R A I S I N G C H I C K E N S

Transcription

1 T h e H o m e s t e a d e r ' s H a n d b o o k R A I S I N G C H I C K E N S Planning. Care. Feed. Shelter. Meat. Eggs. Health. C h a r l o t t e W a l k e r

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4 4 THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO Ryan, my husband and love of my life. He nourishes my spirit with his unwavering love. He inspires me with his thirst for knowledge and passion for truth. He s the fastest chicken wrangler that I know and his kindness towards animals is a beautiful thing to witness. Everyday I am excited to experience what comes next and so very grateful to be by his side on this journey.

5 5 Copyright 2017 Walker Lee Farms Inc. Charlotte Walker Photographs Copyright: Charlotte Walker Diagram of a Hen and Rooster: From Conkey s Poultry Book, All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without permission from the author and publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this knowledge. ISBN # Pending

6 Contents Introduction 8 Before You Buy Chickens 10 Selecting Your Chickens 15 Coops, Shelters & Pasture 26 Winter 41 Baby Chicks 46 Hens 54 Roosters 67 Feeding your Flock 76 Injury, Illness & Medication 83 Eggs 91 Raising Birds for Meat 97 Conclusion 104 Additional Resources 105 About the Author 107 6

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8 Introduction I m going to be straight with you - I didn t always know what I was doing when it came to raising chickens. I made some pretty terrible mistakes and learned some big lessons along the way to becoming a successful chicken keeper. There are many things that I wish I had known when I was new to raising chickens, though as with almost anything, there is always more to learn. As a novice I discovered that for every wonderful barnyard moment there was another that was not so pretty. Alongside the early morning cock-adoodle-doo s, happy clucking hens and lovely eggs came drama, death, bullying, egg eating and all kinds of other unpleasantness. I didn t care for these frequent, disruptive and time consuming calamities so I started taking more time to study my flock. It turns out that their happiness directly impacts your happiness. Finding the right formula creates an environment that makes your role as a chicken keeper more enjoyable and provides your chickens with a happy and healthy life. Most chicken troubles can easily be prevented by understanding some really simple principles. That is why I have written this book. It is the one I wish I d read before I started. This book is for the prospective or current homesteader and backyard chicken keeper looking for more control over their food supply. It s for people interested in raising their own eggs and/or meat in a humane fashion and it s for people who want more than just facts. I ll tell you what it s really like to raise chickens and share some embarassing stories from my earlier days. Are you a gardener? Chickens can be the best (and worst) thing that ever happened to your garden. This book will teach you all you need to know to have a happy, healthy flock while enjoying the experience. 8

9 SELECTING YOUR CHICKENS 21 Dual purpose As the name implies, these chickens provide a good amount of meat and eggs. They grow slower than commercial meat birds but are also good layers. Dual purpose heritage breeds are more suitable for outdoor production than hybrid meat birds. They are typically good foragers and can be bred. Breeds such as Buff Orpington and Barred Rocks fall into this category. Fancy Some chickens are kept for their unique qualities and beauty. Many people love to raise and show chickens at fairs and poultry shows. Bantams are particularly popular because they are about 1/4 of the size of standard chickens. Although tiny, Bantams can still provide meat and eggs. They need more care in the winter time but require a lot less living space that the larger birds. Breeds such as; Silkies, Seabright and Japanese fall into this category. Breed Class Type Eggs Egg Color Meat Cold Ameraucana Heritage Layer Good Blue/Green Poor Yes Australop Heritage Dual Excellent Brown Good Yes Barred Rock Heritage Dual Very good Brown Excellent Yes Brahma Heritage Dual Good Brown Excellent Yes Orpington Heritage Dual Good Brown Good Yes Marans Heritage Dual Good Chocolate Good Yes Rhode Island Heritage Dual Excellent Brown Average Yes Silkie Bantam Heritage Layer Good Cream Poor Yes Wyandotte Heritage Dual Very good Brown Excellent Yes Welsummer Heritage Dual Very good Chocolate Excellent Yes Leghorn Hybrid Layer Excellent White Poor No Red sex link Hybrid Layer Excellent Brown Poor No Cornish X Hybrid Meat Poor Excellent No Dorking Heritage Dual Good White Excellent Yes Delaware Heritage Dual Good Brown Excellent Yes Extinction The Livestock Conservancy is an organization focused on protecting endangered livestock and poultry breeds from extinction. They keep an updated

10 COOPS, SHELTERS & PASTURE Photographs Chicken coop with enclosed/sheltered run Outside Hatch for nesting boxes for easy access 36

11 EGGS 94 Waterglass Before refrigeration, eggs would be stored in an earthenware crock using a solution of waterglass. Waterglass is a solution of sodium silicate and water. To use this method you will want fresh, clean and undamaged eggs. Inspect them carefully for hairline cracks. Very gently place the eggs in the crock and cover with a solution of one part sodium silicate to nine parts water. The eggs should be completely submerged. Stored in a cool dark place the eggs should last six months. Before using, smell each egg as you crack the shell just in case any have gone bad. You can find sodium silicate online or if you are adventurous you can search for instructions on how to make your own using lye and silica gel. How to Tell if Eggs are Fresh The simplest way to determine the freshness of your egg is to do a float test. This is a simple test and it works because as the egg ages the air space at the large end of the egg increases. The more buoyancy, the older the egg. Place your eggs in a bowl of water. A fresh egg will sink to the bottom and rest on its side. An old egg will float right to the top. When an egg is a few days old one end will tip upward at a slant. As it gets older it will float higher and higher. Eggs that float to the top are not necessarily rotten but you might want to just add them to your compost.