Five Tips to Backyard Chicken Raising
Article by Le Roy van der Heyde
5 Tips to Backyard Chicken Raising
To start with Backyard Chicken Raising is very simple, and can be a lot of fun for the whole family. Before you start you will need to do a little planning and this article will provide tips on what you will need to start off with your new and very entertaining venture of backyard chicken raising.
1. Chicken Coop for Backyard Chicken Raising
The first step to backyard chicken raising will be to get a chicken coop to keep you chickens safe and secure. You could buy a chicken coop but it is also very easy and also cheap to build one yourself.
To plan and build a chicken coop would be a fun experience for the whole family. Once the coop is ready, the fun of backyard chicken raising can begin, with the added value of providing you with fresh eggs.
2. Feeding your Chickens
This in itself will be fun for the whole family. There are several special feeds available at pet stores for young chicks but a chicken’s diet mostly consists of seed such as sunflower and chopped corn.
Having said this, a chicken would eat almost everything and you can give them most of your food leftovers, just use your discretion. They love bread and make sure you give them a lot of green stuff such as lettuce or vegetable leaves.
When roaming free in the backyard, chickens will also keep the weeds and grass in check. As I said they absolutely love the green stuff and it also keep them healthy. Just a matter of caution they love to take baths in the soil and would be a menace to any vegetable garden.
3. Maintenance of you backyard chickens
Chickens are very low maintenance pets and their only needs are daily food and water. In addition you will have to clean their coop and change their bedding at least twice per month to keep it free from pests.
The added benefit of backyard chicken raising is that chickens are a great source of natural fertilizers, and feel free to use the poop you get from cleaning their coop to put on your lawn or use in your garden.
Chickens also love to walk around and this in itself will keep your garden green (spreading natural fertiliser) and free of pests such as bugs, beetles, insects, etc.
4. Fresh Eggs
Another great benefit from backyard chicken raising is that you will have a constant supply of fresh organic and healthy eggs free of harmful additives. When building the chicken coop, ensure that you also provide nests where they could lay their eggs. They love something with a roof so little houses or boxes inside the coop will do just fine.
Just make sure that you take out the eggs every day, unless you want them to hatch. 5. Hatching your own chicks
Should you decide that the chicken hatch their chicks, the hatching will be approximately 21 days after the last egg was laid and the chicken start to breed the eggs. During this time the hen will remain on the eggs and will only leave the eggs to eat and drink.
Backyard chicken raising is a very rewarding and fulfilling experience and will also teach your children a lot about nature.
For more information on Backyard Chicken Raising visit The Complete Guide to Raising Chickens at Home!and Hoe to Build a Chicken Coop!
About the Author
I am the author and publisher of many articles on a wide range of interesting topics. My daughter Michelle van der Heyde is actively involved in backyard chicken raising, and a great source of information on all aspects of this venture.