How To Raise A Backyard Chicken: A Step By Step Guide On How To Raise Chicken From Eggs In Your Backyard

DISCLAIMER:

No part of this book should be considered legal or professional advice. Take everything I say in this book as my opinion and regard it as entertainment. You are responsible for your action by acting on the thoughts and views shared in this book.

INTRODUCTION

Families all throughout the country are becoming involved in the backyard flock movement.

A backyard flock provides families with fresh, healthful eggs as well as the satisfaction of seeing a tiny chick develop into an egg-laying hen with a coop, some chicks, and a long-term plan of action. The first step in developing a backyard flock is to devise a strategy.

A backyard flock may give us several advantages. Chickens can generate really fresh eggs as well as excellent, nutritious meat. And we may enjoy observing birds from our back porch while teaching our children about responsibility and animal growth.

Before you go out and buy some new chicks this spring, consider these six recommendations for getting started with chickens.

1. Choose The Breed That Is Best For You.

Poultry breeds are available in a wide range of forms, sizes, and colors. Families that want to raise chickens for eggs or meat are urged to start with common breeds.

Determine what you want to get out of your flock. Consider White Leghorn hybrids (white eggs), Plymouth Barred Rocks (brown eggs), Rhode Island Reds (brown eggs), Blue Andalusians (white eggs), or Ameraucanas/Easter Eggers if you want fresh eggs (blue eggs). CCornish Cross hens mature quickly and are excellent meat producers. If you want to produce both eggs and meat, choose dual-purpose breeds such as Plymouth Barred Rock, Sussex, or Buff Orpingtons. Exotic breeds are ideally suited for display or as pets.

2. Determine How Many Birds You Want.

Local restrictions and your flock aims may influence the quantity and gender of birds in your flock.

Keep in mind that immature chicks develop into full-grown birds. Create a budget for the amount of time you can spend with your flock, the type of housing the birds will require, how you'll collect and use eggs, and what you'll do with the eggs, what to do once they stop laying eggs. Start with a small flock of four to six chicks.

3. Look For A Trustworthy Chick Source.

Purchase Pullorum-Typhoid Clean chicks from a reputable Pullorum-Typhoid Clean hatchery in the United States. To avoid any illness issues, make sure the hatchery inoculated the chicks against Marek's Disease and coccidiosis.

4. Set Up Your Brooder.

Place baby chicks in a brooder, a warm, draft-free container. The brooder should be totally enclosed, with a bedding-coverable bottom surface, and equipped with a heating light. Avoid square corners in the brooding chamber to save babies from becoming trapped if the birds congregate in one spot.

For the first six weeks, each chick needs at least 2 to 3 square feet of floor area. Set the brooder temperature to 90°F for the first week, then reduce it by 5°F each week until it reaches a minimum of 55°F.

When the additional heat source is no longer needed, make sure to have a large, clean coop ready for the chicks. Always supply lots of fresh, clean water that is refreshed on a regular basis at all stages.

5. Concentrate On Sanitation.

Maintain a clean environment for new chicks before they arrive, as well as during the developing period. Because young chicks are sensitive to early health risks, sanitize all materials before usage and again on a weekly basis.

The right home disinfectants can be effective. Read the guidelines carefully to verify that your disinfectant is safe to use and does not leave a residue film. If the cleaner is thoroughly washed after cleaning, a solution of 10% bleach and 90% water may be beneficial.

6. Develop A Long-Term Dietary Strategy.

Healthy hens are produced by strong chicks. You will only need one full starter-grower feed for day 1 to the first egg, and one complete layer feed for when the hens begin laying around week 18.

Start your chicks off right with a full starter-grower meal. From day one, chicks require 38 different nutrients. Choose a full starter-grower feed to give all of the essential nutrients.

Choose a meal with 18 percent protein and an organic starting grower for chicks who will produce eggs later. Select a full diet with 20% protein flock raiser for meat birds and mixed flocks.

When layer chicks reach the age of 18 to 20 weeks, switch them to a higher-calcium complete meal, such as Plus Omega-3 or Organic layer feed.

REASONS TO RAISE A BACKYARD CHICKEN

Nowadays, it appears like everyone has a backyard flock. You're fascinated, but you can't help but wonder, What's in it for me?You've heard all the critics' complaints—chickens are stinky, noisy, and stupid—but there's still a part of you that wants to see for yourself if the legends are real." After all, it seemed that everyone these days keeps a backyard flock...

You've come to the correct site if you're on the fence about putting up the coop and want someone to push you over the edge into the chicken-keeping lobby. We've compiled a list of obvious and not-so-obvious items for the pro side of your gamer list. Making the ultimate decision is entirely up to you.

1. Fresh Eggs

You can't go back after you've tried fresh chicken eggs! The flavor is more complex. The yolks are darker and more prominent. Some people claim that their baked goods are lighter and fluffier than others. You'll never know for sure unless you get some hens and test their eggs.

2. More Nutritious Eggs

Eggs from free-range hens are lower in cholesterol and greater in vitamins and minerals, according to research. Eggs from pastured hens contain four to six times as much vitamin D as eggs from confinement birds (aka the chickens that lay conventional grocery store eggs). These nutritious eggs also contain seven times more beta-carotene, three times more vitamin E, and twice as many omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Fewer Bugs

Our visitors are constantly astonished by how few pests we have. The disappearance of mosquitoes is no surprise to us: these pests are most likely on sabbatical since the hens are doing their job, consuming them and their larvae.

4. Genetic Diversity Preservation

Large industrial farms use a hybrid chicken breed to get the best feed-to-egg production ratio feasible.

Unfortunately, without the aid of backyard chicken keepers like you who wish to raise them, many varieties of heritage chickens may become extinct.

5. Consumption Of Local Food

At a time when most food travels 1,500 miles to reach our plates, it's wonderful to be able to consume something that has only gone a few yards.

6. Purpose-Driven Pets

If your children desire pets but you don't want to have a dog, cat, or small rodent, chickens can double as pets. Chickens are clever and sociable when handled on a regular basis from the time they hatch. They also consume less than a dog, which is a plus for your wallet.

7. Communicating With Your Food

The majority of people have no idea where their food originates from. Having a few backyard chickens is a