How to Choose Chicks for Your Flock

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1 How to Choose Chicks for Your Flock Is it time for you to choose chicks to add to your flock? Maybe you are going to choose chicks based on egg laying, or breed characteristics. Perhaps you are looking to increase one particular breed in your flock. When you get to the feed store, how do you make a decision on which chicks from the bin, should go home with you. What breeds will serve your purpose? And, what if you choose a rooster. There are some important considerations when choosing chicks from the bin. Before heading out, know how many chickens your coop and yard can support. Be aware of the local laws on chicken keeping and the number you can legally keep. Some breeds grow larger than other breeds. Larger hens are obviously going to take up more space in the coop! Even though

2 the weak little chick sitting in the brooder may look like it needs saving, try to choose the healthier looking, active chicks. It s a sad fact that not all who hatch will grow into chickens. The Purpose of the Chicken Chickens serve more than one purpose on a farm or homestead. They are kept for fresh eggs and for meat. When you choose chicks, keep in mind your purpose. Many egg laying breeds are available in most feed stores and garden centers. Popular egg laying breeds include, Buff Orpington, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Barred Rock, Speckled Sussex, Ameraucanas, Welsummers, Leghorns, and Australorps. Meat breeds include Cornish Cross and Freedom Rangers. These breeds gain weight quickly and within ten weeks you are ready to butcher. Dual purpose breeds can be kept for both egg laying and meat

3 purpose. These breeds are often heavy weight, large breed chickens. Some choose chicks from the following breeds when looking for dual purpose chickens: Brahmas, Buckeye, Jersey Giant, White Rock, and Delaware. Sometimes people choose chicks based on appearance. Chickens are enjoyable to watch. Fancy breeds are sought by people who are interested in showing chickens, breeding, and just because. Who can resist a fluffy silky, a comical Polish, or the rare Olandsk Dwarf. There are so many beautiful breeds to choose chicks from and that is before we even consider the wide range of bantam breeds available. How to Choose Your Chicks at the Store When you begin looking in the brooder bins of chicks at the store, it can be somewhat overwhelming at first. They all initially look alike! But watch them for a few minutes and you will see some differences. Look for chicks that are easily and frequently moving to the food and water areas. The chicks that are not finding water and food may just need a bit more time or they could be sleepy. All chicks wake up at different times after hatching. The chicks that are freely moving around the brooder are you best bets at this point.

4 Some stores won t allow the chicks to be handled for safety and sanitation reasons. If you can hold the chicks, do a quick tip to toe health scan on the chick before choosing it for your flock. Look for the following traits: 1. Clear eyes 2. Straight beak, not twisted or crossed 3. Dry and fluffy downy feathers 4. Legs are straight and strong, feet are symetrical and the chick can stand easily 5. Vent area is clear of droppings. Chicks commonly get a day or two of clogged vent from sticky droppings. The vent area should be cleaned with a warm wet cloth to soften and carefully remove the clot of droppings. As long as the chick looks otherwise healthy, this isn t a reason to leave a chick behind. 6. Pecking order starts young. Don t be overly concerned if one seems to be a little bully. Wait ten minutes and it might be a different chick doing the same behavior.

5 Can You Rely on Vent Sexing and Wing Sexing? Hatcheries rely on trained employees examining the chicks and determining if they are pullet or cockerel. Although some people are quite good at this, the margin for error is still present. Most hatcheries will give between 90 and 100% accuracy. Although you may order and pay extra for a batch of pullets, receiving a rooster can happen. Choose Chicks Based on Egg Color White egg laying chickens include over 20 different breeds. The most popular or commonly available breeds are White and Brown Leghorn, California White, Ancona and Blue Andalusion. Brown egg laying breeds include, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Red and Black Sex Links, Barred Rock, Partridge Rock, Orpingtons, Wyandottes, and the production hybrid breeds.

6 Heritage Breed Chicks vs. Hybrid Breeds Heritage breeds, hybrid breeds, Bantams, Dwarf, what do all these terms mean to you when you choose chicks for your flock? Heritage breeds are purebred chickens of a specific breed. The heritage breeds must adhere to the American Poultry Association standards with a traceable genetic lineage. The chickens must be from naturally fertilized, heritage breed eggs. These breeds are slower maturing, and true to breed standards as stated in the American Poultry Association. Adding Bantams to the Flock Bantam chickens are popular with many people. The Livestock Conservancy defines Bantam chickens this way, Most bantams are scaled down models of large fowl and were developed for the pleasure of show. The Bantams may be smaller but the eggs are still delicious. Use an extra egg for

7 every two eggs called for in a recipe. Many chicken keepers with smaller properties appreciate the small sized Bantams. They don t need as large a chicken coop and they are extremely beautiful birds, just like the full size chickens. Most of the time, adding a few bantams to a large sized flock will go smoothly. If you see pecking order issues, you may want to consider separating your Bantams from the larger chickens. In most cases, chicks of both sizes, raised together will do well. Hybrid Chicken Breeds Hybrid chicken breeds are a result of crossing two or more heritage breeds. Many of the breeds referred to as sex link are hybrid breeds, created to be extremely good egg layers. These are the breeds many people will choose for high egg production. Many of these breeds can be sexed at hatch because they are a certain color only found on one sex.

8 What Methods Do Choosing Chicks? You Use for Everyone is looking for their own special flock of chickens so it s a good idea to choose chicks that will work for your purpose. Egg laying rate and temperament differ from breed to breed and chicken to chicken. A little research into the breeds before heading to the store can make the decisions easier.

9 What is a Lash Egg?

10 Salpingitis in Laying Hens I had never even heard of a lash egg. It had been over 10 years since we first began chicken keeping. In all that time, not once did I have a lash egg laid in my chicken coop. Until one day, a strange looking thing appeared. We had occasional strange eggs, bumpy shells, extra pigment, weak egg shells and one or two rubber eggs (no shell at all). And then, there it was. What is a Lash Egg you might be asking?

11 What is a Lash Egg? The first time you see this anomaly in the nest box or somewhere in the hen house you will be shocked. They are pretty gross looking objects. The lash egg may be rubbery and hard or a bit squishy but the many layers of material inside are the true markings of a lash egg. Salpingitis The correct term for the condition causing a lash egg is Salpingitis which is an inflammation of the oviduct where the egg begins its travels. The lash egg is not a true egg but may contain bits of egg material and a lot of pus and other material. They are rather disgusting and odd. The reason they are sort of egg shaped is because they still travel through the reproductive system, as an egg does. The one I found was very green. The inside, on further inspection, did show the layers and different material inside.

12 Is a lash egg a health problem? Is it a big problem? Lash Eggs, or Salpingitis can be a big problem. The inflammation may be due to an illness or infection and often by the time the lash eggs are seen, the hen is too sick to be saved. occurrence. Or it could be a one time As with many things when dealing with chickens, we often don t see the symptoms of a problem until it is too far gone. In our case, I looked at all the hens trying to determine which one might have laid the lash egg. All of our hens seemed very healthy and happy, eating well, interacting and dust bathing. None of the hens had any lethargy, cough, drainage or discharge. Do You Need to Cull the Hen? I definitely do not believe you need to cull a hen because she laid a lash egg or if she lays any abnormal egg. Many factors can contribute to upsetting the natural egg production. In the case of a lash egg, an infection or illness may irritate the Fallopian tube and oviduct causing an abnormal secretion or presence of pus. This may be serious or transient. Hens can recover from illness on their own or they may succumb. I would not recommend letting any animal suffer pain or serious illness but I believe a wait and see approach can be taken. A vet can be called to assist and may prescribe antibiotics. (read Lash Eggs And Dangerous Advice From Bloggers) Be Wary of What You Read on the Internet A lot of the information available on the internet recommends an immediate death sentence and here is why I think some people say this. In a commercial chicken business, the bottom line is production and profit. Now I am not saying that the operators don t care for the chickens or want them to be healthy. I am saying that feeding a potentially, seriously

13 ill chicken would be counter productive to the goal. This is why I state over and over that we need to know the purpose of the information on the internet. Why was it written, and who was it written for. Information written for poultry production houses can vary greatly from a course of action a small flock owner can take with non-communicable health issues. What should a backyard chicken keeper do? In the case of backyard chicken keepers and non- contagious illness, we can usually afford to take a few days to observe the affected hen, if we can even determine who laid the lash egg. Also, seek professional veterinary help if you feel you need it. No one can diagnose anything with one hundred percent accuracy, on the internet.

14 What can be done? If a hen is acting unwell, I would certainly take all precautions and start good bio-security practices. Naturally, I would treat the hen with an antibiotic, prescribed by the veterinarian. In addition, keeping the hens healthy on a day to day basis is extremely important. Good preventative health care for chickens can include probiotics and herbs along with quality layer feed. Keep the hens healthy with natural care Building a healthy immune system by feeding fresh herbs, apple cider vinegar in the drinking water and garlic added to the feed does help boost the immune system. We do all of this. Since all of my hens seem perfectly healthy, I am going to just watch for signs of illness and hope the lash egg was an anomaly. And again, anytime you feel unsure of your chicken s health, consult an avian veterinarian.

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16 This post appeared on Backyard Poultry Magazine.com Spring Coop Deep Litter Cleaning with Spring coop cleaning day is a big day when we have used the deep litter method of coop maintenance. This deep litter needs to be completely cleaned out as the temperatures begin to warm. It s a big job. The deep litter has been accumulating for months. It s time for a complete cleaning.

17 Since we have 25 hens and roosters living in the 12 x 8 shed, you would think that the smell would be pretty bad after a winter of no cleaning. But, surprisingly, it is not. I use the deep litter method for chicken bedding during the winter months, and unless there is some water spilled, or moisture accumulating somewhere in the coop, there really is no bad odor. I do clean out the nest boxes more often throughout the winter. How Does Deep Litter Work in the Chicken Coop? Basically, the way it works is, you add clean pine shavings and straw, in the fall, in preparation for the winter months. You can read more about this method here. Once the weather starts to stay warmer, it is time to throw open the doors to the coop and begin scraping out the winter s bedding. We do it by raking and scraping out all of the litter, straw, hay and any removable nest boxes etc. Now it is time to begin the cleaning. First I carefully look in the corners, under nesting areas and around the doors for any signs of chewing from outside rodents. It s important to stop any rodent infestations as soon as you see any signs. Second, sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth powder around the nesting areas. If you discover any moist or wet areas of the coop, let this area dry out before adding the new bedding.

18 As you can see in this picture, there were some wet spots under the bedding. This was a recent spill from a bucket while trying to refill the water bowl.

19 On top of the Bantam chicken partitions, we use chicken wire and old feed bags. The old soiled feed bags are removed and new ones are laid down. The feed bags are covered with hay or straw. As you can see, this is one of the popular nesting sites in our coop. Next Step in Coop Cleaning Process The next step in our coop cleaning is to replace the shavings or sawdust in the coop. I like to add some fresh hay or straw to any nesting areas. We have a few nesting areas in our coop.

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21 All of the chickens love coop cleaning day. They happily hunt through the pile of used bedding for any insects, bits of food or other treasures. We add fresh pine shavings and straw. Then the inspection crew moves in to give their stamp of approval.

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23 Coop Cleaning at the Duck House Meanwhile, across the way, the duck house has been stripped of it s very wet bedding. The duck house does get cleaned over the winter, unlike the chicken coop. Each week, all of the wet soggy hay or stray and bedding is replaced with dry. We try to do this on a dry breezy day, so that the house has time to dry out during the day. Keeping the duck house dry during the winter requires more frequent coop cleaning.

24 During the summer months the bedding will be changed out more often. The chickens will not need the extra warmth of the decomposing bedding during the summer. Making Rich Compost! All of the material scraped from the buildings during coop cleaning can be added to the compost pile. After carefully tending the compost for about a year, the waste pile will be a rich compost suitable for adding to the gardens. Therefore, as you clean out the coops regularly, keep a system going so that you know which part of the pile is the older compost. Read more on turning coop waste into compost in this post. Even though this may look like it takes a long time to accomplish, we really only spent a couple of hours on the coop cleaning. I hope this will give you an idea of how to keep your chicken and duck homes odor free and comfortable for your feathered friends.

25 For more information on coop cleaning read this post keeping your coop smelling fresh. on Interested in making compost from the chicken waste? Here s how. Can Chickens Eat Mashed

26 Potatoes? Can chickens eat mashed potatoes? Believe it or not, too much of any food can upset the delicate balance in the chicken s digestive tract. Being Omnivores means that technically, chickens can eat anything they want to eat. Their diet in the wild would consist of varied plants, bugs, dead animals, and live rodents. However, they have some of the choice taken away from them when we keep them in coops and runs. Faced with a delicious plate of mashed potatoes, next to the regular dish of layer feed, the chicken is going to binge eat those potatoes! In the wild, they wouldn t have this handed to them in such a great quantity. And there s the key to the question, can chickens eat mashed potatoes. They can, but everything should be offered in moderation. Offering too much

27 of any food besides layer feed, free range grasses and bugs, can lead to stomach upset. Can Chickens Eat Vegetables Fresh From the Garden? What about other foods commonly left over from our family meals. Cooked vegetables are almost always ok to serve to your chickens. Can chickens eat all vegetables raw, right from the garden? The answer to that would no. Some raw vegetables contain chemicals that are toxic to chickens. Vegetables from the nightshade family includes, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. The solonine in these plants is the toxic substance that can build up in the chicken and cause toxicity and death. The fruit of the tomato and the pepper is fine in moderation, when it its fully ripe. Never allow your chickens to feast on the tomato plants, pepper plants or any of the green leaves from the nightshade family.

28 Note* Sweet Potatoes are not from the nightshade family. They are from the morning glory family and the sweet potato and the leaves are both safe to eat. Greens Most greens are good for chickens. The exception would be spinach which contains a heavy amount of oxalic acid. This compound, in large quantities can interfere with the absorption of calcium. Small amounts of spinach aren t a problem but large or frequent feedings of spinach, beet greens or Chard might lead to soft egg shells. The leafy lettuces, kale and other greens are great treats for the flock.

29 Can Chickens Eat Dairy Foods Like Cheese, Milk, Yogurt? During a recent episode of viral information on social media, a discussion was going on about whether or not chickens can have dairy foods without consequences. There was a huge response with people again arguing that they do so all the time, and have no stomach upset in the flock. Others mentioned that chickens lack the enzyme necessary to digest milk protein (lactose). Yogurt can provide a boost of calcium, protein, energy, and probiotics and yes yogurt is a healthy food for humans. Chickens can benefit from small amounts of unsweetened plain yogurt. It does provide some probiotic benefits. However, it is a dairy product. Large amounts of dairy are not good because it can lead to loose stools and upset stomachs. So again, we come back to that age old rule of moderation and small amounts. Feeding a large bowl of yogurt might not kill your chickens or lead to toxicity but it probably will cause some digestive upset.

30 Most Chickens Don t Like Citrus Fruit There are differing opinions on feeding citrus. There isn t any definite evidence that it is harmful. Too much citrus and

31 vitamin C, can lead to weaker egg shells because it interferes with Calcium absorption. I am not too worried about this because mine reject citrus fruit anyway. I have heard this from many other chicken owners. Meat Scraps Being omnivores, chickens can handle eating meat protein. Have you seen the excitement when they catch a field mouse? Even a snake is a delicious form of meat. So feeding them the carcass from a roasted chicken, if you aren t making bone stock, is fine. Fried or fatty meat should be avoided and anything cooked in a heavy sauce could lead to diarrhea.

32 Legumes and Beans Fully cooked beans can be fed to the chickens. Raw beans of all kinds contain hemaglutin which is a natural insecticide and toxic. The cooking or sprouting of beans or dried beans destroys the chemical and then the beans are safe to feed to the chickens. So your leftover green beans and other legumes from dinner are perfectly fine to give as a treat. A Few Other Foods to Mention Onions and Garlic are from the same family but contain different chemical make up. The allium family, particularly onions, contain large amounts of thiosulphate, a toxin. It is interesting though, that garlic contains very little thiosulphate. Garlic is completely safe and extremely healthy to add to the chickens diet. Chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol are three of my favorite treats. But the chickens should have none of these substances.

33 Avocados These actually do contain a fatal toxin in some parts of the avocado. I do not give any part of this to my flock. Apples Some people may mention that fruits with seeds and pits can be toxic, too. They can but it s a much lower toxicity and mostly the chickens will just eat the fruit. To be safe, cut up the apple and don t feed the cores. Remove the peach pits. This is not a problem with watermelon which is a favorite treat! Rhubarb This is toxic in so many parts that I wouldn t take the chance of feeding it to my flock. The leaves are toxic to people too so be sure to avoid them in your foraging. Toxin Build Up in Chickens I know many will read this and argue that they or their

34 grandparents always fed the chickens green tomatoes, or onions, or any number of things, and no chickens died. And they would be correct. Very few toxins will kill people or animals immediately. However, toxins eaten on a regular basis or in such an amount that buildup occurs over time, will die or become sick. You may not tie it back to the potato peels you fed to the chickens three times a week. Or the free ranging in the garden where they had access to pepper plant leaves and potato vines. It s the same with people. Toxins in our food build up in our bodies over time. We are just beginning to realize that plastic packaging, chemical dyes, and other contaminants can cause problems with kidneys, nervous system, and the heart. The liver is a prime candidate for toxin build up leading to disease too. Our poultry and livestock are no different. They can eat many different foods that we share with them. It doesn t mean it is without risk or without an effect further down the road. What to do My final point to answer the question can chickens eat? is this. As our grandmothers said, everything in moderation. In the past, few farmers kept a large flock of chickens over the winter. The best layers might have been kept but most were processed for food so they didn t have to be fed through the winter when free ranging food was scarce. Not keeping hens past a year or two probably didn t show the toxicity symptoms that might show up in older hens. This is your flock. You get to make the decisions. Remember that not every bad decision will have an immediate consequence. Also, not everything you do is not going to endanger the life of your chicken. Feeding a good quality layer feed, supplemented with safe foraging and free ranging, and delicious safe treats from your kitchen will help you keep a healthy flock. Meal worms and

35 dehydrated grubs are tasty treats that normally don t lead to problems. Remember that the answer to can chickens eat this food is, only in moderation. Using Hatching Eggs to Grow Your Flock

36 Using hatching eggs is one way to grow your backyard poultry flock. Hatching eggs are eggs from poultry that are suitable for incubating or placing under a broody hen. If you hang around chicken people long enough you will hear the term using hatching eggs being tossed around, as they consider which breeds to add to their flock. Increasing the flock can be accomplished a few ways. You can let your broody hen hatch eggs herself, if you have a rooster in your flock to fertilize the eggs. Purchasing day old hatched chicks is another way to add to your flock or get started with chickens. If you prefer a certain breed of chickens, purchasing and using hatching eggs may be the most economical way to proceed. Reasons to Use Hatching Eggs Rare or extremely popular breeds may only be available this way. Shipping live chicks is costly. If you have access to an incubator, hatching eggs can save you quite a few dollars.

37 Once you decide which breed you are interested in, check with local chicken groups or clubs to see if anyone is selling fertilized eggs from that breed. The less time and travel involved, the higher the viability and hatching rate. If no one local is selling, internet searches, posting in groups that discuss chickens, and ing a breed group may result in someone selling hatching eggs. Many people use Ebay to find the right seller. Look at the customer feedback and selling history before parting with your money. Look for Quality The eggs sold as hatching eggs should be normal egg shaped and clean of mud and manure. Small specks of dirt won t hurt but large smears or clumps of dirt won t make a good hatching egg and may add dangerous bacteria to the incubator. Cleanliness is important because the incubator temperature not only helps the embryos grow and develop, but it also would help any bacteria flourish. Chicks hatched in a dirty environment have little hope of survival.

38 The hatching eggs should not be washed before incubating. This is why it is important to keep the nest boxes clean and sanitary if you are considering hatching chicks or collecting eggs to sell as hatching eggs. If you buy rare or expensive hatching eggs and introduce them into a dirty nest or incubator, you probably won t have a good outcome. What Does a Rooster Have to do With All of This? A rooster must be part of the flock in order for you to have fertilized eggs. When the rooster mates with the hen, the eggs

39 become fertile for the next few days or weeks. The eggs will still be fine to eat, and no chicks will develop if the eggs are not incubated. Collecting hatching eggs from the nests of your flock should be done every day. The eggs should be stored in cartons, pointed end down, and kept at room temperature. The eggs hatching rate begins to decline after a few days, so pack and ship hatching eggs promptly. Procedures for shipping hatching eggs change and vary. Read some basic practices and ideas on shipping hatching eggs in this post. Using Hatching Eggs with a Broody Hen Once you have a seriously broody hen, order your hatching eggs. When the eggs arrive, allow them to settle for a few hours. When your broody hen goes to sleep, sneak the eggs underneath her. The next morning she will think they have always been there and should continue her brooding. Mark the date on your calendar and count forward 21 days. That will be close or the actual hatch date. Bantam breeds develop sooner, often beginning to hatch at day 18 or 19. Ducklings take longer, averaging 28 days.

40 While your hen is brooding she should get up once or twice a day for food and water and to eliminate waste. Some hens are so serious about hatching eggs that they are reluctant to do this. Encouragement can be used as long as the hen isn t too upset by it. The Incubator when Using Hatching

41 Eggs If you are beginning your first flock or prefer to hatch the eggs in the incubator, have everything ready before the eggs arrive. Again, let them settle from the trip before placing them in the incubator. Mark each egg with an X on one side. Turn the eggs a few times a day or set the automatic egg turner to do that for you. Turning the eggs helps the chicks develop correctly. Keep the incubator temperature at 99.5 for the entire time the eggs are developing. The humidity is important, also, and should be kept between 40 and 50%. During the last few days of the incubation, stop turning the eggs or turn off the automatic egg turner. Do not open the incubator after that. It is important that the humidity remain high so the chicks can hatch from the eggs with out getting stuck in dry membranes.

42 Candling the Development Eggs to Look for It is important to check the hatching eggs about a week into the incubation. A broody hen seems to know when an egg is not developing and kicks it from the nest. A non-viable egg left in the incubator can explode, ruining the hatch. Use a candling light to check for development and remove any eggs that show no signs of embryo growth by ten days. When your chicks hatch, it is fine to leave them in the incubator for a few hours to dry off. This prevents unwanted opening of the incubator while the rest of the eggs are

43 hatching. If the first hatched chicks are very active and constantly rolling the other eggs around, you may need to remove them quickly. Hopefully, you will have a good hatch rate when using hatching eggs. Share your experience with using hatching eggs in the comments.

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45 Written for you, as you begin your life with chickens! Easy to follow instructions, ideas, tips and photographs from Hatch to Egg Laying. Chickens From Scratch