Steps on How to Start Raising Chickens
Publish Time: 2023-08-03 Origin: Phoenix Breeding Equipment
With a coop, some chicks and a long-term plan of action, a backyard chicken brings families fresh, wholesome eggs and the enjoyment of watching a baby chick grow into an egg-laying hen. The first step in establishing a backyard chicken is creating a plan.
We can gain a lot from a backyard chicken. Chickens can produce truly fresh eggs and flavorful, healthy meat. And we’re able to enjoy watching birds from our back porch and teaching our children responsibilities and how animals grow.
Before buying new chicks this spring, here are six tips on how to start raising chickens.
1. Select the breed that’s right for you.
Poultry breeds come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Families looking to produce eggs or meat are encouraged to start with common breeds of chickens.
Determine what you’d like to gain from your chicken. If you want fresh eggs, consider: White Leghorn hybrids (white eggs), Plymouth Barred Rocks (brown eggs), Rhode Island Reds (brown eggs), Blue Andalusians (white eggs) or Ameraucanas/Easter Eggers (blue eggs). Cornish Cross chickens grow quickly and are best suited for meat production. If you’re hoping to produce both eggs and meat, consider dual-purposed breeds like Plymouth Barred Rock, Sussex or Buff Orpingtons. Exotic breeds are best for show or pets.
2. How Many Chickens Should I Keep?
Chickens are sociable creatures, so plan to keep three to six birds. With this amount, you’ll always have a steady supply of eggs, since an adult hen lays about two eggs every three days, on average.
Chickens are most productive in the first two years of their lives; after that, egg production will slow, so you’ll need to think about replacing your flock with younger birds eventually. Young chicks can be bought from suppliers quite easily, or you can hatch your own if you have a rooster (which we do NOT recommend).
3. Prepare your brooder and breeding equipment
Keep baby chicks in a warm, draft-free shelter, called a brooder. The brooder should: be completely enclosed with a bottom surface that can be covered with bedding; and have a heating lamp. Avoid square corners in the brooding area to prevent chicks from being trapped in the corner should the birds huddle in one area.
Each chick needs at least 2 to 3 square feet of floor space for the first six weeks. Set the brooder temperature to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week and then gradually reduce heat by 5 degrees Fahrenheit each week until reaching a minimum of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to have a spacious, clean coop ready for the chicks once the supplemental heat source is no longer required. Through all stages, always provide plenty of fresh clean water that is changed daily.
From the perspective of saving water and preventing bacterial pollution, nipple drinking fountains are the most ideal water supply equipment, and high-quality water-tight drinking fountains must be selected. Now the most common way to raise chickens and laying hens in cages is the V-shaped sink, which is often supplied with running water, we also use automatic drinker water bucket and it takes energy to clean the sink every day. The pendant-type automatic drinking fountain can be used when raising chicks on a flat floor, which is hygienic and water-saving.
4. Focus on sanitation.
Before new chicks arrive – and throughout the growing process – be sure to keep their environment clean. Young chicks are susceptible to early health risks, so disinfect all materials prior to use and then weekly.
The correct household disinfectants can work well. Make sure to read the directions to ensure your disinfectant is safe to use and doesn’t leave a residual film. A mixture of 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water can work well, if the cleaner is rinsed thoroughly following cleaning.
5. Create a long-term nutrition plan.
Strong chicks equal healthy hens. Under this program, you will simply need one complete starter-grower feed for day 1 through first egg; and one complete layer feed for when hens start laying around week 18.
If you are looking for quality poultry breeding equipment visit PHOENIX - they will cater to all your poultry farming needs.
For more poultry equipment products visit our directory.
Phoenix Breeding Equipment Co., Ltd is a professional manufacturer and exporter that is concerned with the design, development and production of livestock breeding equipment. which can provide all kinds of poultry farm equipment, such as automatic feeding and drinking line, poultry nipple drinker, rabbit nipple drinker, poultry feeder, poultry drinkier, ventilation fan. Cooling pad , egg incubator,pvc pipe ,ss pipe etc. Check out our site to find the latest in poultry equipment. We hope you’ll fine the right products for you,, and how it allows you to scale up to the next level when you’re ready.
Whatsapp/Wechat:+86 18233772617
Skype:sophia52090
Email:linda@goldphoenixa.com