
When you get your birds, their age will significantly impact their relationship with you. The younger they are when you get them, the better you'll be able to bond with them and forge a stronger, more pet-like relationship. One option is to order eggs and hatch them yourself. This can be great fun, but it also requires buying an incubator, carefully monitoring it, committing to turning the eggs multiple times a day, and accepting that you won't have a 100% hatch rate. You'll also not know if you'll be hatching roosters or hens. A better option for first-timers is to buy chicks, which many hatcheries actually ship directly to your door, usually with some kind of live arrival guarantee.
Once you have your chicks, you will have to set up an indoor enclosure with a heat plate for a few months until they're ready to go in the coop. During this time, they'll also need extra monitoring and will not lay eggs. However, raising from chicks is the best way to have adult birds actively attached to you. If you're more interested in production than personality, you can also buy pullets - adolescents just on the cusp of starting to lay. This is the best option if you want birds who are clearly livestock and not pets. You also won't need to invest in specialized equipment or feed, as the pullets can move into the coop and eat layer feed immediately.
Another option that might be available in your area is adopting adult rescue hens. These are usually "spent" hens from industrial farms who are past their prime but can still lay. They'll be cheaper than prime chicks or pullets.
Chicken Coop Options
Having the right chicken coop is the best way to ensure the health and safety of your flock. A good coop will keep your girls safe from predators, help prevent the spread of parasites and respiratory diseases, give them a place to sleep and lay their eggs, and shelter them from the weather. A wide variety of coops are available to buy online, either as prefabricated pieces or ready-made kits. Alternatively, you can use chicken coop plans and build the coop yourself. Whichever route you choose, the key features of your coop will be the same.
Perches
These are where your birds will sleep every night. To make them appealing, ensure they are the highest available surface in the coop - chickens feel safest from predators when they sleep high off the ground. Plan for about 8-10 inches per bird.
Nesting boxes
Nesting boxes are where your hens will lay their eggs every day. They don't have to be literal boxes, but they should be large, comfy, and easy for you to access; many coop designs have small outer doors that open directly into the nesting boxes. You should have at least one nesting box per three hens, but err on the side of more, not fewer, in case one of your hens goes broody.
Vents
A good ventilation system will provide your birds with the circulating, fresh air they need to keep them safe from respiratory infections common among chickens. Sufficient ventilation will also stop your coop from overheating in the summer. Every coop should have at least one pair of vents near the roof that stay open all year, allowing fresh air to circulate above the perches so the birds don't get too cold in winter. Depending on how hot it gets in your region, you can add as many other closeable vents as you need.
Protection
Coops also protect your birds from predation. To do this, they need to be sturdily built and frequently checked for warping or cracks. Removing any brush or long grasses near the coop that might provide a hiding place is also a good idea.
Understanding Chicken Coop Runs
The run is the fenced-in outdoor space where your chickens will likely spend most of their time. Some chicken keepers, especially in urban areas, can't have an outdoor run, and that's ok. You can still raise happy and healthy birds this way, as long as their coop is big enough to get exercise and they have toys or other stimulants to occupy their minds. Other keepers choose not to have a run at all, preferring to let their birds free range. This is an excellent option if you live in an area without too many natural predators.
If you can have a run, you should plan for about 10 square feet of space per bird, but bigger is usually better. You also don't need to strip your run of plant life. Research the plants growing there to ensure none are toxic to chickens; otherwise, your girls will be happy to munch on and explore them, and the plants will also attract bugs for them to eat. Make sure your run has strong fencing on all sides to keep out predators.
Chicken wire is acceptable for the upper portions, but the bottom foot (at least) should be reinforced with finer hardware mesh. This mesh should also be buried at least six inches underground to keep out burrowers.
Chicken Feed and Supplement Options
What you feed your chickens is a matter of choice, so long as they get the nutrients and variety they need. The basic staple of a healthy hen diet is a layer feed, usually one that's about 16% protein or more. In addition, you may give active layers extra calcium carbonate, which they can use to help develop strong, healthy eggshells. Most chicken keepers do this by putting out oyster shells where the hens can free-feed so they can choose to eat as much as they need.
Another important element of their diet is grit. Grit refers to small bits of dirt or rocks that essentially function as a bird's teeth, helping to grind up the food in their stomachs. If your birds are free-range, they can pick up dirt as they forage. If they have a small run or don't get outside much, you may choose to provide grit in much the same way as calcium carbonate.
If you start with baby chicks, you will need to begin your feeding program with a good quality starter and grower feed. Starter and grower feeds are designed to provide the nutrition that chicks need to develop their digestive and immune systems, form feathers, and grow. You may wonder when the starter phase ends and the grower phase begins. For simplicity's sake, the starter phase is before feathers have formed, and the grower phase is after feathers have formed. It is very common today for starter and grower feeds to be combined into one feed. This makes feeding easier and removes the need to switch feeds between phases.
Chicks that are intended to become laying hens will eat approximately 10-15 lbs of starter/grower feed per bird between hatch and four months of age, varying with breed and management. Also, it is very important to note that most poultry feeds are designed to be fed ad libitum. This simply means that the birds have access to feed all day and can eat whenever they are hungry.
At 4 to 5 months of age, most layer-specific breeds have reached sexual maturity and are ready to begin laying eggs. Egg production varies quite a bit depending on breed. If you aren't sure when your preferred breed will begin laying eggs, refer to our article When Hens Start Laying Eggs. At 4 to 5 months of age, you will need to start switching your birds to a layer feed.
Layer feeds are specifically formulated to meet the nutrient demands of egg-producing poultry. Layer feeds have high amounts of calcium and other nutrients that hens need to produce high-quality eggs and replenish their body stores. A mature laying hen should eat approximately ¼ to ½ lbs of feed per hen per day, depending on breed and management. Once again, it is important to remember that most poultry layer feeds are designed to be fed ad libitum. This simply means that the birds have access to feed all day and can eat whenever they are hungry.
At Kalmbach Feeds, we are committed to producing high-quality poultry feeds with proven results. Our commitment to quality and health allows us to stay on the cutting edge of nutrition. The health and performance of your birds are our top priorities, and we are committed to producing the products you need to keep your birds happy and healthy for many years. We love our birds! We enjoy our birds! And we want to help you in any way that we can. Visit our website to learn more about our products, and feel free to contact us with any of your poultry-related questions!
