Here Are The Basics On How To Raise Chickens

Rearing chickens can be a fun and engaging hobby and a lucrative business. It gives you access to fresh eggs, healthy meat, and fertilizer, and it's also enjoyable and fulfilling to watch chicks run around and grow into egg-laying hens. Raising chickens allows you to teach your children how animals grow and the responsibilities of caring for them. When considering keeping chickens, evaluate how comfortable you are caring for animals, your environment and lifestyle, and your budget.

Essential factors for easy chicken raising 

Before venturing into chicken rearing, determine the type and number of chickens you want and how long you can keep them. This information will dictate the facilities you'll need for the project, such as a coop for hens and a brooder for chicks, and the space and feeds you'll require. Ensuring you have easy access to a veterinarian is crucial, as chickens tend to fall ill and die easily. Having the right equipment and knowledge to treat your birds' injuries and illnesses is an added advantage. Maintain high sanitation standards to have healthy chickens.

Startup chicken raising process 

When you decide to raise chickens and have settled on the type, breed, and number you want, you'll need to have everything needed to raise them before getting the chicks or hens. Here's how you can prepare and start your chicken-raising project. 

Acquiring a coop and run 

You can construct or purchase a coop. It needs to have nesting boxes, a roosting area off the floor, sufficient ventilation, and secure windows and doors. Having a drooping board under roosting area facilitates the maintenance of a clean coop. A run is an exterior extension of space from your coop. To stay healthy, chickens need an outdoor space to roam and carry out their natural behavior, i.e., dust bathing. If predators are a problem in your region, it is prudent to cover the run with chicken wire entirely. 

Preparing a brooder

To raise chicks, you'll have to put them in a draft-free structure called a brooder. It needs to be completely covered, have bedding on its floor, and a heating lamp to keep the chicks warm. Ensure you regulate the temperature in the brooder and provide your chicks with sufficient clean and fresh water. You must have a coop to transfer them in when they grow. 

Providing the necessities 

The hens will need feeds, water, and calcium, to maintain strong bones and lay eggs with strong shells. You'll need to invest in drinkers and feeders and provide grit for the chicken inside the coop to help them break down their food.

The last step will be acquiring your chicks or hens. Search for a reliable and reputable supplier and have them deliver the chickens.

Conclusion 

To successfully raise healthy chickens, you must ensure they have everything they need. Contact a professional to learn more about how to raise chickens and receive guidance on how to start this project. 

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