Tag Archives: raising backyard chickens

Free Chicken Coop Plan for Raising Backyard Chickens

July 3, 2023 Farhan sheikh 1 Comment

Keeping a flock of chicken or raising backyard chicken is getting more and more famous. This increase in the popularity of farming can be linked to various reasons. At the same time there are numerous chicken coop ideas that will come in handy. Now if you have some chickens, then surely you need to have an easy to build chicken coop also. Furthermore, you need not worry about the cost for building these coops, as below are some simple to employ tips and plans that will surely help you. All you need to do is to follow the guidelines in order to build your own backyard chicken coop. Here are the basic chicken coop requirements.

Details to Ponder

Before you start making a chicken coop, there are several things that need your overt and covert attention. Firstly, you must know about the place where you would be keeping the coop. Secondly, you also need to consider the number of chickens you wish to accommodate in the area. Lastly, it is imperative and crucial that you have an idea about the materials that would be required for completing the job. When it comes to the welfare of animals, then being knowledgeable about the needs of the animals is going to guarantee a solid start for you.

The Coop

The prime purpose for the coop is to offer some shelter and protection to your chicken. The coop should be placed in a manner where the chickens might remain safe from the deliberate attacks of the chicken predators which happen to be quite large in numbers. You also need to be specific about the area where you would be leaving them for roaming here and there. It is because the 24 hour sense of confinement can result in a number of irrational and aggressive behaviors from the side of the chickens.

Size of the Chicken Coop

Each coop should be constructed with the minimal capacity of accommodating 4 to 8 chickens with nearly three nests. The most dominant and common mistake in building a chicken coop is making it too small. So, in lines to this need, you need to make sure that each bird is able to get nearly 4 square feet. For keeping nearly 4 birds in a coop, the structure should extend to 4′ x 4′.

Other Important Considerations

For making your coop feasible and function, here are the things you need to ensure:

1) Proper Space for Storage

2) Chicken Entranceway

3) Sufficient Ventilation

4) Enough Lighting

5) Inward Opening Door that should be able to provide easy access at times of cleaning and egg collection

Types of Chicken Coops

Chicken tractor coops together with the stationary chicken houses are being widely used these days. The tractor mobile coops are designed to provide a complete housing to your chicken. Moreover, some of the people also prefer to have these mobile coops in their lawns for a number of varying reasons. On the other hand, some people prefer the use of the stationary houses in lines to the protection and the resistance to weather these homes offer.

Pros of the Chicken Coop Design

1) The construction process demands little skills and expertise. Almost anyone can do the job in an effective manner.

2) The design should be sturdy and durable, as it offers a complete and round the clock protection against the predators.

3) The design should offer an efficient resistance to the changes in weather that might occur from time to time.

4) Ease of assembling and reassembling is also crucial in choosing a design. In other words, you should be able to take the structure apart and then merge it with ease at any time you want.

Cons of the Design

1) It can be quite heavy.

2) You would be required to free range the chickens or to modulate a separate for them without which the hens might not turn out to be strong.

3) The structure is stationary due to which you need to be precise about its placing and movement.

The coop should be designed with the windows on the southern side. Moreover, the windows you make should also ensure proper ventilation for the birds. The reason for which the windows are required in the south direction is to allow the cool wind flows to enter the coop at times of the summer season. On the other hand, for the winter season, it is best to make use of the slider windows. Lastly, you should also make sure that there is a fencing area around the coop. For this reason, you can make use of barbed wire or any other evasive material for the predators. Not to forget that some predators are capable of digging from under the ground due to which you need to use some hard and impregnable materials for the floor.

Chicken Coop Materials

Plywood for the Walls and Floor-3 – 4 X 8 X ¾

For the roof-1 – 4 X 8 X ½

2 – 4″ hinges-For the door

1 – 24″ X 24″-for the wiring cloth and cover window

Latches-2 – 4″

Door handle of about 1 – 4″

1-roll of paper for the roofing

3 – 8′-in terms of metal flashing for the roofs and the various edges

12 – 4″-nails for linking the walls to the floor

With all these maneuvers and tactics in mind, you can make your own free chicken coop.

Feed And Nutrition

Homemade chicken feed-The ingredients to add in your Diy poultry feed

January 14, 2023 Farhan sheikh 4 Comments

The fact is beyond any question that poultry or chicken farming in particular is a lucrative business. However, if the owner or the keeper lacks diligence than the entire business can turn itself upside down. There are lots of risks associated with poultry and each has to be either overcome or minimized to some extent. The cute little fellows just like infants ask for attention, care and love. This in particular; burdens the responsibility of the farmer to take care of the chicken feed. The health of the poultry must be the utmost concern because chickens are usually prone to lots of diseases and parasitic infections.

What do chicken likes to eat?

Just like you make sure infants get the right type of food, you have to make sure you treat chickens the same way. A healthy homemade chicken feed must be consistent with the bird’s age, the growth phase and type of bird (such as broiler chicken feed and layer pallets). Based on experiences and experts advice, there are diversified views – many say that they only feed their flocks with kitchen scraps and never think about complete nutrient feed. However, the entire scenario has been changed now – modern farmers and backyard keepers are now more interested in formulated poultry feeds because research has proven that it provides required nutrients and contributes to better health.

This excerpt tells about various kinds of best chicken feed and enlightens you in depth about its benefits. Even many inquire from the experts that whether they should provide the backyard flock the commercial feed or homemade feed, so I have tried to explain that aspect as well. This all based on logic and experience, hope works for you too.

Homemade feed vs commercial feed:

You must have heard older always accentuating on the fact that kids must be given homemade meals. They are complete food, provide energy and are economical as well. You can simply apply this theory here – it is suggested that you must provide your chicken the simple, nutritious and the quality homemade feed. The reasons may include;

Inexpensive
Healthy
No side effects
Nutritional
Homemade food is real – the packet food is at some point created.

What ingredients make a feed essential?

Would you like to eat one kind of meal all the time? What would be your attitude if you are given same rice and meat for lunch, dinner and the next day and so on. You would simply want to switch, this is also the attitude observed in chickens. They look for varieties and want to have something different and tasty. Many say that summer food and winter food for chickens also differ.

Feed green:

If you are raising chickens on pastured; it’s a very healthy option for them. Your chickens need a good amount of fresh and green feed on a daily basis. You really don’t have to spend much on it as you can feed them grass cuttings, cut offs from cabbages, weeds and cauliflowers. I will not really suggest you to provide chickens with lettuce because it lacks proper nutritional value. Never feed chicken with avocado because it may turn out to be poisonous.

Further, chickens can also be served with stale bread and peelings of carrot, cucumber and fruits.

A complete wholesome feed:

One of the recipes that I have learned from my grandparents and experts is given below. It would help you in getting best nutritional value for chicken and help you make your own chicken feed.

You must have:

8 cups of organic soft white wheat
8 cups of organic red wheat
6 cups of organic corns
12 cups of organic oats
4 cups of lentils (organic)
1 cup sesame and 2 cups flax seed (organic)
Quarter cup kelp granules

In a big bucket, mix all the ingredients together in 2-tablespoon olive oil. This would turn out to be an amazing meal for chickens because it contains everything from minerals to vitamins, proteins and carbs as well; it is natural and homemade chicken feed formula.

Why soy or non-organic corns(Genetically Modified Organism) should not add in the feed:

Not all agree with the fact but it is said that soy or corns should not be added to the chicken feed. It is because;

Its incomplete source of protein
Highly processed
It is obtained from unnatural sources

Final Thoughts!

Further, it can lead to severe deficiency of hormones and cause some serious issue with the birds. It is suggested that chickens must have organic feeding so that they can get what is required. Moreover, preference should be given to homemade and natural feeding delights, as it is a much cheaper and healthier option. I am sure by now you would have enough idea about a healthy diy poultry feed – you can now certainly get better eggs and meat from your own flocks.

Backyard Chicken

15 tips to keeping the predators away from your backyard chicken

January 14, 2023 Farhan sheikh Leave a comment

It is a fact that there are a large number of animals that can be found in the domain of poultry. In fact, the most number of animals are found in the poultry houses all over the world. But there is nothing worse than the predators attacking your animals or birds. The poultry predators like nothing more than having a delicious dinner i.e. the meat of the poultry. This problem of predation has always been around from the very start. In the olden days, people did use to keep the poultry animals in a number of different settings. In order to protect their animals, they did make use of a number of strategies and tips. Things can get more demanding for you if you are new to the business of poultry, as you might not be aware of the fact that what kind of animals might come to attack your poultry chickens.Furthermore, those who have poultry businesses in the cities do not care much about the attacks as they think that the animals might not come to attack the animals. But this over confidence from their side can indeed be misleading. So, for those who are in search of some tips for keeping chickens in the backyard then below are the 15 tips which might come in handy for protecting chicken from predators.

1-Digging a Trench

Try digging a trench around the areas of the entire coop. The Trench should be at least 12 inches in depth, so that the digging chicken predators might also not attack.

2-Train the Birds

Offer some sort of training to the birds and animals to return to the houses every evening. After that you should make sure that all houses are closed, otherwise it would be open chance for the predators for chicken to have a meal of their lifetime. If you have been raising chickens in the coop, then they would naturally come to return to the houses, but for some other animals you would be required to offer some sort of training to them.

3-Raising the Chicken Coop

Keeping the chicken coop raised at all times is one of the best strategies for offering your backyard chickens with some protection. Also try to make sure that the floor is always tight and durable enough to resist the attacks from the underside.

4-Use Welding Wires or Wire Fencing

Offer the chicken run with some covering and also make use of cross wiring in order to turn down the attacks made by hawks and other flying predators.

5-Meshed Fencing

Make the maximum use of meshed fencing materials, as there are some predators that easily cross the normal fences. Examples of these animals include racoons and many other dexterous animals.

6. Use Galvanized Hardware

Burying galvanized pieces of hardware and other clothing materials around the perimeters of the area where the chickens are kept. This strategy is also useful for those animals which have the capacity to dig into the place from underneath.

7. Use Night Lights

Provide the area with some night lights and motion sensors which might come in handy in keeping the predators away and keeping the chickens safe. You can also make use of a solar night guard which is specially designed for the detection of predators in the area.

8. Make use of Friendly Dogs

Offer some protection to your animals by making use of some friendly dogs.

9. Be Ready

Always be prepared for action as soon as you get to know that there are some predators around. This is another important measure in order to protect chickens from predators.

10. Use professional Help

Try and consult with the professionals in this regard. There are a number of companies that provide materials, devices as well as guidance for the protection of the animals at all times.

11. Mark a danger Zone

Always create a danger zone around the area where the animals are kept. The zone would be dedicated as a predator zone.

12. Plant Numerous Bushes around the Zone

Make use of as many bushes as you can, to offer some resistance to the predators that might come to attack the area.

13. Make use of Automated Chicken Coop Doors

This is useful to avoid the possibility of coop door remained open

14. Communication with the care takers

Communicate with the chicken sitters and people responsible for the protection at the night time and offer them all the above mentioned advices.

15. Keep the Trash out

Keep the Garbage and other smelly stuff away from the coop, so that urban predators might not come to smell them.

Backyard Chicken, Chicken Coop, Hen House

6 Considerations Before U Start A Chicken Coop

November 17, 2022 Farhan sheikh Leave a comment

The popularity of growing chickens at one’s own backyard is getting more and more common. The reasons behind such a ploy are plenty but one of the most important reason which I consider is the fact that when you buy an egg from your local market, it reaches there at least after 20 to 30 days and is not fresh. So if you a start a chicken coop at your own house, you will surely get fresh eggs to eat on daily basis and you will really be surprised to find out a completely unique taste which only comes with freshness. Now there are many important factors to consider before you start a homemade chicken coop or when you devise plans for chicken coop and such considerations can be understood under the following headings:

1.       Chicken coop

You will find many chicken coop manufacturers in the market but if you have decided to build a chicken house yourself, then you need to learn some important aspects for this purpose as the growth and productivity of your chickens also depends on how you built their house. The basic thing here is that it should be properly spacious and should be in a safe zone for the chickens. Chicken coop plans cannot prove fruitful unless you have a proper understanding of the requirements and tools that are needed for this purpose. Though purchasing coops is a good ploy but the problem here is that the prices are inflated and still you will have to go through the assembly process. So before you start with the manufacturing process, go through a reasonable book or website that gives you chicken coop plans related to what you need and how to incorporate different things e.g. lighting, ventilation, run , perches and many other components.

2.       Chicken runs

A chicken coop with run is basically the area which is outside of the coop where the chickens or hens can roam around. Now the important thing here is that the area should be sufficiently spacious so that these animals do not feel much crowded and can exercise easily. A set rule for chicken runs and coop in this regard is 6 square feet per chicken.

3.       Chicken coop kits

All the plans for chicken coop will involve the use of a proper chicken coop kit because a proper kit is essential for the egg productivity which is obviously the basic aim of any person or concern. Most of the chicken coops that are availed from the market are 80 percent complete and you will just have to go through the assembly process which can be done with tools that are normally available at home e.g. hammers, saw, screwdriver and measuring tape. If you are to build the coop yourself then you will need proper wood plates along with the aforesaid material.

4.       Chicken coop accessories

Chicken coop accessories involve all the tools that will include the chicken coop itself and the other materials such as shovels, straws or hay for nesting and other materials for lighting and ventilation. The entire accessories should be well integrated with the coop and effectively usable for the purpose regardless of whether you go for a simple chicken coop or you go for a large sophisticated one.

5.       Mobile chicken coop

Now, chicken coop suppliers also provide the feature of mobility which allows you to move the coop from place to place. There are various mobile chicken coop plans which can be used to avail this mobility feature. One of the most common uses of this mobility feature comes where a person has a garden as the coop can be moved there and the waste of the chickens can be used as a fertilizer. This also saves the extra cleaning of the coop which is required on regular basis.

6.       Chicken coop suppliers

After discussing the above factors , one would like to know about the suppliers of chicken houses which can provide feasible and effective chicken coops. The market is filled with many suppliers these days but the top five on my list are as follows:

Top five suppliers of chicken houses

1-Feel Good

2-Hen House World

3-Chicken Coops And Houses

4–Ningbo Two Birds Industry

5-My Pet Chicken

Backyard Chicken, Brooding And Rearing guide

10 Tips for Raising Chickens Economically

November 14, 2022 Farhan sheikh Leave a comment

How to start raising chickens? How much do chicken cost? Well, in order to get an answer to these questions, you should ponder the tips which I would be sharing below. Poultry is surely one of the most profitable businesses if it is done using the right sets of tools and techniques. Moreover, raising the chickens in any setting can also be considered as a pastime. So, if you plan to start a chicken flock, then there are some initial costs you would be required to pay in order to get things going. This initial investment includes all the startup as well as maintenance costs. But here it is also a fact that chickens and egg laying are less expensive in comparison to the other domesticated animals. Thus it is clear that chickens can be raised pretty economically, but it all depends on the type of breed you wish to select. In other words, if you plan to have some expensive and rare breeds at your farm, then things might get pretty costly for you. Most of the people can begin by keeping 4 to 20 chickens at the farm, the cost of which would be around US$ 50 or may be less. So, in order to keep the costs to the minimal, below are some useful tips that might come in handy about raising chickens cheaply. The same applies when you plan to raise chickens for eggs or raising backyard chicken.

1. If you plan to get the chicken through the mailing order, but the numbers of chickens you want are less than the minimum limit, then it is best to share your order with some person. So, from the very start you would be able to save some money in cost of keeping chickens.

2. Before you plan to drop some large sums of cash on those cocky and fancy tractors you come to see in newspapers and magazines, you should think about having an inexpensive coop for getting the job done with the minimum levels of investment. When building or purchasing a coop, try to go for the simplest one that would come to fulfill your requirements. In other words, it should be efficient enough in offering some protection and space to the animals, nothing more than that.

3. If you want to have some egg laying hens, try to add an order of a few pullet chicks and after that fill the remaining sections in the box with the meat type chicken in order to have a minimum quantity. Then it is best if you raise all of the birds together in order to free some space.

4. For those who plan to have meat birds, most of them would come to order cockerels, as they grow rapidly and also come to be larger in size in comparison to the other chickens. In some of the breeds, the cockerels are also cheaper in comparison to the pullets.

5. There are some people who love to butcher the chicken one at a time, but in terms of making an economic sense it is better if you go for the butchering process in the form of batches. It is because you would be using quite a lower amount of electricity and you would also not need to buy some more feeding ingredients and nutrients.

6. Day old chicks should be purchases, as they are quite economical in comparison to the eggs. Moreover, you would also need not to pay some extra costs on the purchase of the incubators and on the electricity on which the incubator runs.

7. Try to place an order from the hatchery that is quite near to you, as the farther the hatchery, the more the money they charge for the transport.

8. Try to get the chicks vaccinated at the hatchery as it is quite cheaper from them due to which you would also not need to purchase vaccinations for yourself.

9. Always prefer to buy the adult birds in the fall season, as at this time more and more people are trying to sale their young birds due to their excess. The adult birds would also come to be less expensive in the winter season in comparison to the months of the spring season. In the spring season the demand for the adult birds get very high due to which it is always savvy to go for the adult birds in the winter season.

10. At the time of purchasing egg laying chickens, always be wary of the hens that are older, as some people might try to sale those hens to you all because they have stopped laying eggs.

With all these tips in mind, you are sure to lower down the cost of raising chickens.

Backyard Chicken, Brooding And Rearing guide, Poultry Farming

How To Raise Baby Chicks,A Beginners Guide To Backyard Chicken Farming

November 11, 2022 Farhan sheikh 2 Comments

Backyard chicken farming was widely observed up till the World War II. The people used to raise the chicken by themselves for eggs and meat. The backyard chicken farming had a variety of merits. It acted as the natural nitrogen fertilization process when chicken perched the food and also a natural controller for bugs and pests. With modernization and industrialization, the chicken farms and chicken breeding on a massive scale emerged. However, with inflation and rise in unemployment, the backyard farming has recently increased. Another reason can be the quality of eggs and meat that the chicken provides. They make excellent pets chicken and they might serve as a significant aspect to spend some good time with your kids while farming. As a result of this increase in the chicken farming concept, you might need handful tips. Let us have a look at the pointers for backyard chicken farming.

 1-Choosing the breed:

The rudimentary thing is the type of breed you choose for farming. The best way of selecting the best breeds is to consult someone who is into this business or browsing it on web. One might buy baby chicks like Jersey Giant, Buckeye, Silkies, Delaware, Polish and Leghorn as an ordinary hen type. Another important thing is going for a hen rather than a rooster. Hens are less aggressive, are easy to handle and also provide good quality eggs. Go for a rooster as a last option.

2-Chicken houses:

Another pointer is the place where the chicken might be kept. This is a time consuming process because the provision of best area of your house is really necessary for the proper chicken development. The basic thing is providing comfort level to chicken and providing space to them. The chicken in the backyard ought not to be like farms where chicken are hoarded up and lack the space for proper development. Next important thing is the suitable environment all over the year. Whether it is summer or winter, the chicken coops need to be suitable and comfortable to prevent sickness of chicken. The coops should be strong and solid in order to prevent from predators. Proper positioning, height and width of coops must be the prime importance.

 
4-Nutrition (food and water):

The proper food and nutrition is yet another pointer for chicken development. Providing diet is important because this assures the strong bones and good quality eggs of chicken. They need calcium as well which can be provided by mixing oyster shell in chicken feed

 5-Cleanliness:

The clean environment of the chicken area is another important thing in ensuring the best possible health of the backyard chicken. Keeping the area tidy and maintaining the cleanliness is essential. This can be done by cleaning it on a regular basis according to proper ways adopted by the best farmers

 6-Prevention from predators:

Preventing the backyard chicken from predators is yet another considerable phenomenon. This can be done by surrounding the area with strong wire mesh all over so that the predators might not penetrate the area. This results in minimum snatching by the predators and reduces the chance of losing the chicken.

 7- Prevention from diseases:

Preventing your chicken from getting sick or other diseases is also an important task. The hens and baby chicks might suffer from diseases due to damp and untidy habitat, improper diet, viral outbursts or contacting with other sick chickens. This can be avoided by proper cleanliness of the area and proper vaccination on and off.

8-Advantages of backyard farming with respect
 to cost,egg quality and meat:

The benefits of backyard farming have been discussed time and again. This provides the best quality of eggs and meat to the chicken raisers.Raising your chickens with good quality food, shelter and optimum life conditions help to get the best of the best. Due to inflation, backyard farming is a shrewd option for those who cannot afford costly meet and eggs. This enables them to get economical, cheap and good quality.

Backyard Chicken

Guide For Introducing New Chicks With Older Flock

October 13, 2022 Farhan sheikh Leave a comment

Since ages people have been raising various kinds of poultry birds in their backyards. True that, those are attached to this kind of work aim to expand their collections for fun; it’s indeed enslaving hobby. I have seen a live example in my family; my father is fond of keeping backyard birds. We have turkey, guinea fowl and lots of chickens there, but my father has special love and attention towards the chickens. Often he loves introducing new hens to a flock. With time he has learned a lot about the bird behavior and now he easily gets through the task of introducing the newer friends. Many of you must not know that the older flocks are not very much friendly, and they have adjusting issues with new friends.

If you continue to go through the excerpt, you would have a better idea how to deal with the issues and the harsh behavior of the older flock,there is some concepts which need to be understand

 Pecking order in the chicken - something you must know:

Poultry birds have some sort of their own developed psychic; if you talk about chicken only, they behave at their best when in smaller groups; in other words, they seem comfortable with a few friends and prefer squeezed social circle. Pecking order – if you are a backyard bird raiser, you must have an idea about this cliché – pecking order is not a scientific term, it basically means that the flock must have an order, or you can say a hierarchy. This would help all the hens know their standing and position; so, if you are looking towards to introduce a few more fellows in the already existing order, indeed you would face trouble, however, if you re-establish the order, you can overcome the issue easily.

Further, an established pecking order does not require any changes because the chicken at the highest level would be definitely stronger than the others. Even the maturity level would be different than the rest, so none of the bottom level chicken ever thinks of challenging the robust one. So, whenever introducing newer friends in the flock, think that you are somehow or the other destroying the family bonding; so in order to avoid the chaos, re-establishment of the pecking order would be the best tip.

Territory:

Another issue that requires immediate attention when mixing new chickens to a flock is territory; the older chickens which are now quite happy with their old members seriously doesn’t want any younger flock in their established kingdom. The sense of invasion makes them angry and they retaliate. So what can be done here is; you must establish two territories. For example, within your farm, you must carefully draw two territories and keep newer away from the older ones. They would look at each other daily and within a week or so their acceptance level towards each other would establish. This tip seriously works best.

 Bulling:

How can you keep a small dog with a ferocious big one? Similarly, you cannot keep a big robust rooster (above one year) with a premature growing cockerel (male bird less than one year). The maturity level between the new inductees and the older flock must be more or less the same. This issue is quite sensitive and you must keep in mind the age group and the sex of the birds too. At the same time make sure those who are getting bullied still get their required food, water and proper space.

Other than the mentioned valuable options, quick tips that would help you in mingling the newer flocks with older ones include;

1- Introduce pairs:

First of all make sure the new chickens that you are adding to the flock are good friends. For this, you can keep them together for a week or so; once their bonding is good enough, you can introduce them to the new group of friends – by doing this, you will simply avoid the major threat that new inductees would feel lonely as even if the older flock is not accepting, they would be friend with each other.

2- Introduce new pairs at night:

Many times it’s more practical to introduce new pairs during the night when the older flock is sleeping. Experience says this, the older chickens barely pay attention to such entries and hassles are on minimum scale.

3- Expand the space:

If you would be entering new hens without expanding the farm space, then the fights between the birds would be nothing new. If the number of chickens would be more than space and food containers, then there would be a complete mess in the farm.

4-Divide run:

Use a roll of wire to separate their run area for a while to allow the new flock to establish their area. Your established flock will get use of their smell and sound.

5-New space:

If possible introduce them in a new place for both of them. This will discourage old flock making their territory claim.

6-Food and water adequacy:

Ensure your new flock is given sufficient food and water before introducing with old flock, they may temporarily leave their eating habit and may get be bullied so make sure there is adequate food and water there.

7- Different age groups must be kept separately:

There is no point off mingling a baby hen with the older aunties. Trust me; this would lead to severe fights and bullying. Make sure you properly differentiate between the age groups of chickens.

8- Never let the weak suffer:

Chickens have the habit of playing pretty rude – they always attack on the newer weaker fellows. So, in you are making the mistake of merging weaker with bigger ones, you will end up creating a fight between the flocks.

9- Create distractions:

New chickens can be introduced by making the older chicks busy; I have seen my uncle doing this. He used to hang some fresh pieces of lettuce inside the chicken coop; but they used to be far away from the birds reach. The older chickens will get busy with the distractions and that’s the point where you can add newer fellows.

10- Play the game to add and subtract:

What you can do is take out a few older chickens from the farm and then add newer ones. By doing this you would easily get away with the problem of chickens acceptance towards each other. For example, if you are removing two roosters then add one new rooster. This would help females in getting attached to him.

Backyard Chicken, Breeding Guide

Guide to Select a Right Breeds of Chickens For Backyard

September 22, 2022 Farhan sheikh 2 Comments

At the time of launching a poultry farm you do have a wide array of choices to choose from. Chickens have been kept by humans for thousands of years now for a number of different purposes. Due to this domestication, a number of breeds of chicken have been resulted. In a similar way to animals that come in different types, the chicken breeds differ from one another in terms of their characteristics, about which you should be well aware. In other words, you should know about the specific characteristics of each chicken breed in order to have an idea about which types of chicken breeds would be best suited for your farm.

It is all by doing some research that you would be able to have an idea about the best chicken breeds for eggs and meat. When it comes to selecting the right backyard chicken breeds, the following are the breeds about which you should know.Here are some of the most preferred chicken breeds with pictures.

Plymouth Rock

In terms of the top ten chicken breeds, the first in line is the Plymouth Rock. Many years ago, this chicken breed used to be the most common in America. You can select this breed from a number of different options. One of the most common of them all is the black and barred ones. Moreover, these birds are of a calm and friendly nature, due to which they are best suited to being kept in any setting.

Rhode Island Breed

Next in line we have the Rhode Island Breed which is also very common and preferred among the backyard chicken farmers. They are available in two different types including Rhode Island Red and The Rhode Island White. It is their docile demeanour, which makes them one of the most preferred to farmers. Furthermore, it is also able to adapt very well to all forms of free range as well as combined settings. On a yearly basis, it is also able to lay around 300 eggs which are brown in colour. That’s not all, as it is also known to be the best chicken for laying brown colored eggs. The Rhode Island Breed is indeed one of the most famous egg laying chicken breeds.

Light Sussex

Another top chicken breed is the one known as The Sussex Breed. In addition to being present in a number of different types and colors, they are also quite adaptable to any environment. Moreover, it’s also their unique nature which makes them one of the most preferred among all the farmers. Their capacity to lay eggs on a yearly basis falls around 250, which is indeed quite good in comparison to the other different breeds of chicken that are found all over the world. Many farmers, especially the hobbyists love to keep this chicken breed at their homes for quite obvious reasons.

Ameraucana Breed

Now moving on, we have another popular breed which you should also consider at the time of selecting the right chicken breed for your farm house or any other setting. The breed is known by the name of Ameraucana. They have a standard size and are mostly kept being one of the dual purpose chicken breeds. Now here, by dual nature it is meant that they are kept for eggs as well as for meat usage, thus making them quite useful in terms of meat chicken breeds. The eggs laid by these birds get really expensive at the time of the Easter Holidays. The reason for this being the beautiful colour of the eggs these birds lay. They are also quite constant in terms of laying eggs on a set schedule. Mostly, this breed is easy to handle and friendly, but there are some that can get really aggressive at times. The colors in which this breed is found include black, blue or brown red.

Ancient Breeds

For those who plan to keep the breeds that are being used since the ancient times, The Anconas and Hamburgs are the ones to be used. These chicken breeds typically lay white colored eggs, but some of the farmers are of the view that these breeds might not be suited for backyard farming, all because of their changing temperament. Other breeds which are also very famous for egg laying include The Minorca, Campine, Orloff, Penedesenca and other broiler chicken breeds. So, now you know how important is it to have some idea at the time of choosing a chicken breed.

Backyard Chicken, Poultry Layer And Egg Guide

16 Reasons that May Lead to Decrease in Egg Production

September 22, 2022 Farhan sheikh 4 Comments

A large number of people love to keep backyard chickens for egg production. There might be numerous reasons for this habit. But it really feels amazing to collect eggs from all the next boxes. In other words, gathering eggs from the nest boxes is one of the greatest joys of keeping the backyard chicken. If dealt in a proper manner, then the process might lead to the increase in egg production, thus enabling you to grapple some large profits. At the time, there are a number of reasons that might lead to the fall in the rate of egg production. So, if you feel the egg production rate at your farm is falling, then you need to keep a number of things in mind. Most of the researchers are of the view that the fluctuations in the rate of egg production may be due to behavioral, environmental and emotional factors, all of which can be controlled. Here are the 16 reasons that might initiate a decrease in the rate of chicken egg production.

1. Lighting Conditions and Shorter Days:

One reason for which the egg production might be slowed down is due to the shorter days. On an average rate, a hen requires nearly 12 hours of sufficient day light for the stimulation of the ovaries.

2. Molting Issues:

During the phases of molting, most of hens stop laying eggs. In order to tackle the problem a number of proteins might come in handy, but it is better to let the molting complete its cycle. Molting in chickens should be dealt in an effective manner in order to ensure that egg production remains constant.

3. Broody Hen:

In this phase, the hens stop laying eggs. Moreover, they also spend the entire day sitting on the eggs, waiting for them to be hatched. The only thing that can be done here is to break the broodiness as soon as possible. Almost all classes of egg laying chicken breeds might suffer from this problem.

4. Egg Eating:

There are some chickens that might engage in this irrational behavior. Furthermore, when one hen starts doing this, other hens prefer to follow. For substantiation, you can see a number of broken egg shells in the nest.

5. Predators:

There is no end to the number of predators who love to eat and steal eggs. Moreover, the hens also get stressed out at the sight of these predators, so it is best if you make all sorts of conducive and safety arrangements for dealing with this issue.

6. Overcrowding:

Another common reason for which the eggs might stop laying eggs, is overcrowding. When you keep a number of chickens in a small area, then the hens might get stressed that will result in lower egg production.

7. Change in Nesting Area:

Hens like humans love their homes and the places where they usually lay their eggs. But switching the area from time to time can break their routines and patterns of egg laying.

8. Illness/Disease:

One of the first things to notice in times of decreased in egg production is illness. You must also know that chickens do love to hide their illness at times. So here it is imperative to schedule and perform medical checkups from time to time.

9. Extreme Fluctuations in Weather:

There are some optimal temperatures in which hens lay the most number of eggs. Normally, the temperature range should be from 50-75 Degrees F. Even the slightest of deviations from this range might lead to fall in the egg production.

10. Lack of Ventilation:

Lack of ventilation in the coop leads to the accumulation of ammonia, thus causing various physiological changes in the chicken and egg laying habits of the chicken through respiratory illness.

11. Poor Nutrition:

Those farms that utilize some low quality feeds face this problem more often. So, for having the maximum number of egg yield, you should make use of good quality feeds.

12. Overfeeding:

Just like underfeeding that might lead to diminished egg production, the same also applies to overfeeding. Chickens require a set number of proteins for egg production, but never try to offer them with more than what they require.

13. Lack of Water:

In terms of the internal composition of egg, it is evident that water makes up nearly 75 % of the total mass. Be sure to supply sufficient water for chicken egg laying at all times.

14. Free ranging:

Chickens should be offered with free ranging, but in a controlled manner. Otherwise, they are going to hide their eggs at places you might not be able to track. Mostly the hens lay eggs in the morning times, so it is recommended that you monitor them at these times.

15. Age:

The first 2 to3 years are the ones in which hens lay the maximum number of eggs. With the passage of time, the productivity is going to fall. So, it is best that if you continue adding new chicks to the settings.

16. Stress:

In the end, it is quite visible that a stress free hen happens to be the one that lays the most number of eggs.

Backyard Chicken, Feed And Nutrition

Benefits of Herbs for Chicken Health

September 22, 2022 Farhan sheikh 1 Comment

The trends of taste among people have been changing quite drastically. In older days, people use to give priority to vegetables more as compared to meat food. But now it’s the opposite. And in this, the usage of chicken has been in the top of the list. The increase in the consumption of chicken by people belonging to different countries has led to the proper farming of chicken in order to fulfill the daily needs. But this farming has also raised some medical issues in respect of chicken health due to not handling them properly. Un-controlled and un-healthy environment creates parasites in chickens that not only affects the health of that chicken but also affects the health of other chickens. Therefore, remedy for this problem is using herbs. It is not necessary that these herbs can only be used for chicken farming on large scale. Even if you have small pack of chickens at the backyard of your house, you can also use these herbs to keep your chicken healthy. So below are some of the uses of herbs that are beneficial for the health of the chicken.

 Herbs for chicken

As we all are well aware that chickens eat green plants for their survival. If green plants are the food than why not provide with such green plants that does not only satisfy their basic need, that is food, but also keeps them healthy and reduces the chances of getting any worms in chicken. In order to provide them with useful herbs, you need to make some good room for the chickens. Chickens can be more happy and healthy when they have plenty of room to walk, spread their wings and find their food themselves. Keeping them in fence cannot fulfill this purpose that accurately as this is practiced for the convenience of humans and keeping chickens away from predators. The important herbs that are useful for the health of chicken and also so that they could lay healthy eggs are comfrey, garlic, chickweed, elder, hyssop, feverfew, nasturtium, tansy, lavender, kale, Gotu Kola, and nettle.

 Some Herbs and their benefits

The herbs that are mentioned above have separate benefits for chicken. These are described below.

Comfrey:

this herb is filled with tonic food and protein and has a high level of calcium and potassium in it. This herb is also beneficial in providing amino acid. Feeding this herb daily to chickens will not only help them in being healthy but they will lay eggs with golden yolk as well.

Chickweed:

This herb is very common and it grows in the cooler months. This herb is on the top of the list that is liked by chickens.

Feverfew:

This herb is effective in controlling mites and lice that possesses some serious threats to the health of chickens. This herb produces self seeds and ample of flowers. These flowers and leaves can be converted in to a tea and then sprayed to control mites and lice.

Gotu Kola:

This herb grows in areas that are partially shaded. The leaves of this herb are very useful tonic for chickens and this herb can also be used for some of external skin conditions.

Nasturtium:

This herb has antibiotic and antiseptic characteristics and helps in repelling the insects away from the chicken.

Nettle:

This herb not only is rich in minerals and vitamins but also it prevents chicken against worms. This herb can be added with comfrey after drying it so as to give a boost for laying eggs.

Herbs and chickens health

Some of you may have experienced that the chickens which you have been keeping in your backyard or on your farm are getting less active and are often seen in unhealthy shape. This may lead to death of some chickens as well. If you are providing them with proper food, water and shelter and wonder why still this is happening, so the reason is their declining immune system. The reason in the declining of chicken’s immune system is unhealthy diet. You may have been providing proper feed for hen but sometimes that is just not enough. Giving them proper diet which includes useful herbs is also very important. These herbs have the necessary proteins and vitamins that do not only strengthen the immune system of chicken but also helps them in fighting with any parasites in chickens. The stronger the immune system is, the healthier is the chicken and will also lay healthy eggs. The immune system not only helps the chickens to fight with parasites but also to counter lice and mites diseases that may not only affect the health of one chicken, but may also affect other chicken as well. Besides the fact that these herbs help in maintaining the immune system of chickens, there is one also additional benefit received from these herbs. These herbs not only make the immune system of chickens more defensive but also provide the necessary calcium and proteins that helps in the nourishment of these chickens. As healthy the chicken will be, there are greater chances that the egg laid by the egg laying chickens will also be rich in protein and calcium. And when these eggs will be used as a source of food by the people, they will also have a better and healthy life.

Above are some of the benefits discussed of using various herbs for the proper nourishment of chickens and why they are essential for the immune system of chickens as well. So if you think that the food which you are providing to your chickens is enough, than think again. This information will help you to keep your chickens more healthy and active and the herbs mentioned will help the chickens in fighting various diseases as well.

Here is more information on types of herbs,their benefits and how to use them

http://orgprints.org/20460/1/sb_poultry.pdf

The Poultry Guide