No tags yet.
Having chickens on a farm is a way of life. Having backyard chickens is an adventure, fun for kids and let’s you enjoy having a different kind of pet in a sub divided neighborhood.
I am no expert but have learned a few things along the way.
1. A Safe Haven
My first mistake was not have a safe place for them outside of the little red barn we bought for them.
When it is time for roosting, chickens don’t naturally go into a tiny red barn and roost unless it is snowing or bitter cold.
Chickens will roost in the trees, bushes, or on top of anything that they can find. My chickens chose the top of the grape vines. It worked for a while but despite it being 10 foot tall the foxes came and took two of the three.
Lesson learned!
Next came the chore of catching her every night and putting her inside the barn for safety. Not only is it hard to remember but if you wait too long they will be in a tree and too high to grab.
Then in the morning they need to be let out. They don’t like being stuck in a tiny little chicken house all day.
The trick is to have a place large enough that they will be fine for a few days if you leave town.
A place where they will go in themselves every night because they want to.
We bought a metal gazebo frame that nobody wanted anymore because the cloth roof and walls were no longer useable. Ours is a 10 x 12 foot one that my husband drilled holes on the legs to attach boards and to frame a door on the front. We chose to put a picket fence around it and then wrapped the whole thing in chicken wire so they are in a giant bird cage and safe even when not in the barn.
We put the little red barn inside so they can get out of the weather, lay eggs, and to keep the food dry.
We put a couple of roosting bars in the corners and that is where they roost every night. I just go out in the evening at dusk and simply shut and lock the door.
We added a second roosting box that my husband built.
The chickens love it and the set up is so pretty in the yard.
2. Food
I am one of those people who try and eat organic and non-gmo as much as possible so if you are like me you will want to find organic non-gmo chicken feed and scratch especially if you are eating the eggs. Buying a large storage container is a good idea since bugs and mice will be into it. Even inside I would get mice and ants.
I just mixed the chicken feed and scratch in the storage bucket.
Using a dispenser that holds a decent amount will keep you from having to refill everyday.
They also love meal worms. I didn’t know at first but most worms come from China who use hormones to make them larger and is how “Super Worms” are made.
You can find meal worms made in the USA but they are hard to find.
I bought some organically raised worms and have my own worm farm.
Chickens will eat table scraps.
They will also devour a vegetable or flower garden. Definitely something to think about. (I fixed the problem with a greenhouse)
Warning - There are plants that are poisonous to chickens. Please educate yourself on them.
3. Water
You can just throw a bowl of water in the cage but it gets dirty fast and it doesn’t last long.
I have a bucket that hangs and has nipples on the bottom that works great. The water stays clean and it doesn’t evaporate. It will last a couple of weeks which is nice since we like to camp a lot.
A large heated water dish is needed in the winter. It’s not as convenient as the bucket but they will have water instead of an ice cube.
*Do not use a deep water dish until babies are big enough. They will drown.
4. Dust Bath
When I first got my chickens I had never heard of a dust bath. My girls kept digging holes around my yard. I thought they were digging nests.
I finally saw an article on dust baths and realized what they were doing.
The chickens need loose dirt to clean themselves and to get rid of unwanted pests.
I used a small raised garden frame and put in loose dirt, sandbox sand and a couple of cups of diatomaceous earth. Wood ash is also a good thing to add if you can.
Some people use old tires but I like the wood box frame since it is bigger and the girls like to get in there together.