Raising Chickens- Learning The Right Way To Raise Chickens
Written by Micheal Felps   
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 08:47
Chickens are one of the easiest and cheapest animals to raise. The eggs provided by adult hens are fresh, readily available, and you know where they came from. Chickens are excellent for keeping down the pests in gardens and around the yard, plus they are fantastic fertilizers. Raising chickens can provide children with the knowledge of how to care for an animal, teaching responsibility at any age.
by MichealFelps


Chickens are one of the easiest and cheapest animals to raise. The eggs provided by adult hens are fresh, readily available, and you know where they came from. Chickens are excellent for keeping down the pests in gardens and around the yard, plus they are fantastic fertilizers. Raising chickens can provide children with the knowledge of how to care for an animal, teaching responsibility at any age.

Purchasing Chicks - There are plenty of places that sell chicks in the spring. Most farm supply places and feed stores will offer the chance to put in an order during the winter. Once the form is filled out and sent in, you will be notified when your chicks come in at the beginning of spring. Farmers' markets are another great place to purchase chicks right away, there's no waiting at these places. Websites and catalogs that offer chicks usually offer supplies for raising them as well; they all come as a kit.

Farmers' markets and farm supply places usually have a variety of chicks that you can pick through and take home right away. There are plenty of catalogs and online sites that offer the convenience of having chicks and supplies mailed directly to your home as well.

First 60 Days - Chicks need to be kept very warm during their first 60 days and taught how to get food and water on their own. If there isn't an adult chicken to show them how, you will need to demonstrate this. Dip their beaks into the water when you first place the dispenser in the brooding area so they know where it is.

After the First 60 Days - After they have been in their cozy little area for two months, they will be able to move to an outside coop. This coop should shelter the chicks from rain, sun, and wind. Attaching a fenced in run area to the the coop can allow safe digging for the chicks. They enjoy scratching in the dirt for bugs and small rocks.

After 60 Days - Once the first two months have passed, the chicks can be moved outside into a chicken coop. This should be a sound building that will provide shelter from sun and rain, as well as an area to scratch in the dirt. Attaching a run to the coop can allow the chickens to safely dig in the dirt for bugs. Once the chicks are big enough for feed, they can switch from starter to scratch. They love treats of vegetable scraps, worms, and bread.

The most important things to remember when raising chickens is to keep them warm, fed, and watered. You will need to introduce them to the water dispenser by dipping their beak into the water to show them what it is. If there isn't an adult chicken to demonstrate this process and you don't show them how to get water, they can dehydrate and die. Try to socialize the chicks when they are young so they won't grow up to be skittish chickens. This is a lot of fun for children too, since they like playing with them.

About the Author:

Finding answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Raising Chickens will be a snap! Building A Chicken Coop that will keep your chickens healthy, be versatile and functional will be fast and easy when you follow some simple steps!