Why Raise Chickens?
* Easy and inexpensive to maintain
* Eggs that are fresh, great-tasting & nutritious
* They provide bug and weed control
* Produce great fertilizer
* Fun & friendly pets with personality, stress relievers
Q: Is it difficult to raise chickens?
A: No, it is not difficult to raise chickens. You need to provide them with a safe place to live in your yard which includes a semi shaded area. This is a good location for the coop and run. A typical flock consists of a minimum of three chickens as they are social animals. Its not in their nature to be alone. Daily care of the chickens consists of providing food for them each morning, refilling their water container. Ideally, if you have time, it's great to let the hens out of the run to free range in your yard with supervision. This is optional. They’re pretty much on their own all day and don’t need a lot of supervision as long as everything is safe for them. In the evening collect the eggs and make sure the hens are enclosed in the roosting area of the coop. On a monthly basis clean out the coop and replace the straw as needed. Always use hand sanitizers after handling chickens.
Q: Can I let my chickens out of the coop? How do I get them in at night?
A: Yes, it is recommended that you let them out of the coop each day, but it is not necessary. They enjoy scratching around and eating grass and bugs in the yard. Because they need to establish that the coop is their home, keep them in the coop for the first 6 to 7 days then begin to let them free range. Open the door to let them come out on their own. Some hens may take longer to come out than others. As darkness starts to set in, you can watch them return one by one to roost.
Q: Do You Need a Rooster?
A: No, you do not need a rooster. Hens will produce eggs without a rooster.
Q: How many eggs can hens lay?
A: On average, each hen will lay about 3 eggs within 5 days. This means that one hen will lay about 1.5 dozen eggs in one month!
Q: How many eggs does the average chicken lay per year?
A: In order for the hens to lay consistently, you must maintain a happy, and stress-free environment for your hens. It is normal for a chicken to lay about 260 eggs per year, and as the chicken ages, its egg production will start to decrease.
Q: What type of chicken feed should I use?
A: Use egg layer feed. It is a very healthy choice to feed egg laying hens as it provides all the vitamins and nutrients necessary for healthy hens and great eggs.
Q: Do chickens have teeth?
A: Chicks have a tooth, but only when they are hatching. A few days later the tooth falls out. So the answer is no, chickens do not have teeth, they swallow their food whole. To grind their food, the chicken has an organ called a gizzard, which is located between the chicken's stomach and intestine.
Q: Do chickens fly?
A: They won’t soar through the air gracefully floating on the breeze but they can fly short distances.