« Tips on How to Make a Large Dog Bed | Home | Build A Coop – Avoid this costly mistake! »
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Raise Chickens
By Dog Lover | September 19, 2009
You must learn to raise chickens from the time they are hatched, if you are breeding them for meat. The key to your operation is to raise new chickens. It is important to know how to raise chickens property so you do not compromise your operation. Raising backyard chickens brings up many questions since it is not as common as raising a dog or cat. Here are some frequently asked questions on how to raise chickens.
Do I hatch the eggs?
Either you can hatch the eggs artificially or naturally. Natural hatching will, of course, involve a hen going broody on the said eggs. You have to find a hen that is going broody and it does not have to be the mother hen, or the hen that laid the eggs.
Although natural incubation may seem very practical, this will put a dent on your operations. Eggs are not laid by brooding hens. You can also expect them to lose weight because brooding and hatching the eggs will be the only thing they will have in mind. They can hardly stand up and rarely eat. The natural way to maintain the number of eggs you are producting is not the way for you. Of course, if this isn’t really a problem, then you should let your hens do the work for you, if only once. It will surely be an experience.
What ideas are there to raise chicks after they are hatched?
This step will require a brooder. You can make your own brooder if you have the faith in your ability to do so. You need to know how to raise the chickens after they hatch. All in all, you simply have to keep the chicks in the brooder at a 95 degree Fahrenheit temperature for the first week. The temperature should be lowered every week for the next three weeks. Learn more about building a chicken brooder.
You need to ensure that food and water is available to the chicks at all times. Newly hatched chicks are better fed with commercial feeds which contain appropriate and sufficient nutrition. You can release your chicks after the first month, although you can choose to let them stay until the second month. If the weather is warm and you have a clean run for them, take them out of the incubator once in a while and increase their food and water. Find out about how to build a chicken coop.
How do I take care of chicks I did not hatch personally?
A very important concern is to raise chicks you did not hatch, especially when the chicks are shipped. Shipped chicks often are weak due to the travel. A treat for your chicks is to mix eight tablespoons of sugar per each gallon of water when you feed them. Adding this sweet solution on their food can give them an extra jolt of energy. An important fact is knowing how to raise weak chickens. You should give extra attention here. Should they turn away from food, this is especially true. Hand feed them in this case, but don’t forget to wash your hands!).
Even if your commercial operation is small or minor, you should read more materials on how to raise chickens.
Mail this post
Topics: Farm Animals Make Great Pets | No Comments »