There has been a lot of interest recently in raising your own laying hens. Before you buy chicks, there are many preparations to make. Preparing for proper housing, nutrition and health will make sure that your chicks survive to produce eggs for your dining pleasure.
First, arrange for adequate housing that will accommodate the birds’ growth. The minimum space required per bird depends on the type or breed of bird you select, and will range from 3/4-1 square feet for smaller breeds. A good rule of thumb is to provide 3-3 1/2 square feet of floor space for each bird you intend to keep for egg production. If you buy straight-run chicks (a mixture of males and females), allow space for about half the number of chickens you start with.
The poultry house must stay at least 70º F. The type of enclosure needed to maintain this temperature will vary with the local climate. Do not allow room temperature to drop below 70º F. Maintain a temperature of 90º F at chick-level for the first week. Drop the temperature 5 degrees each week until the chicks are five weeks old; after that, maintain the temperature at 70º F. During normal weather, infrared heat lamps placed 1-1 1/2 feet above the chicks will usually provide enough heat to start with. Adjust the height of the lamp to adjust the temperature. Raising the lamp a few inches a week should be about right.
Allowing birds to go outside is another option that contributes to a rural atmosphere and provides you with visual enjoyment; however, small flocks of birds should be fenced in for their own safety since chickens are usually easy prey. Fencing also protects your birds from other hazards such as cars. Extend the fencing all the way to the ground and make sure the mesh is small enough to keep chicks in. Also cover the top of the enclosure to prevent flying or climbing predators from entering. Chicken wire works well and can be found at most livestock feed and supply stores. Besides protecting your birds, fencing is important for good neighborhood relations. Other people may not have the same appreciation for roaming livestock as you do, and this may cause social or legal problems.
There must be adequate feeder and drinker space to accommodate the number of birds you intend to raise. Chickens require 1 inch of drinking space and 4-6 inches of feeder space. The house and equipment should be clean and in good repair, and before the chicks arrive the house should be preheated. You will need to add nest boxes later for layer birds.
Feed recommendations vary with the birds’ age and intended use. Rations formulated for birds’ specific ages are commercially available. The types of birds suggested here for multipurpose use would require starter rations from day 1 until 6 weeks of age. Expect to use at least 4 pounds of starter feed per bird. Between 6 and 18 weeks, feed the birds a commercial grower ration. Many feed stores carry a combination starter/grower ration that will work well for both stages of growth. At 18 weeks, start the birds on a layer ration to prepare them for egg production. Do not feed layer rations to younger birds or starter/grower rations to birds producing eggs. The results can be dreadful. Birds that can go outdoors will supplement their diets with greens and insects.
Do not overlook water as an important nutrient. A constant supply of clean, fresh water is essential to healthy poultry. Twenty hens can drink about 1 gallon of water each day in cool weather. Water consumption will increase dramatically during hot weather.
Prevention is the best approach to poultry disease control. Like other living things, chickens thrive in a clean environment. Periodically replace soiled litter material with fresh litter to help decrease the chance of disease. Clean feeders when they appear soiled and scrub drinkers daily using a dilute chlorine bleach solution. Add 1-2 teaspoons of bleach per 20 gallons of drinking water to inhibit bacterial growth. Bleach is also a good disinfectant for sanitizing cleaned surfaces in the chicken house.
Raising chickens for personal use can be fun and rewarding, but it does carry the responsibility of livestock ownership. You must always be aware of the potential consequences of your actions. Here in Georgia, many people raise commercial poultry. Backyard chicken flocks are a continual source of disease spread to commercial birds. If you own yard or pet birds, never enter another person’s poultry house since disease organisms are often carried on shoes and clothing.
For more detailed information refer to UGA Extension publication “Management Guide for the Backyard Flock” and “Nutrition for the Backyard Flock”
