A Complete Guide to Raising Chickens - Info About Coops & Daily Care
Raising chickens is a lot of fun, but if you lack the fundamental information about caring for them on a day-to-day basis, then it will turn into a lot of hassle for you.
Before you get your chickens, you need to prepare a coop for them to stay in.
It is very important to choose the right location for this coop in your back or front yard.
The first factor to consider is the wind direction or you might end up with chicken smell all over the house.
If the wind is coming from the north, then the coop should be placed at the farthest point to the south.
Make sure that the coop provides an external access to the laying boxes in order to collect eggs easily.
Some breeders forget about this and the daily collection of eggs is very hard for them because they need to get inside the coop.
Also, make sure that you can access the feeders and the water dispensers easily, as you will need to fill them up regularly.
Constructing a chicken run would be a great idea because you will be able to let your chickens free all day long.
This means that the coop will require less cleaning and that there will be plenty of fertilizer for your garden.
Make sure that you collect the eggs daily or the chickens may crack them while getting in and out of the nest.
Do not attempt to do all the work yourself, but try to involve all the family members in order to decrease the amount of work you have to do.
Make everyone share the fun.
Make sure that the water source is always clean and warm, especially if you live in a place where the water freezes in winter.
It is highly advisable to get a heated water dispenser or place a heater under the standard water dispenser.
When you are purchasing chicks, make sure that you are getting them sorted out in terms of sex.
If you have neighbors nearby, they can be annoyed by roosters crowing in the early morning.
Hence, getting hens is a much better idea.
On the other hand, if you do not mind the sound in the early morning and you are more interested in the meat, then roosters might be your choice.
You can mix males and females according to your circumstances and your needs.
Also, decide whether you want to raise the chickens primarily for eggs or for meat.
Before you get your chickens, you need to prepare a coop for them to stay in.
It is very important to choose the right location for this coop in your back or front yard.
The first factor to consider is the wind direction or you might end up with chicken smell all over the house.
If the wind is coming from the north, then the coop should be placed at the farthest point to the south.
Make sure that the coop provides an external access to the laying boxes in order to collect eggs easily.
Some breeders forget about this and the daily collection of eggs is very hard for them because they need to get inside the coop.
Also, make sure that you can access the feeders and the water dispensers easily, as you will need to fill them up regularly.
Constructing a chicken run would be a great idea because you will be able to let your chickens free all day long.
This means that the coop will require less cleaning and that there will be plenty of fertilizer for your garden.
Make sure that you collect the eggs daily or the chickens may crack them while getting in and out of the nest.
Do not attempt to do all the work yourself, but try to involve all the family members in order to decrease the amount of work you have to do.
Make everyone share the fun.
Make sure that the water source is always clean and warm, especially if you live in a place where the water freezes in winter.
It is highly advisable to get a heated water dispenser or place a heater under the standard water dispenser.
When you are purchasing chicks, make sure that you are getting them sorted out in terms of sex.
If you have neighbors nearby, they can be annoyed by roosters crowing in the early morning.
Hence, getting hens is a much better idea.
On the other hand, if you do not mind the sound in the early morning and you are more interested in the meat, then roosters might be your choice.
You can mix males and females according to your circumstances and your needs.
Also, decide whether you want to raise the chickens primarily for eggs or for meat.