KEEPING CHICKENS

should be a joy

There is however a few things that you should know before you start.

What breed! Choose a breed that is suitable for you & your family, do you want eggs, meat, beauty or all the above.

Do you have neighbours? If so is a cockerel suitable for you.

Do you want to breed/show or just enjoy your birds.

Do you have children? If so its best to choose a quiet breed.

Housing! This depends on how many birds you would like. Always have the house bigger than what you think you need because you generally have more birds than you intended to have. The rule of thumb is 1ft of perch to every bird, nest boxes how many & what size & of course ventilation is a must in all houses. As for bedding I use wood shavings as I find this to be the best (its easy to keep clean). A layer of 2” on the floor & 3-4” in the nest box. All my houses are about 18” of the floor, this stops vermin getting in & also allows them to shelter from the weather &  a place to put the feeders & make a dust bath. Cleanliness is vital for keeping your chickens fit & healthy.

General care of your birds. Your birds will need to be wormed at least twice a year, there are various types on the market find one that suits you. Keep an eye out for lice & red mite as these are the most common pests that your chickens may get. Again there are various types on the market find one that suits you. As a precaution use louse powder every time you change the bedding. There is also an organic powder that you can use on the birds paying attention to under the wings & around the vent. Scaly leg mite is another nuisance pest. This affects the scales on the birds legs the mite burrows under the scale causing it to lift. This can be easily remedied by covering the whole leg & foot in Vaseline every day for a week. You will find that the old raised scales drop of & there will be new smooth scales underneath.

Diet. A varied diet is essential besides the pellets & corn they also enjoy greens & household scraps. You can also supplement their feed especially while moulting. When you have decided on the breed of chicken you want they may not available straight away so be patient. Book with a reputable breeder they will be worth the wait.

I hope that this has been of help to some of you.

Good luck & enjoy your chickens.