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  • Living With Chickens

    Enviado por

    Miroslav Lisica
    515 visualizações98 páginas
    This introduction discusses the author's experience of starting a small backyard chicken flock with his family in the 1970s. It began with six day-old chicks and an incubator to hatch eggs. The family became interested in breeding and showing chickens at poultry exhibitions. They met other breeders who introduced them to standardized breeds and the American Poultry Association. The family's flock grew to over 50 chickens as they became more involved in the hobby. The introduction emphasizes that chickens can provide children educational experiences in responsibility and business skills. It encourages readers to enjoy the experiences chickens can bring, like the author's family has for generations.

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    This introduction discusses the author's experience of starting a small backyard chicken flock with his family in the 1970s. It began with six day-old chicks and an incubator to hatch eggs. The family became interested in breeding and showing chickens at poultry exhibitions. They met other breeders who introduced them to standardized breeds and the American Poultry Association. The family's flock grew to over 50 chickens as they became more involved in the hobby. The introduction emphasizes that chickens can provide children educational experiences in responsibility and business skills. It encourages readers to enjoy the experiences chickens can bring, like the author's family has for generations.

    Direitos autorais:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Baixe no formato PDF, TXT ou leia online no Scribd
    Sinalizar o conteúdo como inadequado
    515 visualizações98 páginas

    Living With Chickens

    Enviado por

    Miroslav Lisica
    This introduction discusses the author's experience of starting a small backyard chicken flock with his family in the 1970s. It began with six day-old chicks and an incubator to hatch eggs. The family became interested in breeding and showing chickens at poultry exhibitions. They met other breeders who introduced them to standardized breeds and the American Poultry Association. The family's flock grew to over 50 chickens as they became more involved in the hobby. The introduction emphasizes that chickens can provide children educational experiences in responsibility and business skills. It encourages readers to enjoy the experiences chickens can bring, like the author's family has for generations.

    Direitos autorais:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Baixe no formato PDF, TXT ou leia online no Scribd
    Sinalizar o conteúdo como inadequado
    de 98

    CONTENTS

    Acknowledgments

    ..

    .......ix

    Introduction

    ........xi

    .......1 Chapter tThecharmof chicLzens Chapter z \XlhereYourChicl<ens'willtiue ......zr Chapter t cettingEggstoHatch .......49 Chapter { kaisingchicks. .....6e ......8s Chapter g BuyingAdultchichens Chapter 6 EeedingYourchiclzens .......9s ChaptetT HensandEggs .....r2r ChaptetS ButcheringYourMeatBirds.. ......ri1' Chapter g TheHeatth ofYour Chickens .. . . .. ... .. .. .r+9 Chapter ro chich.ensandchildren ..........r6i

    Appendixes

    . .......L7r Hatcheries .....L75 Equipmentandsupplies .......Lyg. CooperatiueExtensionOffices. .........r8r Websites .......r87 Glossary ..........r91 Bibliography ......:r95
    Chi(.kenBreeds

    lr-rdex.

    .....L97

    -Iil

    '1

    vii

    l.

    ACKNOSTLESGKfENTS
    Fon vaNy RnAsoNS THIS BooK o\rES ITs
    EXISTENCE to the patience,

    persisrence, and good humor of AnnTreistman ofThe lyons Press. Many thanks
    also

    to Geoff Hansen for his photographs and friendship, and The Mountain

    School of Milton Academy in Vershire, Vermont, for the use of their space.

    Many friends and acquaintances have shared their chicken experiences

    with me and helped in other ways, but I had particularly valuable assistance
    from Gerry Coleman, Alex Keats, Bob Machin, and Mary Hays.

    Iinally, many thanks to MaryAnn Dub6 for her design, and to Kevin lynch
    and Chris Mongillo at Lyons for their hard work on the production of this book.

    -Jev

    Rossrrn

    'Iil

    TlfeNfS

    AR_E

    DUE TO CHICKEN FARMERS Carrie Maynard, Tom Powers and


    Jay Rossier, and

    '$&

    Iianne Thomashow the Vermont Bird Fanciers Club, author


    especially editor Ann Treistman at The lyons Press.

    -Grorr

    HeNsrr.r, PUoTOGRApHxR

    -trl

    ,rh

    rI

    'l ix I'

    INT'RODUCTION
    il
    ";",
    l

    iiiiittur

    riti

    \Welcome to the wonderful world of poultry in general, and chickens in particular. Jay Rossier is right on target when he says, "Chickens have a charm
    that will affect even those with no bird experience." That was me-as
    husband and father in the r97os, I had absolutely no bird experience.
    a

    young

    How I wish we had had a book like this when we first started with poultry. Our involvement with chickens as a family began with our four-year-old daughter's prayer, "Thank you, God, for the milk we get at the store, and the
    eggs we get at

    the store. . . " Determined to help Shara and her little brother
    a

    learn where eggs came from, I purchased six day-old chicks from

    flock

    owner who had placed an ad in our local paper. \(ouldn't you know it, four of
    the six turned out to be roosters, but Mandy and Mindy, two Ameraucana pullets, became important members of our first flock. At about the same time,

    friend gave us a dozen fertile eggs, which we placed into

    homemade incuba-

    tor-a

    small aquarium covered with

    piece of plywood that had a light bulb

    and a thermostat mounted on it. Even as an

    fl!

    '|,1"Xr,r;rrq'r 'i';rltrrtrlrrrr'trt

    "

    abrolute novice, with that contraption I got

    lrsq{i

    ,
    .(,.r,

    rli, r,r, ll,,, riri l,r,i, ,,,i,, r',,,r1,,'ir',i,',,


    ,irl,i

    threeoftwelveeggstohatch. "Daddy,one of
    thccl-ricl<sjusthasoneeye!"ourdaughter

    "':

    irrlr IiirrrrLrl

    \''

    ;;,,,1''l"',,::,":'I.;':l::::'ll,,;,
    lxil'

    -,1xii

    Lrvrrqc

    !rrrg

    Crrrc r(ENs

    Ir.rrnoDrIcrroN

    i xiii

    K.

    the Charlie who provided the eggs. Much to our daughter's chagrin, Charlie
    One-Eye turned out to be
    a

    girl, and an excellent layer. Next, I ordered

    twenty-five day-old pullets from the Murray McMurray hatchery. \7e were off
    and running in the chicken business.

    At that time we lived in upscale suburbia, but I could and did meet all city
    health codes. I was determined to be
    a

    good neighbor, so we kept no roosters,

    and I made sure that there were no rodents or nasty odors to offend our neighbors on three sides. Fascinated by all the different breeds we saw in the hatchery catalogues, we kept saying, "Oh, we justmust have some of those." By now, our flock was providing far more eggs than our family could consume in healthy way. \(hat to do?
    a

    At first we gave away our excess eggs to friends, who clamored for more. quickly saw the potential for our daughter's first exposure to capitalism. Her mother purchased
    a

    I
    Poultry Show, and she won
    again. Now we were hooked,

    small egg scale (which now proudly decorates

    shelf at

    k
    I i,,

    the farm), and Shara set about to weigh each egg, selling them by weight, just

    like the grocery store. Her trademark was one colored egg from Mandy or Mindy (Ameraucanas usually lay green or sometimes blue) in each dozen.
    Some folks bought a dozen just to get that colored egg to show their neigh-

    not only on backyard poultry for meat and eggs, but on standard-bred poultry for exhibi-

    bors and friends.

    rilZe

    always had more buyers than eggs to sell. And

    I shall

    tion

    as

    well.

    i r.

    never forget the day our daughter said to me thoughtfully, "Daddy, we need to take in a little more money than we have to pay out for feed."

    At these two poultry


    shows we met many nice

    our six-year-old

    had learned through life experience what I had paid big bucks to learn in

    folks, dedicated poultry breeders, who introduced us to the

    Economics ror at college. Our flock grew to


    hcns
    ir-r

    as

    many

    as

    fifty-five pullets and

    strburbia.
    rr

    Anrerican Ponltry Association and


    r-rrtc'rr.cJ orre

    book called Standard

    of Perfection.-Ihe

    ()n
    1..r,,',1
    (

    whirn wtrr

    o[tlrosc McMurray

    pr-rllets, a Bearded

    Buff

    srln,l,rrd dcscribcs eacir bird of every breed and color variety in minute
    tlr.trril,:rntl [r,rrrltly jurlgcs rrsc thrrt s(rur(lill-d, wl-rich c]ct:rils the perFect bird, rvlr,'tr jr.lliirrli hir,ls in ( ()r))p('titi()n. Wt' ;rlso l,',tt n,',1 lh:tl, in :ttltliliotr ltr

    l'trlish, in

    l,rcrrl shorv. Sht'w()n Il('sl oli llrr.ctl rrrr,l (1hlm1-riolr

    lorrtitrctrt;rl (ll,rss. As I rvrilr't1,,'s,'rr',,r,ls I ,rtrr lottliilll' li'rrtlly'rt

    tlrt'lroIlry

    tlr.rt "( l,rl,lrr'" \\'(rrr.rl

    llr,' ,1r,'rv I lt.rr l.rll \\'{'('rrtr'r,,1 Ir,'r rtr onr li'\,r., Sl.rlr'lr,rir

    ';lrolrll l)oulll1,r lttl':; tlr 1,,'llt lrrtl \\/trttlt,rr,,l I),rll,r:;, llt,'t,'rr,,'t,'1,,'trllty, ltrlts

    .l

    xiv

    F:

    LrvrNG

    \rrru

    CrrrcKENS

    INrnoDUcrroN

    i
    in Abiiene,
    tVaco,

    xvF

    Cleburne, Terrell, and

    Wichita Falls that sponsored one or two poulffy shows each year, and all

    of these were within easy

    driving distance ofour


    home.
    By that time, we had

    moved south of town to an acre in the country. The first order ofbusiness had been to build
    a

    poultry building thirtysix feet long by twelve

    feet wide and divide

    it

    with chicken wire into


    nine pens, each four feet wide. Over
    a

    few months

    I had selected Bearded

    \fhite

    Silkies, \7hite

    Crested Black Polish, and

    Single Comb \7hite r!t


    f, *'

    Ieghorns

    as

    my breeds of

    ciroice, and purchased


    1ti,,,,,,1,,,,r,,
    ,

    l,r,,,l,t,,ll,,il,

    l,rrrrrlrir,,r

    Iuro or.

    llrt,t, l.r',',',ling lrios

    (rr

    lt'io is lwo 1t'rlrrlcs

    rrncl :r rnulc) oFcacl-r

    vatiety

    ,rlr r l t ,l il, ,(,,,,.' i,, r' ,,,' r,, 1,,!r,, i,

    ,' r , irt ,r,' rr I l"r


    I

    l'll(, 1)()l)l('nlir(lc irrr rrlr;rlor j,,;rv('\viry l();r ()n(' lrtrn,lr',',1 ('ll1l slill ;rir', whit'h J,,rvr'\\'.r\,lr,,r llrt,',' lttttr,ltt'rl r'liJl lot1,',1 .,,,,,lltlrllllillit lttttrittt'. ittr ttlrtlot.

    ,,1,,

    " 1:',;,,rr',,,1,,,r,', 1,,,1,,,,1,'

    lxviK

    Lrvrwc ri'r1'rr Csrc

    KE Ns

    INrnoDUcrroN

    i xvii K

    President of the American Poultry Association, Inc.,

    the oldest continuous livestock organization in North America, founded in 1873 at Buffalo, New York.

    Our family has great memories of our time together with the birds, whether breeding and rais-

    ing chickens at home, or showing the grown birds

    in competition. Our son and daughter eventually


    went away to college and have their own lives now.

    My wife

    says

    that two of her children outgrew the

    chickens, and the third one (guess who) is still

    fooling around with them. The grandkids head


    straight for the incubator when they arrive at
    Grandma and Pawpaw's house to see what is inside. You can't tell them it is empty. They have to see for themselves.

    |(-J ta-r

    . 6

    .l . d----\t

    If you

    are interested

    in learning more about the

    American Poultry Association, Inc. and the resources

    \[hat

    had started out as a plan for six to ten layers

    we have that might be of interest and help to you, I invite you to visit our website at wr.vw.ampL+a.eem. My involvement with the APA has led me from backyard flock owner to breeder and exhibitor of standard bred chickens, to general licensed poultry judge, to being elected the 4orH president ofthe APA in

    to provide fresh eggs turned into breeding and


    ,,

    i,l,l'

    .,

    exhibiting chickens at ten to fifteen shows a year,


    I

    and hatchir-rg four to five hulrdred bar-rtam chickt'trs t'rrch ycrtr.

    Mulch, r998.
    I

    l1 you irrc lt'tohitrg for an animal

    project for your children or


    l'csolrrccs, n trio of standard

    'l'lrt'lilst lr,rtrltt'y slrotv lirr lltt' M:tl,,tt,'s w;ls l)r(rl1'th:rlr thirty yt'rtts rt11t', ittrtl rlrr r;lill lt,,,,lir'rl ott t ltir [,'t,,t, t,,'tt'r illrllrlItitrl' l)l\/ r]t'( ollrl l\\'il \'("ll l('l lll 'ls

    1ir';ur,l,'hil,ln'r't Irut h,n,t'lirnitt'tl sPrrt-c rrnrl


    lrt,',1 , lri, l(r'tlr or ;t nl(',rl

    finlncirl

    l)('ll,tl lrtoilr'tc,ttt t'xt t'llt'trt ()lr1i()n\. 1'lrt'liitls rvill l,'lrrn

    i xviii

    l.+

    IrvrlrG

    .lrrrrr

    CutcKENs

    IurnoDUcrroN

    ;ixix

    responsibility and accounta-

    bility just

    as

    well from chick-

    ens as they would from

    caring for a cal{ pig, or


    sheep. The

    APA/ABA Joint

    Youth Program is outstanding, in my biased opinion.


    Please let us

    know if the APA

    can be of service to you in any way.

    It

    is a privilege to be

    associated wirh Mr. Rossier and Lyons Press in bringing

    this volume to novice poultrymen and -women. I predict your chickens will bring
    you as much meaning and

    joy

    as

    Mindy and Mandy and

    Charlie One-Eye and all the


    others have to two genera-

    tions of our family. I hope


    you raise some excellent

    birds whether for meat, eggs, exhibition, or all of the


    :rbovc. IJcst wishcs at'td mucl-r slrccess witi-r yorrr flock!
    ,:iit rrrlii :i;\'i:r :r:rl

    l'nr Altt

    MAt.oNt,

    l'ttt st ut,N l t ttt' A',:;i)( I/\t l(rl'l,


    lJ'l(

    rrl( i\N l'()ilt

    CHAPTER

    ONE

    The Charm of chickens

    ou are

    nlt

    keeping tfem,gf course, to make or evep3

    t0 save monql. You are not keeping fem as pets. You are keeping themJor the simple pleasure oJ

    theiy'

    conganJand the beauty and tsstine?

    o;f

    their

    eggs nnc[n

    gtheir meat Ylu are rais{ng'ffiem


    to strike a mode[fblow

    because

    yu *itfu
    gf
    o, ,orfr. 22
    DaNrBr,

    for

    the liberation

    ghe ffiffen-and, indeed,gf atf living

    rhings

    -CHlnr,ss

    lNn Pacr Surrn,

    The Chichen Bool<., 197 5

    It wasn't my i dea, in the beginning,


    with
    a

    to

    start raising chickens. I was living thirty miles from a nearby university town in an old farmhouse
    lot of land and a couple of unused outbuildings. A medical student
    friend of mine who lived in cramped student housing not only needed an
    excuse to get out, but thought that a livestock project might make him feel

    more in touch with what to him seemed like the real world: the country. He

    -fit

    oppositc:

    provided the inspiration and the mail-order catalog from

    wlritr.Lt,ghorrr
    lrctr sl rrrls ar ross

    otr" of th. hatcheries; I had the space, some livestock


    experience, and
    a

    r'r,yrrrrl

    :rr.ti,rrr ll,u,r,r.s' lrrrrrrt

    willingness to bring food and water to


    basis,

    t[e 6yster.ioqs c[efltgfes orr a daily

    Chickels

    :1

    rh

    4''V+

    I-rvrl.rG \rrrrt

    CHTcKENS

    Tnr

    CHARM

    oF CHTcKENs

    ;{rFr

    seemed to me then to be stupid, fearful, and aggressive. They are

    full of sharp

    points from their beaks to their toes


    and move in a distinctly jagged way,

    jerking their
    than
    a

    heads more

    like a reptile

    bird. In the farm-animal depart-

    ment, I liked cows, which are massive


    and deliberate. And warm. But chickens have a charm that

    will

    affect even those with no bird erperience. In short order I began to appreciate

    the rich colors and textures oftheir

    vari

    ous plumages, their weight and shape.

    They are stately, dignified, and industrious creatures that take their work

    of

    scratching and eating and laying and set-

    ting seriously. Furthermore, they have

    genuine, if somewhat detached, curiosity about us) and are happy to work alongside us in whatever we busy ourselves

    *'I ,' ,; , .' -'*'


    rtllffiiif'.1ii:

    with outside.
    nt f"6;

    "i

    Of course, the eggs and meat they provide is superior to what you can get
    Ir

    orrr tlrc storc. If wh:rt you

    wrnl

    is

    home-grown animal protein, you'll soon dis-

    r'ovt'r th:rt th<'sc birtls t'urr ofli'r

    it-ancl that tl-rey are a lot cheaper and easiet to

    lr,rtrs,', li'r'tl, lr,'r',1, ,tr,,l Ir':llrsl)()l l th;ttr sht't'p, ll()ills, l)ilis, t'ows, oslrichcls, or what lt,t\/(.Vr)il.

    ')

    4V

    LrvrNG

    \rrrrr

    CrlTcKENs

    Tsr

    CHARM or CHrcr(ENs
    Br.cnr
    PorNrs
    j

    "5r:
    B.tsr
    ..,

    Before you get started, make sure that there are no local zoning laws that

    Evr ", Slnorr


    Srcxrrs
    .-'.

    1.

    Xe.n

    Cor.rn

    might end your career irr chicken husbandry before it even begins. Make

    call

    1 TAR I-OBES

    ,.- Br.qr

    to your town clerk or city council to find out the regulations in your town. In addition, it's always before diving in.
    a

    CA

    \7.A.rrrls
    -,- H.q.cr<r,r

    good idea to broach the subject with close neighbors MerN


    B.q.cx
    t

    Tarr " ""'-'*

    \7rNc-BAR

    Wlrlr Krxns oF CrlTcKBNs SHoULD YoIJ Knnp?


    Your choice ofwhat kinds ofbirds to keep depends first and foremost on

    Lrssrn
    Srcxr.ns '"
    S^conrr Fnnrrrnns -

    ..-,-.-.-* Bnsesr

    \frNc-BAY (Srcoxoerrrs)

    whether you want meat or eggs, or if you are simply buying them for yard ornamentation. Some are fnore appropriate for meat, some are better for eggs,
    and some were bred to do both tolerably well. once you know what you want

    Frurr

    --"
    SHeNr

    Frrctlr fue.rHrns (?rruarrrs) """-'"' Boot


    -*.,-...-..-.*'*Tor uer

    ----

    SPUR (Merr oNrv )

    """

    ",
    or
    A

    from your chicken, you can begin to imagine some of its characteristics: size,
    Pe.nrs

    CHrcKrN

    temperament, and looks. There are chickens bred to be attractive for showing
    (some of those get to be pretty silly looking, although this is, of course, a mat-

    In order to talk about different breeds of chicken, it might be useful to


    know the names of the parts of the chicken. Above is
    a

    ter of taste). There are breeds suited for cold weather, others which prefer warm; some with relaxed dispositions, and others that can be nasty but delicious. You should take these factors into account when deciding which

    diagram showing the

    parts of a chicken used when people are talking about what makes one breed

    different from another.

    chicken is right for you. \Zhen choosing your breed, don't be surprised to hear fellow poultrymen talk about "the Standard." They are referring to the American Poultry Association's publication, Standayd of Pert'ection, which
    describes each breed in detail. The Standard is used in judging at poultry shows

    rilr,

    Ee

    cs, oR Borrr?

    Some breeds have been selectively bred over the years to emphasize meat-pro-

    and to help chicken breeders improve their flocks over time by breeding for

    ducing characteristics. Others have been selectively bred to be exceptionally

    preferred charac teristics.


    A breed is a group ofrelated chickens that has the same general size and
    shal-,e; shares

    prolific egg layers. The females of the meat breeds will certainly lay
    p<'rhrps as rrany rs

    eggs,

    but

    fifty fewer in a year than a chicken of an egg-laying

    breed.

    tire same skin color, number of toes,

    ar-rd

    pl-rmage style; and has

    L;rying chit'l<t'r'rs ('iur bc brrtchcrecl lor tneat, bLrt they lnay colrsLrme twice as
    rrrrr, lr li',',1
    o1,1'1.'1 11,111,1'1'lrt'r'it,tl

    lh,.s:urrc stylc of'cotrb, rvlrir'h is tht'l'lt'slry, spiky, r't.rl lopknol on lhc


    , lri, ltt'tr's ltt';rtl,

    ol'litnt'bt'lirrt'grrininll lhc srtnrt'wcight


    rrs ir

    rs

    l cor--

    t{.,.1)(,ltililt)', rrrr.,rl lrir,l,,rrrrl tlrr'rr',;rrll rvill rrol lrt'rr.; lcnrlct

    tlr(';tl l)it(l's l)l(';tl,

    ')

    6l'

    lrvr

    NG \)7rrrr

    CHrcKENs

    It

    is wise therefore to raise laying breeds for eggs and meat birds for meat.

    A third option, however, exists in dual-purpose breeds that were popular roo
    years ago when the economics of small-scale agriculture required breeds in

    which the hens would lay many eggs but their male ottpring would flesh out quickly and efficiently
    as

    as

    possible.

    Mnar Einr;s
    Jersey Giant, Brahma, Cochin, and Corr-rish are a few examples of meat breeds.

    the bird bred for modern factory farming, however,

    is called the Cornish-Rock


    a

    Cross or Rock-Cornish Cross, which is the product of a Rock mother and

    Cornish father. The Corr-rish-Rock Crosses are large birds with huge appetites
    and little interest in getting any exercise. A ciricken drat walks around scratch-

    ing and exploring very much is using feed energy for those activities instead of for making meat. These birds grow to a good size (about 4 pounds) in time (from
    6 a

    short

    to

    weeks) and are very efficient converters of feed to meat:

    about z pounds offeed for every pound ofmeat.They are therefore the cheapest means of producing frying or roasting chickens for your freezer. A1so, because their feathers are exclusively and entirely white, their skin is cleaner

    looking than colored birds that may appear to have black dots all over them
    after they are plucked.

    L,tvrr"lc Hr, lls


    Hens bred especially for laying are designed to put their energy ir-rto eggs and not into body mass, and so

    $
    d{'l
    h'

    are

    EIS:

    &,{

    sorlcwhr( srnlller thrn birds brecl for


    rrrt.rr

    t.'l'lrt.y

    lrt'r1i

    n l;ryi nq :r I i t t lt'

    'r()()lt('t llr,rrr tlt,' t))('.tl ('t,ltr,rl 1,t1t1,,,,;,'

    I'r,,,l.

    ,rl ,tl,,,rrl ,, nrolrllr'.,,1 .l',

    t8F

    LrvrNG

    \rlrrrr

    CurcKENs

    Trrr

    CHARM or CrrrcKENs

    {gF

    instead of 6. \fhite leghorn is the most comlnon and most productive mod-

    anized poultry production, many are considered endangered species and need to be used productively

    ern laying hen. A leghorn will consume less grain per dozen eggs and will produce more eggs over the course of ayear than the dual-purpose or meat
    breeds. \7hen they are about r8 months old, chickens begin to shed their feathers, or molt, in order for new ones to grow in. During this time they stop laying for
    a

    in order to be

    saved

    from extinction.

    SrzE will
    This is the greatest distinction that separates one breed of chicken from another. A breed is either
    a

    few weeks to

    few months. Modern egg-laying breeds have

    "bantam" breed or it is not a "bantam" breed,

    in

    been bred for shorter molting periods and thus produce more eggs in a year.

    which case it is a "large" breed. The large breeds, simply because they are large
    and therefore produce greater quantities ofmeat and eggs, have historically

    Duar-PuRposn BREEos
    The dual-purpose breeds are what we now think of as the old-time such as New Hampshire and Rlode Island

    been given more attention in terms of breeding for production. Presumably

    breeds-

    because they are miniature and therefore cute, bantams are thought of as show

    Red-that were developed in

    birds first, although pound for pound they can produce as well as many of the
    large breeds.

    England and America in the rSth and rgth centuryr At that time (and right on

    into the middle of this century),

    Bo

    to 90 percent of American households kept

    Occasionally large breeds are referred to as "srandard" breeds. This can lead to confusion on the part of beginners who will more often hear the phrase "the
    Standard" used as shorthand for the American Poultry Association's Standard

    chickens to supplement their diet and their annual cash income, as it was easy to sell extra eggs locally Before mass-production methods came to agriculture the goal was a hen that laid well for as long as possible and that produced off-

    of

    Perfection, or the description of published by


    a

    particular breed in it, or another standard

    spring that would flesh out well for the stew pot or roasting oven. The hens of the dual-purpose breeds-such as New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, Orpington, \Tyandotte, Dominique, and Plymouth

    particular breed organizarion.

    Large Brecds
    Large breeds produce more meat and eggs than bantams both because they are

    Rock-do not lay as many


    quickly or

    eggs

    in a year as the leghorn or other single-

    purpose egg-laying breeds. The cockerels, or male chicks, don't gain weight
    as as

    bigger and because they have been bred to produce more meat and more and
    larger eggs. The reasons to keep a large breed over
    a

    cheaply as the Cornish-Rock Cross or other single-purpose

    bantam are entirely a mat-

    meat breeds. But the dual-purpose breeds are attractive to many backyard

    ter of taste. People who keep large chickens instead of bantams are the types
    that would choose a retriever or German shepherd over a springer spaniel.

    poultry enthusiasts because they are sturdy and attractive, and

    are more

    self-srrfficient tl-ran tire sirrgle-purpose breeds-meanir-rg that tirey are more

    willirrg to f intl lirocl lirl tht'rrrsclvt.s il'tlrcy Iravc room to rolrrl otrtcloors.
    'l lrt'y:tls,' Ir:tvc lltt'troslrtlriii ;rp1rr':rl ol;r litnt'lrt.li,rt'rrrotlt'r'rr intlLrstrirrl:rgli, rtllttt,' ll('(,rlr',('11,,'1' .tt{'lrl lrl(,,1il, ltt,'r'!rrrltt,li lrr lrr'rr';r.rl ltt ntilrl('t t' trr,.,
    lr

    llrllllrltll\

    'l'ltt'tt lrtvt'l.nrllrl.ly
    Sillirr l'rcr',1 ol

    rrlrv:rys bt't'rr

    srnirll,'rchickt'ns,:rrrtl

    :r [rir-tl

    rcscrnbling thc

    lr;1111,11;1,

    lri, [,'tr tur]s trl) irr llr,'1,,1' r,l Nlrrrr,, I'olo irr llrr. r ttlr

    troB:

    LrvrNG

    \rrrrr

    CrrTcKENS

    century. The name bantam is from Bantam Island in the Dutch East Indies,

    which was

    meeting point for the trade routes between Asia and the west in the
    as a source

    rzth cenrury. The native fowl of the region were used by the sailors

    of

    mear and eggs during their voyages, perhaps because smaller bitds were easier to keep in the smaller living spaces aboard ship.

    It

    was common then to call any

    small birds "bantams," wfiether t[ey originated on Bantam Island or not'


    Bantams are anylvhere from one-quarter to o1e-fifth the size of a large breed.

    Although there are a number of "true" bantam breeds without full-sized counterparts, in many cases bantams are miniaturized versions of large breeds developed

    during the rgth and zoth centuries in America and Europe. Bantams eat less
    are both else

    ar-rd

    willing and

    able to forage

    for

    grass, bugs,

    worms, garbage, and anything

    in their line of sight. The eggs of bantams are quite noticeably smallet, but
    at-rd

    there is nothing wrong with small eggs if you are eating them yourself

    dont

    need to sel1 them tirrough a distributor in order to make a living (as yout counter-

    part in the r94os and r95os did). About three bantam eggs will make omelet
    as

    as

    big an

    two regular-sized eggs. On the flip side, bantams fly throughout their

    lifetime, unlike the larger breeds, which lose much of their abllity and interest in flying when they mature. It is therefore harder to get bantams to go just where
    you want them to go. They are also
    a

    little more high-sttung than large breeds.

    tt,,
    of

    I'

    1*

    ,,rii;lryq

    l-t:ox"c
    Part of the charm of chickens is certainly the vivid coloring and patterning

    their plumage and their vadous and occasionally spectacular configurations


    of cornb arrd plumage style. Tl-re wl-rite1i'lrtlrcl-c<llrirtlslrr<'clc,ttlcrlrlol<irrgwlrerl ,lt, 's,,1 Irrt IIrr'rrvt'lt Ilt;ttl,,'1,'t, ,1 l'':lllt' ti''l l,rt,l:;,,rtr,l .ll('';ollt( \\/ll'll lt r;'; ttrli'lt";lill1' lo
    1,,,,1',rl rvltrl,'llt, \',tt, .,ltr',

    l'rtt llr, v rt,

    t12h-

    LrvrNG

    wrrH

    CrrrcKENs

    Trlr

    CHARM or CHrcKnNs

    il

    tl

    Fi

    feathers that make the birds look like animated powder puffs or feather dusters, or as if they have hair like cats, as Marco Polo wrote.
    Some chickens have various styles offeather headdresses and top-

    knots; others have feathered boots covering their feet.

    \(hen it

    comes

    to looks, there is a breed ofchicken for everyone.


    F{a

    ar

    r }d E s

    Ai.J

    D'frint r}r rlAt{E f{'r

    In cold climates, the heavier and more heavily feathered breedssuch as the Rocks, Reds, Orpingtons, and Brahmas-may produce
    a

    little better and further into the winter than smaller breeds.

    Raise

    your meat birds in the summer so you dont have to worry about the
    cold. Construct your coop carefully to keep out drafts. In these ways you can make cold hardiness
    please successfully.
    a

    nonissue and raise any sort ofbird you

    Hardiness, on the other hand, is also a function of attitude on the part ofa chicken, and the birds bred in recent decades specifically for

    industrial egg and particularly meat production have had some of the
    Protestant virtues of independence, thrift, and self-sufficiency bred

    out of them. They are less interested and able to find food in the

    :1i:**.1 :,,\'.., c iii

    rli l.,rr:lti r-{1,;;r

    ii+1

    ir

    }l.

    li i

    *i,

    1r, i-

    rr;ri !i1r,*r

    i-,i:!rrj11

    \i,.#r.iiijrr,: irr::i +r;!i ut :ri-i;rir rl

    not around very long anyway'


    YOU afg

    woods, orchard, or lawn to supplement the ration you serve them. Some

    of

    ii!:r

    rriir;{t irii:lr ii: ir-i,:; y,ritil!. iritilt!:i;::l ii.i.

    ,i,r;r:llr

    going

    tO be

    liVing With
    a

    these birds can be said to be more anxious than the Cornish-Rock Cross, but in

    i:r'!;!*rl iiri:ir

    irrii:.
    a

    your laying hens every day for

    my experience that means they get out from under the car when you are backing out of the driveway. Temperament differs more decidedly from one individual chicken 16 2n61hg1-up and down the pecking order, for instance-than
    does

    period measured in years, so choose

    breed that is attractive to you. The colors

    are rich and pleasing on any healthy bird, whether a solid-colored Rhode

    it

    Island Red or

    richly paterned Silver-Perrciled \Wyandotte.'l'hose witir


    ol-oP1i1r115,

    a raste

    from one breed to another. E. B. \Xrhite advised the beginning poultryman

    firr tht'ttrort'grtttcly Irrrvr'ltlcnty

    loo. Iirizzlt.s, nrrnrt.tl lirr tht,ir-scrub,


    lr,r,

    ro "l<cc1-r l{ocl<s iFyou are n lrervous man, Reds if you are a quiet one," but

    it

    lrlrrslr lili,,ill)l)(.lltilll(,,, llrr,,,.lt,;rtlrr,ls tlr;rl r rrrl

    li t,,rv,rr,l tltt.lrirtl's

    Irt,lrtl

    w,rrrl,l lr,,rr nrislrrlit.(o lvoitl I{t'tls lirr'li'rrr-of-bcirrg srrrrotrrrrlccl by a flocl< of treu-

    rrr',tr',rrl,,l lyirrli Il,rt.rr,,l l)r'rrtrrli t.u,,rrrl llr,.r,rrl ..rlLrr.', lr.rvr.llrrllt,,l,,rvr'lili,.

    rltrr lritrl:r. l'lrcy

    ;rtctr'l

    {r+f*

    LrvrNc .lrrrH CtlrcKnNs

    Trrr

    CHARM or CrrrcKENs

    {rsF

    A \T/O}LN AB
    You noN't
    get chicks.

    W OUT
    ro

    }Iow MEnv Gnowx Cnrcxnns Do You Nnnn?

    R.OOSYERS

    You want to have more than just one chicken because they are social creatures

    NEED RoosrERs

    cET EGGS, BUT you Do need roosters to

    and-like you and I-won't thrive without companionship of some of their


    own species. \(hether you have
    a

    Ifyou decide you want your layers to raise chicks (or lust want this option, as letilized eggs are perfectly fine to eat-more on this in Chapter 7), you ll need one rooster for every ten to twenty hens. If you have more than one, they will fight until they establish a pecking order and then will generally stop doing damage to one another. You dont need to be afraid of them-they are not usually given to attacking people-but you can certainly choose the ones to
    keep based on their temperament. Roosters add to the interest and complexity of your barnyard whether you

    rooster or not is another question (see side-

    bar), but two laying hens with or without a rooster, or two meat birds, is the

    minimum. The number you choose beyond two will depend mostly on how much product you want in the end.

    \(hen it
    have?

    comes to meat, the questions are: How much freezer space do you

    How many chickens do you wish to roast, fry, stew, cordon bleu, or fricasa

    want fertile eggs or not. Colorful and dramatic, they hens against predators. They do, however, make
    a

    will

    also help protect the

    see

    and serve up to your family in

    given period of time? How often does your


    a

    lot of noise, and whether this

    family eat chicken? Every other week? This means that twenty-five chickens is
    good round number for the average family to attempt, if you have freezer space

    is seen as a positive or negative attribute is another matter of taste. Contrary to the message conveyed by Saturday morning cartoons, roosters crow at any and

    for them. Plan on

    long day at the end with two or three helpers to butcher all

    all hours of the day, not just in the morning, and it will be worth consulting

    with any close neighbors before subjecting them to what for many is a pleasant ringing in the air that epitomizes country life. This ringing is now one of lhe legends sutrounding mywedding. one of my earliest get-rich-quick-with,chid.qs scher-nes had to do with growing cockl for their hackle fe athers which, I had heard, if sold to a fly fisherniaq fot - y.1)'r1g, were worth several times what a roasting chicken was worth. $flith youthful
    anticipation I filled the wood shedlchicken coop withfifiy3qckerels Li\g,every, chicken, they started ou1:very cutq and.{u7zy,'4nd w-e.thoug$t no more about it than that. A week before I'was 1o be married in the,!4c.kyat{l,' immediately
    adjacent to the coop-theyallfou,nd theirvoiceq at'once arrd'began crotving.
    The combined decibels of

    your chickens (see Chapter 8), or find someone locally who will do it for you.

    If you

    are raising laying hens,

    you'll want to consider how much you like

    omelets and how much refrigerator space you have. Because you keep layers longer than meat birds, and because their production is not consistent yearround, that figuring is more complicated. At the height of the summer laying
    season, each hen

    will lay

    an egg each day, and

    ifyou

    have not saved up a supply

    ofused egg cartons to package them in and cart them offto work to give or sell
    to your enthusiastic coworkers, the eggs will displace much of the contents of
    an average-sized refrigerator before fall. \Xrhen the chickens begin to molt and

    fifty crowing

    cocks made

    it impossible to carry on

    conversation inside the coop, and it wasnt much better outside. In desperation, the day before the wedding r killed the five loudest cocks, and they all fell

    the weather cools into the winter, production will slow to

    level you can con-

    silcnt for tl're next

    48 hours

    while they reestablished the pecking order. The

    strrnc and rnay fall below that during winter, when the less hardy breeds may st()p luyinr ultogct hcr-.

    rvctlrlirrg wcnt off pcr:fi'ctly---cxccpt firt the rain, lrut thaf is arrothcr story.

    lrrsrrrrrrrr,r llrlt',.lrr.trsrvillplt,vi,lt'rrl:rnrilyo1'lirrrlrvithrrbottl,tr.loz.'tr
    ,u,,1 ,r

    l,.tll ('lill,;

    ('.r(

    lr ry,','li, rllri, lr ,rtrr,,utrl:, lo tottl'lrlY llrc r tlt

    t('rl l){'l ( itl)il.t

    Tur

    CTTARM op CsrcKENs

    n17?

    consumption in the United States. To carry this family through the winter and provide
    a

    few eggs for the r-reighbors in summer, you should add

    couple

    more hens, and because marauders can strike without warning, you should
    add another as a spare. For a normal family, then, half a dozer-r layers is an appropriate and very manageable number. These figures are for adult

    birds-you'Il need to take mortality rates of

    chicks into account ifyou decide to acquire your chickens at an earlier stage of life. A hatchery won't send fewer than twenty-five chicks because they
    need to keep each other warm during the journey to your post office.

    Ifyou
    lot

    ask them to send half laying hens and half meat birds, you can plan on put-

    ting ten or twelve broilers in the freezer in

    couple months and having

    of eggs in about 6 months. Decide ahead of time what you will do with the surplus eggs (see Chapter Z on storage options)' and start keeping your used
    egg cartons now. Consider asking friends to hoard theirs for you as well.

    WurcH Couns Frnsr? ANn \VHSRE

    CAN

    Ytlu Gnr Ir?

    once you decide what kind of chickens you want and how many you need, you'll need to figure out at what stage of your chickens' lives youd like to get
    involved.

    \(ill

    you start with eggs for incubating, day-old chicks, pullets (female
    a

    chickens less than

    year old) that are about to start to lay eggs, or hens ayeat or

    more old? Each choice has its advantages and dis-

    fl

    advantages, including cost and convenience,

    which

    |11

    briefly discuss here. Specific instruc-

    tions on incubating eggs, raising chicks, and


    :'i,

    sclcctirrg adtrlt birds rre found in later chapters. tnt tthrrlirrg Ii'r't ilizt'tl t'ggs is stittrt'wh:tl

    {$

    lil( l(y

    r lit:;l litttr', lri, li,'tr l,ltltlt't i,lll ('ll)('(

    :tr18F

    LrvrNG

    ,lrrrrl

    CHTcKENS

    Trrn CHARM ol

    CrrrcKENS

    l{ 19 Fr

    only about 50 percent of his eggs to survive into


    adulthood. Flowever, it can be richly rewarding to know your birds from the time they break the shell open and crawl out of it soggy and

    hungry-not to mention

    cheaper than buying

    grown chickens. You can buy fertile eggs for


    hatching from
    ery.
    a

    mail-otder or more local hatch-

    This method of raising chickens requires

    the most equipment. You will spend more than $r 5o.oo for
    a

    small incubator with an automatic

    egg turner. Still, the younger you start your

    birds, the larger and more profound your experience of chickendom-and life on earth in

    general-will

    be.

    If you want to have the excitement of


    fluffy chicks without the efforts of incubating
    eggs, you can U.S. mail,

    buy them from


    a

    hatchery via

    find

    local hatchery, or buy them in

    the spring from your local feed store. This method is cheaper per bird than buying growrl
    chickens, and it eliminates the big question of

    ', '* f*
    .n-W tce

    whether the eggs will hatch. But growing


    chickens to maturity is still
    a

    '
    k
    t.lrit lit,rr

    *i' tj*fl

    hazardous busi-

    ;:i;:;'i"'l'

    ness-only

    70

    to

    roo percent of chicks survive

    to adultirood.

    St:rr-titrg wirh lrtrllcts or',rtltrlts


    1.r1sitr1i

    will allow

    yor-r

    to erse irrto the whole

    htrsilr,'ss sl,rivly Ytrtt trlty lt,'sttr'1.r'isctl ltl h6rv ll.rttlly cIicltt'tls

    ,il( ltVlhJi rvjllrirr,r:,lrotl rll';l,ttrr i llr)lll \r()lll ll()lll('

    ilSAiqglg'trK

    KW#
    e
    he sncestors aJ the domestic white

    Where Your chick ens WilI tiv

    -eg varietiel
    Lttl

    were-jungle dwrl{irs, and sorryht safery and resr


    rhe high lineb of n tre 0r

    in

    rhe

    seffision

    of

    t"fie

    underbrusl't. . . . ''r{ie hrsusing af poukr2 is neceQary, hawever,for t6'ere hal


    {6een
    a

    grneral enfeebletnent of mast poukry sfocks, which is th,: penalty we'


    under unnatursl conditions,-for in-breeding
    to

    {tavc

    to 1,ay-for breeding

    -f{x

    0esired finracters, antlJor using

    in tfu breedingfofi, fficinens whitfr,

    though tfir.;, shaw the raciel rype tu the highex degree , are aJtat fie lettstfir .terms of botlifu vigor andvitalitT.artifrcial protection is necessaryrc
    rh'is

    inn

    gfsrgi

    gencral

    ,rrfrrhlr*rrt.

    P?

    *- Lrslrt E. Cano eNrr \Trrrralt Aoalts lrpprNcorr,


    Poultr y Pro ducttr:n,
    1946

    You will want to provide a home for your chickens for two primary reasons: (r) to keep
    animals that would eat your chickens (before you do)
    away

    from your birds, and (z) to moderate the climate for them, t,,,
    ,l

    as

    extremes of

    heat and cold can make your chickens

    fl

    r,r,

    "

    r r.,.

    How you accomplish this task

    :{

    ,:,,:::::,: ::,: :. ;,,.:: :,,:,,,


    1

    l*

    rt

    ;'

    ::'11.t

    \7HrnE

    Youn

    CrrrcKxNs

    \(/rrr

    Lrvr

    { zl

    !:'

    l
    rirliii
    lrii:,iir

    irlili:
    i.ii.,i.li

    ,itiiii
    ,i:l.111l

    out. Another chicken farmer friend decided that what he wanted to look at every day out his kitchen window was an octagon-shaped hen house- a gazebo with a

    rdli
    f;llril i,,iirl

    ',t11 ,ri'l,il
    ,",

    little cupola on top. He

    lll

    .''rrij
    t,t

    soon regretted this plan when he realized how much time and

    effort was involved in cutting, framing, and siding such strange


    angles and how difficult it was to get the pieces to match up cor-

    rectly at each ofthe eight corners. Yet another keeper I know


    was visiting Peru some years ago and was intrigued by a small

    stone structure about waist high, with a hole in the front and large stone rolled to the side. At night when the chickens were

    inside, the free stone was rolled in front of the hole to seal out
    predators.

    INrrrlr. DnsreN CowsrnnnarroNs


    Every chicken coop needs to have access to light and air, to keep the chickens in and the predators out, and
    a a

    way

    roofto pro-

    tect the birds from inclement weather. In addition to providing


    a

    home for the chickens, the coop should be

    place that you

    can tolerate spending time in, because you'll be going inside to

    ciples ofpoultry housing. Ihadaneighbor who let his birds have the run ofan abandor-recl car

    feed, water, collect eggs, and, occasionally, clean. Ideally, you'Il be able to

    walk in and shut the door without crouching or stooping.


    Keep open the possibility of having separate compartments in the coop, too. You'lI probably wish for this one day for any of a number o.f reasons,

    in r pastlrte.
    iu
    uncl

    incltrcling oppottur.rities to house chicker-rs of different ages apart, give broodrrrg Irt'ns:r 1-rlivllt'sp()t l() sit on tl-rcir cggs, rnd allow the statt of a batch
    rrr,.rrl
    yr

    'l'hc clrr l-rlt] rro glrrss ir-r ils witrt]ows iur(l n() lrrrt-list'rrts. Ilrt. lrilrls

    r,,",t'ul

    of

    ortl lltt.ottg,lt llrt's,itrtl,tt's;urrl lrri,l tlrt'ir,'1'1',:; in tlrt'trur,li,u,lr,.rr.it u,;rstlrrll<


    ,ttrrl tlrr'1'l),1(l r;ollt('1rtit'.tr

    lrirtls rr,lrt'rt'll',' l,ry,''s ( in)'t st('lr ()n llr('r)r. I1'yotr split yolrr ('o()p itr lwtt,
    {

    t' I\lt'tl'rl'lrl,,,r ,,1,''trrl rr1,11,,

    'rrrrrli

    t,,ll('t lll{.('}ili:t

    )ll I ll( | r.,l'lr' \'olil

    rl Jl

    li !tr,; trr,t ll1'l,,l,l

    r+k

    LrvrNc

    Nrrrs

    ClrTcKENS

    \Wrrrnr Youn CrrrcKxNs'Wrrr

    Irvl

    lrs*

    Before you begin breaking ground for your new chicken coop, take

    The diagram below shows how to take slope and orientation into accounl to get airflow, water drainage, and the warming and drying effect of the sun'
    Partway up a south-facing slope is ideal.

    molnent to think about what makes the most sense for your climate, land, and
    chosen chickens.

    If you live

    someplace very temperate) you won't have to worry

    about keeping the house warm in winter, although you may need to make sure
    there's enough airflow that it won't get too hot.

    If you

    have lots of land on which

    the chickens will roam, you'll need less space inside your chicken house. Are you planning to raise layers in
    even when it's dark outside?
    a

    northern climate, where they will require light you'll probably need to install electricity \(i11

    Poon Crrorcn: Trrl ror oF THE


    HIIT IS TOO
    EXPOSED.

    If

    so,

    you have to lug to be sure that


    a

    bucket ofwater from your kitchen to the site, or do you want

    garden hose reaches?

    These questions and more

    will

    come up again as you begin to envision your

    chickens'home-to-be, and I recommend that you pay attention to them. Keep


    common sense in

    mind-and remember the

    cupola.

    Poon Crrorcr: IN.L orrnrssrolr,

    ..,{;gf.{,{u?,{$rz)'

    Tsn LlNn
    loc,q.rroN
    \flhere should your chicken coop be? Not so far that you wont enjoy walking
    there, but not so close that you feel
    self.
    as

    TI{E DRAINAGE
    AND AIRFIONT ARE

    INSUIIICIENT

    though you are living in the coop your-

    If you put it in a spot that you


    awry.

    pass by often,

    it will be

    easy to notice

    if
    Ionlr, Crrorcn:
    A sourH-EActNc
    SIOPN PROVIDES

    t[ings look

    If it

    snows much where you are, think about how much shov-

    5;;a
    rt==ta

    eling out you will have to do to get access to it in February. It should be oriented
    so

    iL),4

    that its windows face in

    southerly direction to take advantage of the warma

    ing and drying ofthe sun. Ifyou have

    fenced-in run, the run needs to be orr


    rr

    cooD LIGFIT,
    I) IIA I NAC E, AN D

    the same side so that it dries quicl<ly rt.rcl cloesrit rctlrtit.t

    tnttcl holc fbr long


    i11

    At Ir.trt.()w.

    pcriotls ol-linrt'. l'ilt'thlrt tnill(('r, y,,tt ,l,,tt'l w;lltl l() lot-:tlt'lllt'toop

    :l swtll)lp)

    t'ilht't. I'ul il s(jr1r{'\\/ll('r'('llrrrl


    llootl'; r,t trr,'llrtrl' ';lro\\' ,rtril
    ri

    i:; r('ir:;()tlirl)ly

    u','ll,lt,tit,,',1;tttrl rvltltl l,', 'rl ll,rsll

    r'\\'rrlr'l I ttr rlrl{' ll

    :Sz6*

    LrvrNG

    \x/rru

    CttrcKrNs

    l7rrrnr

    Youn CnrcKENs ti/rrr

    Lrvl

    Xzz*

    eing proud af a

    -f*rwing enferprise
    is easy if
    and.
    the

    Jarwt

    rilsted buildings are kept looking nice snd ortlerlst. . . . pr{dt


    elf- c ance pt of each oulf
    _far wer.

    af ownership is intportant to the


    s

    r1,'

    Fratrter {andNapiwg and regular

    msinttna*cr a{ ltuildings *nd


    eqwip m en

    tw

    alte th e ;l*r mst ead lo ok


    easy

    much better sntl srskt. it owntr

    jor

    the

    to

    shaw yritlc tn

    hirJor,,,.

    "

    - -Ohl*honr a State Uir.iversrf y Extensian Iarls F-8zro.


    Actaber t 994

    SpRc,e
    Recommendations vary-depending on whom you talk with or what you

    read-for how much

    space

    you need

    to allow for your coop. Your chickens

    will need more room if they are kept


    inside all the time and less if they have access to the outdoors. The common
    rtrles of thumb muge

    frotl z to ro squirr('lcel pcr birtl, pcrhups with


    ,llr{l I -'(}:'(ltt.tt('l('('l

    ,rllow,rlr,'..s Irr;rtlt' lirt llrt' t-r'l:rlivt' sizt't,l tlr,' l,ir',1s.'l'h;rl nr('rrns tltrtl :t r'lticl<ct-r ('(|ol) l()l :l tl|7r'rr brt,ls slr,'rrl,l lrr'lrr'lrvr'r'r l){'l\\,('('rr.1 lr'r'l 1,1' 1 lr'r'l,rtrrl r,, l,','t I't l
    -'.1
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    hard-and-fast ru1es.) The large industrial producers, of course,

    allow less space, trying to increase the return on investment in

    buildings and cages, or trying to keep them still

    so

    that more

    energy is converted to meat or eggs and less to running around pecking and scratching.

    My own

    er1>erience has taught me

    that too much room is

    better than too little. I started with two dozen layers in about an
    B-by-B

    foot area, which was a bit crowded even before

    human

    entered to gather eggs. A,fter Mr. Raccoon carried off half the chickens, I discovered that the remaining hens, their eggs, and

    my shoes, remained clean and the coop remained

    relatively

    pleasant-smelling place. Because my coop was less cramped, the

    litter stayed dry and comfortable for the hens, and the coop
    both pleasant to be around and easy to clean out for me.

    was

    Rrcess rroR lr+s llrlros


    If you
    have the room, I would encourage you to let your birds

    roam as free as possible, within reason. Chickens that can spend

    time outside need less floor space inside. Keeping chickens on range, which is
    to say in
    a

    Trrn SrnucruRn or run Coop 'firr Vil .r_ls


    Most chicken coops are made using wood-frame construction like most houses and other small buildings. Lumber is generally
    available and relatively easy to cut and nail together. You will build vertical z-by4 stud walls with some kind of sheathing, either planks or ply'wood, on the outsicle. Orrc suggestcd plar.r ap,pears below. lu('('(.ss:try

    field ofgrass, can benefit both the chickens and the grass ifthey dont

    stay in one patch too long. You can create a shelter on wheels so you can move it

    :,,., ',,,1,

    :.i:,:

    every day or so to

    new patch. You can either fence them in with portable elec-

    tric fencing or let them go, knowing that chickens dont tend to wander too far from the coop. Grass farmers make a low flat pen that keeps the birds confined

    in an area limited to a few square feet per bird in ordet to precisely control
    whcr<'tht.y gr':rzt'rrrrtl tlroir thcil nrur(n'('to lht'tnrtxinrttrr, l',ctrt'f il tlf tht'gr':rss.

    Insulation in your coop is not

    Y()u(;ltrlrls,'Iturl,l lt tttnil y()u;rl('slr('tl()llsl);l((',,'t tl y{,tt\\/,lltl 1,,l\l('V('lll lll('


    , lrt, li,'t,.,lt{)1il \\/,rlril( t ll!i rrll l1r'.,ttil1,1,' \'rrttt
    1,.11,1,'1t

    if it is tightly ( ()nslru('t('(l, btrt plywootl ot'olhct sltcrrtl-ritrg or-r thc

    itrsitlt't ittl ( l(';ll(';llr rtr:rlll,llilrll,l,''t,l ,tit slt;t, t'itlsi,l,'tlr,'rv,tll Atrolltt't lttlvltttlltgt'

    {30K

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    to an inside wall comes when it is time to shovel out the manure. I still have

    vertical z-by-4 studs exposed on the inside walls of my coop, and so have to work my shovel around them. An inside wall-say of p\'wood,
    even

    if only

    few feet high all the way around-would make it easier to scrape the floor
    clean.

    r-_'l

    r-1

    llr----rr---rll

    IILJTJI

    TrlI Froon
    There are basically three choices for the floor: dirt, wood, and concrete. You

    will

    VTEV IRoM THE FRONT

    find many experienced chicken people that will swear by each of these options,
    passionately preferring one over the other. One will most likely appeal to you more than the others.

    t*-* '.'-"-*{

    Dirt
    A dirt floor is cheap and easy to do, and has worked for many chicken farmers

    in many cultures. Simply build on your ground-if there's


    soon turn to dirt.

    grass there,

    it will

    It

    is harder to shovel chicken manure off of it, however, and

    it
    VrEv FRoM

    will turn to mud if the soil underneath

    is not gravelly or sandy enough to drain

    TIII

    srDE

    well. You can get a sense of this by digging a small hole on your chosen site and adding water.

    -x-"
    I

    Wood
    Any old boards r or z inches thick, in widths
    as

    10'

    narrow or wide

    as

    you can buy

    I
    I
    I

    at a lumber yard or scrounge from the dump, will make an acceptable floor for

    your coop. Underneath your planks you will need supporting joists, usually
    about z-by-6,which thernselves rest on something at tire corners, whether cincler blocl<s, stoltcs, clr ht',rvy 1-rosts surrk it cottirlc

    - _Y*

    ol'fi't't irrto lho gotttrd. A wood

    --**-***

    20'

    11otlr'[t.cps yr,rrl
    cvc
    tr t r rir

    bitls oll'(hc

    g,r',,rrtrtl ,ru.'l is

    rclrrtivcly ittcxpcttsivt', lrtrt it will lot

    Ily,

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    Contrete

    KEKPXNG PRKSATOTI,S OUT


    AI,L or youR OpENINGS-THE wrNDo$rs rHAT opEN as well as the vents near the tops of the walls-need to be covered with wire that will keep out the local predators. Weasels and mink will easily crawl through the. holes in r-inch chicken wire, and a raccoon in my neighborhood once grabbed
    a

    {{fu

    Concrete is lovely to clean, impervious to rodents, and more or less permanent

    (which may be intimidating if you're not ready for

    long-term commitment to

    chicken farming). Concrete, however, is the most expensive choice and requires
    the most effort to construct.

    Doons
    You want separate doors that allow both you and your birds to get in and out of

    young chicken weighing

    a pound or two and

    pulled him, one bite at a time, through the r-inch holes. Now I use galvanizedhalf-inch screen (or hardware cloth, as it is called at the hardware store), which not only has smaller holes than chicken wire but is stiffer and won't bend as easily. The same raccoon pulled so hard on the wire while pulling on that dead chicken that he pulled out two of thes/s-inchArrowT-5o staples I had used to attach the wire to the post.
    Now I use /"-inch real wood staples that

    the coop. If you build separate compartments into the coop) you will want

    separate door for the chickens to come and go from each compartment. Your

    chicken door need only be

    foot or so high and a foot wide to allow your birds


    a

    to pass through easily. If it is more than

    few inches off the ground, you


    as

    should build a ramp for your chickens to walk up and down. Make the ramp

    I drive.in with a hammer


    ,1.,::, ...1.,

    wide

    as

    your door, and nail

    piece of molding or stmpping across it every 6

    insteadof
    Even
    m an

    ahouseholds14p!9gun,

    inches to give the birds plenty of traction. All the doors to your coop-and the

    with these precautions, raccoons might get in. Any poultryiacqq.ons are' the.'srhartest ;nirnalsl oii g arth

    will tell you.ihat

    windows too, for that matter-need to have

    latch or other mechanism that

    after dolphtni; an,ilalthoogh they can't


    i1gF. fhaia,1.*eqqel can;'the1,:ale

    ing fhey ditnk fi4d t!t.e- fiisl yqar,thelr rnay firid'the iieCond.or, thiid'.ry. one.raccoon:to'find an,eniiliiiice in'rnillrOkeghifl,t..:. '.',..i,,eoepin ihe'i<irnir of the woodsb'ed. r had,,iiaplqd ch!!kii,.irtt";.:111,' '' ,.r., ovbf the wall of the woodiihed;t1111u1, aii'opening wher.e,thbre,ifas a
    ;.,,

    fit tlroughthe hiri{.i'of.opendoggiilit@. *a p '"in err, -

    can be secured at night against raccoons and other predators. Raccoons in par-

    ticular are clever and agile and can easily open


    instance. You want be able to open.
    To make life easier when
    a

    simple hook and eye, for


    a

    latch that 6le5g5-sns that you imagine

    toddler wouldnt

    lqok:.J,.)t,eafs f,iJr

    it

    comes time to shovel out the litter, you may

    r:,:r''shurtered window. The windb,WfV.al,Closed;.b;ut

    it didnjt.mzirter when the raccoon went up into thd loft above, found a space between the

    want to have an additional door just for that purpose. one coop I had was

    floorboards and the wall, crawled down inside the stud wall, and arrived in the chicken coop through the opening in the wire inside

    built on a slope so that the back end was about z feet off the ground. I put
    wide door at floor level that was hinged at the top. It was fully
    as

    wide

    as

    the
    a

    thlt

    closed window.

    coop wrs: rbout 6 Feet. rVhen it was time to clean, I couid prop it open with

    slit'k rrtrtl
    .;lr, tr,,'l

    prrrslr

    lht'litt,'r'r'iglrt ()ut :ur(l tlorvrr into

    'r

    wh,'..'l[r,rt-t-ow with rr srrow

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    It's important to keep your birds cool in summer. Chickens dont sweat, and

    with their feathers and relatively small surface

    area, they are

    not equipped to

    cool themselves as easily as other domestic animals. They will begin to suffer

    when the air temperature gets to about 95 degrees. You can tell they are too
    warm when they begin to pant like a dog.

    In short, it's better to err on the side of too much air than too little. The first coop I had was nothing more than some standard r-inch chicken wire
    sta-

    pled to a couple ofupright z-by-4sin the northeast corner ofan old woodshed. The doors and windows of the shed had long since been removed, so ventiladon
    was not a problem. The wind and even a fair bit of snow blew in, depending on

    the season. Make windows that can open completely for warmer seasons, although be careful
    as

    to how they stay open-flat surfaces can prove disastrous. \(herever


    as

    chicken can sit, it will, and it will poop there

    wel|. If windows

    tilt

    open, make

    \Wlr.roo!{/s
    \(indows and other ventilation holes
    essary are nec-

    sure they lie vertically up or down when they are open.

    saw a coop once with

    windows that were hinged on the bottom and had a chain attached to the ceilir:rg on top. The chain was

    for air and light, for both you and your

    just long enough to hold each window parallel to the

    chickens. After all, you both have to be able to see and breathe when you are in the coop.
    Proper ventilation is critical for the

    floor. They opened into the coop like an old ironing board might have dropped down from the pantry wall or the way a changing table opens in
    a

    public bath-

    room. They provided a series of tabletops for the birds to sit on all summer, and they were a real mess.

    health of

    chicken. Chickens give off moisture, heat, and carbon dioxide

    as

    they breathe, and more moisture and ammonia rises from their manure as it mixes witir the litter. These chemicals, dust, and various airborne pathogens can harm the birds if they reach high concentratiolls-which occurs when there is trot adequrfe air excl-range.'l'he best way to assurc prop('r vcntila(ion is to ptrt
    sct it's o{'holcs
    a

    In the wintet, unless it

    is bitterly cold, you

    still should leave the south-

    facing air holes open. Dont be afraid to rely on common sense. If it smells
    nasty in there, your cirickens probably leed more air, and perhaps more litter
    as

    well. Wirrtlows provitlc tnorc th:tn air- -clir-ect srrr-'light in


    tl-re
    rr

    (, inr'lti's in ,li'rt,r,'t,'t'ot (, ilrcltt's rvitlt'rrctoss lhc 'tbottt lolr ol lltt' trot llr ;ttrrl :;r,ullt tt,'tll:;,,l yorr ( ()ol) l lrr':;r'rvill l,t,,r,i,l,' tlirllr;rl ( llrss

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    coop helps fight

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    Some people place a pan covered with wire mesh underneath the roost so

    that droppings fall through the mesh and accumulate in the pan. This method
    allows you to take
    a

    significant portion of manure out of the chicken house

    before it fouls the litter or your chickens. You can keep your birds clean with
    less

    litter. Chickens spend many hours on the roost and create

    significant

    buildup ofdroppings there. You can also arrange chicken wire on either side of
    the ladder/roost holder to keep the chickens from getting underneath, where the droppirrgs are heaviest. The pan and grate need to be cleaned every week or
    at least every

    month, depending on how many chickens you have. Keep in

    mind that any system that doesn't allow the birds to mix the manure in with
    their bedding is a system that requires you to handle unadulterated manufe on
    regular basis. It also might create more smell and attract more flies' chopped sffaw or whatever it is that you put between the floor and your birds,
    a

    Nrs rrr.rc Boxrs

    LrrrEn M,q.NaclMENT
    I think it is more effective to allow mofe rather than
    lay
    less

    suggest you

    build-or find, or buy-a

    nesting box. A nesting box is simply

    floor

    space per

    bird,

    box,

    little bigger than a chicken, open on the front, that gives the hen a com-

    in 5 to ro inches of litter on the floor of the

    coop, and 1et the birds have

    fortable place to lay, with the added bonus that you both know where to find the eggs. And you may find more than you expect, as the hens will share these
    boxes. You need

    access ro all of it. They

    will stir their own manure into the litter with their

    scratching, particularly ifyou throw them some ctacked corn or other grain
    occasionally. Add more litter as it seems necessary.
    ens

    iust one box for every four to five birds. They only use them

    \(ith

    the right ratio of chick-

    once a day to lay an egg, and they are not territodal about them. The general requirements are that a box be about
    a

    to litter, the manure will virtually disappear and over time even begin to

    foot deep and a foot

    compost right underneath the chickens.

    \(ith a thick soft layer ofbedding,

    wide, with an opening about

    foot high in front. The exact dimensions are


    a

    their feet and legs suffer less strain, and the slowly composting litter will even
    produce
    a

    not critical, but it should have

    steep-pitched roof(try 45 degrees) so the


    a

    little

    heat if left alone all winter.

    birds don't sit on top of it and mess it up. Some people hang down over
    tl-re

    piece of burlap

    front of the box to protect the birds'modesty,

    as

    if the nesting

    Nrs'r'rNc Boxus
    I

    box wcrc r chatrgiug toom in a clothing outlet store.To keep the eggs clean
    :r

    lt,ns lilit. to luy cggs in

    clt'rrn, srrli,, pliv:rlt' 1-tl,t,,', Ittrl tlr,'y rvill pttt llrt'ln.jttsl

    ,rn,l llr,'birrls cornlirrt:r[rlt', yorr wilnl to kcep littcr itr the boxes, whic]r is elsier

    itl)out ;ltly\vltr,rr,irrlltt'toolr,il yt,tr

    Ir't'l,lltr'ttttoltlittr',1 llv,'rlil t,tlltt't tlol

    t'ool

    il.tlr,'r't.is
    ,,1

    rr

    li1r,rlr.,ul .; irrr'lrt.s lriglr

    rrt

    tttss

    tlrt'lrollotl of'lltc rrpt'ttittg in

    1r'olrt

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    tlrr'l,r'x

    l+o[.

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    CHrcr(ENs

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    nt

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    :-

    'w
    .*f\t

    t!

    I"t

    The main point of the nesting box is to provide some peace


    ar-rd

    'i\ii

    quiet for the layers.


    a

    ir!i:irii$

    A hen we had once had ignored

    more open

    nesting box we had made for it itr the coop


    arrd
    !bf:*rffi:

    took to laying its eggs in

    kind ofden

    skunk had dug out several years before


    under the front porch. It was nothing but
    a

    3:

    ffr

    hollow in the gravel, but it was way back in


    the corner against the house foundation under the floor boards. It was private and protected. one neighbor of mine keeps fifteen Araucana layers that all use the same

    makeshift pair of nestir-rg boxes he made by taking


    a

    couple ofboards offthe front ofan

    old butter churn and dividing it down the center with another board. This conttaption did provide roughly a square foot offloor
    space

    for the birds to nest in, but it was at

    least twice as tall as it was wide, and his birds

    didnt seem to mind. As long

    as

    the hen isnt

    crowded and she can get in easily, almost any


    size

    will

    do.

    Finally, there are additions to the boxes

    that are entirely personal preference.

    I'rrtling
    1,1;rr

    rr

    llkt'c{e itrlo

    t'rtr'h l'tox trlay help couvir-rce the hen that it is a good

    t'to

    I'rv. I lrrrv,,rr It.rv l,lrrstit-h,,ll,rrv t'g[s {-t-onr otrc Ultslt'r lhrtl sct'tr to worl<
    rt

    lrrrr. I lrll,,,l llr,'r,, rviltr:,.rrr,l rro llrr'\, lrrrvc sotrrcllrirtl', lili,'tlr,'lr,'lt,tl

    lt'rtl

    t'1i11.

    ;\,, l,'r ,,llr,'r rr,'.lrtrJ, I'r)\ ,rtr!('trrlr,"', I llr',"r' r\lrltlt,ttrrlr,,l l,rlrrr)ll" l{r'lt,tt';'l,ttrr

    r'

    .42 9

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    1+t9

    here is no electricity af

    lur

    barn, na

    rttnning water, &nd fio water heaters


    . . . No pipes tofreeze, no motors to

    burn out. without"lobor saving" technological gndgets


    to help tne,

    save a lot o;f time by not having

    to

    ',, (m. th
    -Glus

    Jix

    locs ooN, The ContrarY


    Earm.er, 1993

    naturalist and chicken expert, wrote that some people in his day put
    a

    thin piece of iron, the heads of

    nails, and sprigs of laurel in their nests "because


    these seem to have great power in driving offbad

    luck." He goes on to comment that "remedies of this

    kind

    ...

    indicate the excessive zeal ofthe ancients'"

    Zeal perhaps, but I will take whatever luck I can get.

    Crrrcxnx Coop Aunurrrns


    ErrcrRrcrrY
    You might consider running electricity to your coop to light a bulb, especially and the snow plow chopped it into

    if

    several pieces every time

    it

    snowed.

    you have

    full-time job. For significant portions of the year, by the time you get
    ar.rcl whet.r

    It

    is safer and more permanent to

    home from work you will be visiting your cl-rickens in tire dlrk,

    you
    it

    bur y

    rn appropriate wire under the


    rt

    rre carryir-rg watcr ()r porrling grlrin, thclc is rro( rlrolltct'h,tlt,l lt'll ovt't to lrolcl
    11:rsh

    glotrtrrl ,rncl irrstall

    grotrrrded outlet

    ligh

    t.

    ()r lw() ilr y()tll-co()l).

    l'lr,.tr';rrr.rr lt.rr, \\,.t\r.l l(r rl,, tlri:; ( )lt('( irolr I lr,t,l tr"tt r lrr';r'r'tltrtll'lt lrr lltt'
    1,,'rr,,,.1,,

    In ;rr('it:t llr;tl lt;tvt';l ( ()l(l('l will lct, r'lr',


    II

    Iiltr.t ,irr lr)il1 {.\l(,tr,.trrtl ( ('t{l lt) rl

    ltr',,,rtl Lrt'tt1llrl rrlr llt,',lttt','tv,r1',

    ir lly r', ,ll, ,'r','t' l,t1'1',',

    a44r:

    lrvrr.rc wrrg

    CrrrcKENs

    boon, for

    couple of reasons. One is that you can plug in a device that

    will

    keep the birds'water from freezing (more on that in Chapter 6). Another is

    that the number of eggs

    hen lays is affected by the number of hours o{ day-

    hght it is exlposed to. In winter, there are fewer than 14 hours of daylight, and a
    hen may stop laying altogether. By putting
    a

    light on a timer and adding artifi-

    cially to the hours of light your laying hens are exposed to, you can keep them producing eggs in the winter when the dayhght hours are short. (See Chapter
    7 for more on light requirements).

    f'gE

    CFI

    1cr{Eu Rriu

    Chickens are healthier and happier outside, but you may want to take some
    precautions before allowing them to roam free, particularly if you are a gatdener. The

    btds will

    eat and scratch up whatever you have planted, and

    will

    make large holes in which to cover themselves with dust. (Don't discourage

    this-give your chickens access to dirt, because their "dusting" activities

    dis-

    courage external parasites.) Consider creating a coop that opens onto two separate runs that can be alternatively closed off. This way the birds can have
    access

    to one run while the other recovers-over the course of anywhere

    from a month to a summer-from the abuse of a dozen scratching and dusting chickens. Make your fenced-in run out of chicken wire, which the feed or
    hardware store might call r-inch poultry netting. It has holes that are octagon
    shaped and measure about

    r inch

    across. Get the galvanized version so that

    it

    will rot more slowly.


    find
    tir-rg,
    a

    You may also

    producr called aviary


    is the san.re

    net-

    iF

    which

    tiring but

    wilh srnlllcr holcs. r)Zr'irp tlris


    ;tt.,trt,,l llrt'lrottottt lt,ol t,l yo{rt'

    lrttr c tl yott lt,tvr'ttrr,rll, lrt, l,t

    \Vurnr

    Youn

    CrrrcKxNs

    \(/trr

    I-rvr

    ,,

    +Z'*

    They can easily walk

    through the holes in


    the standard r-inch chicken wire.
    A four-foot fence is

    sufficient to keep the


    birds in, but you may

    want to make it tall


    er-rough
    ir-r.

    for you to walk

    This is because it is
    a

    well to put

    chicken-

    wire roof on your run, both to prevent yolir


    birds from flying off you have bantams or other light birds that retain their ability to

    (if

    fly) and to make sure


    that a local owl or hawk

    wont swoop in for dinner. At the bottom of the fence, consider burying the wire 6 inches deep and

    rnaking a 9o-degree angle underground so that the fence bends toward the outside ofthe run.

    Ifyou

    do this, a burrow-

    T'l

    ir-rg

    dog or fox will dig down along the

    rvire rrntil it rtrns into fet-rce at the bott()r)r irs

    w('ll. It rr'ill lrr',,brrbly riivt'rrP;rt

    ')f, 'rfl*.,Id.l

    i.dii*',1'

    rj:;;t

    llrr" l,r'tlrl

    CF{APTKK

    T'ffi&KH

    GettingEggs to Hatch

    here hsvr bem, indccd, sLW(stiofis as t0

    wh)r certain sctions aud react'ions foffiw


    one, snatffer in arderly sequ(ficc. Bttt with

    ,tlfcthc facts maJe knawn {fl-rough patient attd perse vering researcit,, i' and the penetrating ruiutls u,hich have pondered them, compararivelA

    flifie

    pragre? hss heen msde roward a krtowle,lgc uthy aJ this eternol

    o-f

    rh,' how

    atr{-

    *qrrrry. 'tf

    *- Ir:srr.E

    -E.

    Canr'l aNo \frrLlAM Anar'ts lrpprNCilrl' Poultry Yroducli on, 1 9 4 6

    ',:,1

    'i]t;

    ilti lrri

    Once you have chosen what kind of chickens to keep and prepared a place to keep them, you are ready for the birds themselves. If you have decided
    to start your flock from fertilized eggs for the first time, be easy on yourself'
    The process is somewhat painstaking, and you must define success broadly
    because at least half the fertilized eggs you incubate

    will not hatch. Still' watch-

    -ili

    ing a chick kick away the last pieces of shell and lay in the ir-rcubator exhausted after its struggle to arrive in this worlcl, is olre of ti-re big
    reasor-rs

    to have chick-

    t'ns in lht'f ilst plrrcc, rtutl nr,tkt's:trry sttcccss worth v,,ttt tvlrilt'.

    '1't

    ,50[:

    Irvrrqc

    \a/rrrr Ctrrc KENS

    GErrrr.rc Eccs ro H,qrcs

    i5IF

    Wxlnnn

    ro Gar
    from
    a

    Eces

    Your choices for getting eggs are to order fertile


    eggs
    $

    hatchery for anywhere from $r.oo to

    l.oo each, or to collect them yourself from vour


    a

    own hens (or

    neighbor's). If you are ordedng

    them, the hatchery will probably make good on any eggs that arrive broken, but no one can guarantee how many

    will actuaily hatch. Fifty percent


    a

    is a conservative estimate, and three-quarters is

    good showing. Take this into account wherl

    deciding how many to order.

    If you want to incubate


    eggs) you must

    and iratch your own


    a

    first, ofcourse, have


    a

    rooster.

    Although hens will lay eggs for out ever laying eyes on
    a

    lifetime with-

    rooster) those eggs

    will

    not hatch unless they have been fertilized. The


    rooster accomplishes that. In order to service

    your hens adequately, the rule of thumb is that


    you will need one rooster for every ten hens. As

    your rooster grows older, which is to say after the

    first couple of years, he will slow down and may only be able to handle five
    hens.

    ing time starts to

    run

    into

    tl-re

    evening hours.

    ['he he rr won't lay in the


    ,l,rll<, so

    this trstr:rlly
    5

    fIlunrrNC
    A
    ,t

    F'trR:l r LtzED

    nc(;s
    ,'l tlrr'
    l,ryirrli:r(',r'rrrn in :.ltr inl', irrr(l :rlrrrrrr('r ,,rlls li'r'
    ,1,t1',

    11r(.iurs

    rlr()ul ()n('('uu u,lrry lirl r.l-r


    t'1ir',s). l

    tl:tys, trlthotrgli it clcpcllcls

    o11

    thc seasoll

    ty1ti1;11

    r'yr lr';rt tlr,' lr,'i1il,t

    (l,.ss,l:rylililrt r,rIr;rls lr'rs


    I,., lrrr1,, llrr.r.1'1,'r, lrrrl rl

    lrt'tt'sl nt't.iotl

    is trtt'r't'ly ovt't-lrit]hl il-yotl'rt't'ol'


    ir; Itt,',',litr11

    lt,'tt

    1,,

    l,'t',,t,,'t,t,,llr(rttl r'\'r't1' ", ltrrrtt", t)l ,rlr lrlttl l.tlrt ,,,, l'

    rrtrttl

    tl,,

    l ry

    r ;rr,,l ,rlrorrt llrtcc wccli; tl ll','lr,'t'

    lr,'t

    ,'1',1i..

    {szF.

    IrvrNG

    rirrrn

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    Although no one really knows why

    hen lays every z5 hours instead of

    every z+, or some other round number, it has been speculated that nature

    invented this system so the hen would accumulate just the right number of eggs

    for her clutch before breaking her laying rhythm. During that week or two that
    the eggs are not kept warm, development of the embryo inside stops or slows to almost zero. As soon
    as

    Woon Su.wrNcs

    ... -

    Sorr
    Son

    the egg is warmed, it begins to develop again quickly.

    If you incubate them yoursel{ (and even i-f you put them in a nest for one of
    your hens to sit on), your roie laying box
    safe
    as as

    chicken husband is to remove the eggs from the

    soon as possible after they are laid in order to keep them clean and

    until you have enough to fill your incubator. You should store fertile eggs at

    Nrsrrnc Box ron

    SrtrrNG HEN

    between 4o and 6o degrees in the open air, dry, for at least rz hours but no more

    than z weeks-and preferably within 6 days-before incubating them. Store eggs


    large end straight up in a clean egg canon before they go into the incubator and at
    a 3o-degree angle

    time, effort, and constant worry it takes to reproduce the atmospheric conditions that prevail underneath a setting hen. Many breeds have had the inclina-

    in the incubator.
    a

    tion to brood bred out of them, however, because egg production stops while
    the hen sets. You may or may not have
    a

    Keeping the eggs clean is

    major concern. Hard as they are, eggshells are

    hen that is willing.

    porous. A living, breathing chlck will grow inside, so the shell is made to allow oxygen in and carbon dioxide our. Even the natural oils on your skin may plug up the holes in the eggshell and inhibit the movement of these gases. For this
    reason, you should wash your hands with soap and water any time you get ready
    eggs

    Ifyou

    choose to let a hen hatch the eggs for you, assemble a dozen or so
    see

    in a nest and

    if any of your hens seems interested in setting. If one try to take an egg out

    sets-if

    she stays where she is and gets mad when you

    from underneath her instead of running away-you've found your broody hen.
    Set her and her eggs up

    to handle the eggs.

    in a darkened but well-ventilated nesting box in a place

    If there

    is manure on the eggs, it is best to brush

    it off as well

    as

    you can

    where the other hens cant get to it. X7hile she is setting, she could be abused by her coop-mates or have her nest taken over by another. Also, when the chicks
    are eventually hatched, they might be eaten or trampled by the rest of the adult

    without using any water or soap. An egg has built-in defenses against bacteria,
    but if you scrub with water, you can easily push dny organisms into the egg through its minute pores.

    flock if they are allowed to mix during the first few days.
    llccatrsc parasites can rnultiply and cause havoc with a setting hen, you may

    llttoonrtrr;
    Y()tl ( rtlr

    lJv llrN
    lt'l
    ;t

    w:lnt t() us('('('(l:rr shrrvings lirr littcr itr

    tl-re

    nestitrg box atrd consider sprir-rkling


    1-rottl-

    lt,'lt itrr'tth:tlc tlr,','1i1is lol.y()u, ()r.you (;ur ilrlrrlrtlt.llrt,rn youl'sr'lf'


    1t,.t, ,1,,

    ()l :;l)liryirrj'. lrt,r rvrtlr;r, lt,'ttti,.,tl l):rl.ilsil('('()l)lr()l Pt'tltlttt-l rrvlil:rltlt'llrltrt tt


    lr y rrr;,1,11,

    llr ,t ll]('( ll;tlIi ,ll ilrr ttl,,tl,,t ( )tl(, tr.,l,,rr'l lil lct llr|

    ll

    t,, lrr,,;1q,q. \,rrtt llrr.

    r'lr.r,tlron or

    1,

    ,'rl

    '.lotl Allr't llr,tl, slr,'is

    rrtt ltct orvtr. lvl;tltc sttt,'slt,'

    ?54F

    T.rvrtrrc \(/rrrr

    CHTcKENS

    GsrrrNc

    Eccs

    ro HercH

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    the upper holes. The forced-air type has

    fan that constantly circulates the air


    at the same

    within the incubator and introduces fresh air

    time. Forced air is

    more expensive, but it keeps the tempelature more constant in the

    incubator-

    this is particularly handy if the incubator is in

    room where the temperature

    fluctuates more than 5 degrees in either direction over the course of the day
    also tends to

    It

    offer a better idea of how much humidity is present, because those

    levels are more constant, too.


    Read the instrudions that come with your incubator carefully and follow

    them to the letter. Particular recommendations vary from one model to the
    next, but the following basic principles apply to all incubators.

    Porf s of a* Tncubnf or
    CH
    E

    sr-TYPE INc un.q.:ton

    1-ABrrroP lucur.q.ron

    A common tabletop incubator often has a see-through plastic lid that allows
    you to watch what is irappening. It has a rack to place the eggs on, a heatir-rg

    can get to feed and water easily, and have the same ready for the chicks when

    element,

    thermal switch that turns the heating element on and off in order to
    a

    they arrive.

    keep the temperature constant,

    place to pool watel in the bottom in order to

    maintain the correct humidity, and holes that you can plug or unplug for venti-

    Anrrrrcrdr

    Ir.rcusATroN
    moist-mim-

    Iation. An automatic egg turner is a labor-saving extra you will want to seriously consider. Either you or the machine will have to turn the eggs at least three times a day, and the more times you turn, the better chance your chick
    has

    Incubators are essentially boxes that help keep the eggs warm and

    icking the environment under a brooding hen. They come in a wide variety of
    shapes and sizes,

    but for the backyard keeper there are two general approaches,
    a

    ofhatching. A fan to convert the stili-air type into a forced-air type is

    depending on the scale of your operation. One is an incubator that sits on

    another extra.

    table, and the other is a chest-type incubator that sits on the floor. The smallest tabletop incubator made for school projects might hold just two eggs' whereas the chest type holds perl'raps 3oo.

    l'Lttct:mtrtt
    'l'ht'r.c
    ur.c' u

    of the TncubataY

    fi'w rtrles tlrat govern the placemer-rt of the incubator in order to

    'Iht,ollrt'r rnrrjol tlislirrt

    ti()rr b('tw(.('u inr'ubrrlors is still ;ril vt'tstts litt'ct'tl rtit'.

    Irvoitl r.t,r.lrrilr tlis,rstcr. l'lrt' l'ilst is that it shotrlcl nevcr get ditect stlnlight.
    (

    Still lril irrr'rrh,ttors h;rvr.r,,.trlil:rliotr lrnlr':; ilr lltt'lrollottt itlr(l lrll,,ttr,l,ts lltt'
    r

    l()tr!t:1rl l(.n)l)(.1;ltut'(' is r'r'itir'rtl, rtrttl tlit.t'cl strrr will

    liill trfl'yotrI ctrtl-tryos


    1.,'

    lnlr't

    lrr',,1r ,rrr l,rr,,l',',, rr,

    ll,r,,,r1,l'

    llr'l,,,lllttr

    ltolr";, llt,'tr'.tt lll{'l .ltl ('\il'; ll(rll1

    ,1rr,, l,,ly lr1,1,1i,,1111,

    'llrt.itrr ttlr,tl,,t slt,,trl,l lllr.l{.1lp1.t,rl1tt.ll tlrr.irtr rrlr;tlor

    s6p

    Irvruc

    !rrrrr

    CrrrcKENS

    Grrrrrqc

    Eccs ro Harcn

    4sz*

    kept irr a Zo- ro So-degree room that is safe from pets,


    small children, and other predators.

    Tltx, KrYs rs} Sue cnssFU[,


    INcuna:rxoN
    It only
    takes zr days for an

    incubated chick to develop inside its shell to the point of hatching. During that time. the temperature and humidity must be just right, the egg must have fresh air, and

    it

    tr $i
    ,'k

    must be turned frequently to keep the developing embryo


    near the center of the egg.

    :':1..

    \, I \l

    .,1

    :l

    .,

    Incubating eggs should lie on their sides


    as

    they would on

    flat surface, with tire larger end


    shghtly elevated. The racks that
    con-re

    with rnost ir-rcubltols

    tal<r'crrrc

    of this.'l'hc rlcvclopilrg clrick's hcrrd will Nol otrly is tlr,'ti'l))()l('11)()l11

    ()li('nl t()wllil tvhir'lrt.vt,r',.rrtl,,l


    ilrtlr,'l,rrJl('(ll(1,l,trtlt','r(

    llr,'t'111i is lrilr,lrt'r.

    tr;,rtr,ttl'il,.trctltll,,'l,tt','r'lttlolr"trlr,r'l'lll;rlllrr'

    lr,rl, lrrtrr, , 1,,, l. t,, , ,1, t,'l,tl,' tt t, lt.tl, lrttrt' .r",1, ,, r rl,, ,l I rr, r ,t, tl,' , l,,l'|,'t

    -'1

    S8 ti

    LrvrNG

    \(/rrrr

    CHTcKENS

    GrrrrNc

    Iccs

    ro Hercu

    sg

    F:"

    a1l.

    At this point, tire chick is positioning itself to break out,

    ar-rd

    turning

    will hamPer it.


    shifting A hen on her nest turns her eggs every r5 minutes' either by t
    tu

    with her beak herself to get more comfortable or by reaching under herself r-reed to turn to ro11 them. If you are turning your eggs by hand' you only at the very them three times a day' as long as the first and last times are
    beginning and very end of your
    day.

    .j:l,irti

    \rhat is important is that it be done


    as

    at

    regular intervals and that the longer interval at night is


    reasonably make it.

    short

    as

    you can

    In order to keep track of which


    r{,S,.lt

    eggs you have

    turned' use a pencil to mark

    '\,
    r:l
    l!lli,.r$

    eacheggwithanXononesideandanoontheother.?ickupthefrontrowof Xs or os are at the top, eggs, roll the rest gently in one direction until all the
    gentle and then put the removed fow at the back. Be particulafly
    as

    with the

    eggs,

    rough handling.

    can break with the tiny, fragile blood vessels of the developing embryo If you can turn them more than three times per day' up to

    An automatic eight or ten, it might improve the chances of some of the eggs'

    for about $ 5o.oo egg turner can be added to a typical home tabletop incubator
    and

    will

    do the turning for You'

    frinurxc
    Turning the eggs several times
    a day,

    I'rmlsRATl..lRE
    up to day

    rB, is critical to the developing embryo. The

    it is imporDifferent types of incubatofs require different tempefatures, but that these temperatufe differences are quite sma11. A fluctant to understand

    embryo grows on top of the yolk, with surroundir-rg layers of egg white serving both
    as

    tuation of much more than half

    degree either way can get you into trouble,

    whatever is \vhich is why the sun sl-rining on youf incubator can quickly kill more easily irr llrost'cggs. Also, thi: clrbtyo cau tolerate lower temperatures

    nutrition

    :rr-rti

    protcction while it is nrost fragile. Tf thc egg is llot

    ttll'11ed,

    t1r,.,,,r,,1.,r.y,, rvill sl,,1yly I'1.:rl rr1. tlr,,trrilr

    tlt,'*,Iilt'ill)(l (.r)]('ill

    ()lllll( l wilh

    Ilr,,,,l,, ll lri tnl,l.rlr( lI ll'r',1,,1'1','1'',, rt ," lrli''lv Ilr'rl ll \\'rll l'( l'ilrli li llr''t''

    throtrg[ a tlr,rp lriClr,,r..rrt's. l(t.t.p:l lllcl'l)t()ll.l('tcr itlsitlc that y6tt Clt-r rcacl ()v('f tilllc, ,;(r (;tlt l)l(rnil()t tl)(. ;tiI l('lrl]('lilllll(' ill ll)(' ilr( tllllll()l'.
    rvrr,,l,,rv
    ,111,1."

    Volt

    .rtrrlrltl llr tlr, l'r"t t,l,rt',,'l rt',rll'|.illrrlr, ll" 't'l"lr"rrl'l

    rr"t l'r'lttttrcrl

    tl

    l','1'rlr l{r }',('ll('l'tlr llrcll ('\\'ll lrr"ll' ll!(l \'oll ttt'ty lt tt"'1";tiljtt:;t

    llrr'

    {6oF.

    LrvrNG

    \7rrs

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    on your incutemperature down. In any case' you should turn the temperbator a day before you put eggs in it to make sure

    ature is correct and holding steady'

    In

    of the still-air incubator, the air temperature at the top

    at the bottom' egg is as much as a degree or two warmer than

    the air at the level and you need to measure the temperature of embryo tends to where the embryo is developing' Because the

    float near to the top of the egg, the bulb of your thermometer about a quarter inch below the top of the shell when
    should be the shell is laying on its side'

    *:luntrnrxv axn rr{n

    "^&rR SPACE"

    from it' An eggshell is porous, and water constantly evaporates


    Because of this, the

    humidity in the incubator needs to be cor-

    unable to rect throughout incubation or your chicks will be hatch from their shells' the large Soon after an egg is laid, an airspace forms in
    . j/ !.:!:{srii'"-!i " j.,r, ',. I'' .,r 'i4i -t}s-s }r' ",'

    :Sl}i{$

    end-if

    over the period yodve ever peeled a hard-boiled egg' you've seen this' the shell, this airspace of incubation, as fluid in the egg evaporates through it grows. rX/hen it comes time for the cirick to hatch'

    "pip" or break through the shell in the fluids under the airspace. If this happens, the chick can drown before it gets the shell oPen.

    will poke

    its beak first

    from the airspace' through the membrane that seParates his own compartment

    rls u R iNc

    Huto,.l ID

    rrY
    a

    arrdthenpokeitsbeakthroughtheshellinacircletobreakoffthecapofshell
    over the airspace.

    Iftoo much fluid

    has evaporated

    from the egg and the chick

    The humidity in an incubator can be measured with rhermometer that has


    a

    hygrometer, which is

    timc it lus to brcrl< otrt of its is too dry, the cl.rick cotrld be dehydrated by the
    slrt,ll, wlrrtt,s
    111()f(.,

    bit of water-soaked cloth wrapped around its bulb. Most


    a

    its lr,, 1.,rlics tlrr',rril"lr

    tlr,'slr,'ll, il t,,tll,l slit li lo hitrr


    ll lrrrtrritlll\i
    lr; l()()

    ;rtrtl

    lorcetl-3ir irrcubators have oue; if you're using

    still-air incubator, you can buy


    ir-t

    trr,rliI rl ittt1,,,::'lll,l,'l0t lrttrr l" l't'"tli lr'''

    lrlt'lr' lr"rv''l't't' lllt'

    t,ttt', httl y,trr'll 1'r','ltrrltly \vlllll l() tlsc thc"c'rtltllitlg"nrcthotl (disctrssctl lrltet

    lr(rltlllr"ttll ,rtl .l,,l( r"tl rlr, l.rt1" ' rll t"t1ll'l rr"t l" l rrr'r't

    ll" ' l'r' l' r"''1'lr( lillr l()

    llri:;,

    lr,rl'1,.r )

    lp 1ri',r,,l1r.lrrrnri,liry lVlosl ollr'rr tlr,'lrtrtrritlill, is lll('ils(ll('(l ill

    'tr62k

    lrvrNG

    \rrrn

    CrlTcKENS

    GrrrrNc

    Eccs ro Hlrcrr

    i6rF

    ,degrees Fahrenheit wet-bulb," which is the temperature recorded by the

    60 \X/Arr

    BurB

    hygrometerasthewatelarounditsbulbevaporates'Youcanalsotalkaboutrelativehumidityintermsofapercentage,astheweatherreportdoes.Bythismeas-

    1%"

    Dreurrtn

    ure,thehumidityinyourincubatorneedstobeat6opercentuntilthechicks
    percent. The equivalent wet-bulb begin hatching, when it should increase to 70

    measufementis84to86degreesforincubationandgodegreeswhenthechicks
    start to hatch.

    AnorNG AND Sunrnacrrwc HunrrDrrY


    Earlyintheincubationperiod,itiseasiesttoincreasethemoisturecontentof
    of the bottom ventilation the air in the incubator by plugging one or more moisture in' During the holes to restrict the airflow and therefore keep more

    lastfewdaysofincubation,theneedformoisturecompeteswiththeneedfor
    oxygen unless
    1'e11

    want to increase the humidity some other way' You don't

    -.:'

    block ventilation at this

    point-the chick inside the egg needs

    more oxygen

    Holrlu.q"or C.lNorln

    andneedstogetridofmorecarbondioxideasitdevelops.Anincubatorwithoutenoughairflowwillfillwithtoomuchcarbondioxideandtheunhatched
    chicks

    living embryo and the relative position of the airspace, which may indicate

    that the humidity is too high or too low.

    will suffocate.

    In former times, candling was literally done with lightbulb is easier to


    use.

    candle, but a

    onewaytosolvethisdilemmaistoputahumidifierintheroomwhere
    the incubator is already more the incubator is. This way the fresh air going into humidity in way is to put a soaked sponge in the incubator. The

    The feed stores and catalogs sell flashlightlike gadgets

    's-watt

    as made for the purpose, but a homemade candling box is not difficult to build,

    humid. Another

    you can see from the diagram, above. Both the gadgets and the box allow the

    theincubatordependsontheamountofsurfaceareaofthewaterthat,sinit.
    air moist' The sponge has lots of surface area and will keep the

    Iight through

    hole about an inch in diameter so that more light goes through

    the egg and less blinds the candler. In either case, you can see better if you canclle eggs

    in

    darkened room.
    cg11s

    C,rruIllltrtC
    (

    Orrntlling thc

    rctltrit'cs tnl<ing tl.rern otrt of the incubator and cooling


    s()

    lilll(llillli

    illl ('!!'ll ll)('rlllrl

    l,'lllittt'rr lrlil"lrt lil"lrt tlrr'"rr1ilr il

    s()

    yoll ( illl s('('solll('-

    tl.'.,wlr,rl1 ttl)pi1'ttllts (l()wlt,


    ir;

    yt,tt tl,,tr'l Willll

    1()

    tlo il loo ollcrr (<lr too slowly) lt


    ()l'

    tlrirrgi,,l tvlt;tl i'; !'.(rllrf'oll ttt"i'lt Y'!ll;ll('loulilllF" lrrl ltvo

    tlrrlrPi';:

    llr''

    l)!(':i('tr( t'()l

    l,r'rl lr,,;ttrrllr'llr,','1i1ir;;tl llrc (,ttrl ol lht'li|sl tvt't'lt (lt' lirrtl irrli'r'tilt't^lil)'s

    tA6+'*

    IrvrltG

    \x/rru

    CrrrcKENs

    Crrrrr.rc

    Eccs ro H,q.rcH

    i6sF

    niuinp; an understaniling of the

    developmentnl anatomy oJ the chick is


    one oJ the major hnrdles thnt

    generations oJ ltiologists and medical studenfs hat,eJaced.

    Sonething . . . is known about the chemicsl events gssociate d with esch stage, and how these are regulnted b1 a constnntly shifting pattern
    o,f

    gene activity. This knowledge is only a dttrkness, however, and the most

    faint glimner in q vost

    sophisticated emhr1ologist, observing d wet, scraggtry chick laboriously peck

    m opening in its shell,;feels a sense

    a;f

    tuonder, and, at many time.s,,rrlrrirr.

    "
    5

    -(s6slas

    Dexrrr eNp Pacr Sltrrg,


    "rhe chichcn Booh, t97

    those with dead embryos) and at the end of the sec-

    ond week (to remove any eggs that have died since the first candling). As hatching approaches at the end of the third week, it is best to leave the eggs alone and
    Iet them prepare to hatch, especially after day 18.

    Clrtr:cxrrqc FrRTrrtrY
    If the
    ratl-rer

    egg is not fertile, or if the embryo has died, you want to know sooner

    i\htw": i!,t,li

    11r,lrl

    iri Xrcrr{ cl riu^[islrl rrf r

    than later so you can remove the egg from the incubator. This is because

    ,.,rr,{1, , rt, r rlr' i, r lrt lut'r} lr, 'r"r il il ir

    ll'r'..,r1,,,1,,r,rl.rrlrirL.r ,',rl'1, t,rtrl( r'! r,1,t


    1lr{

    r()llcrr (,ggs givc ofTgrrscs llr:ll y()u dotr'l wriltt youl'other cg8,s to brcathe. Rotter-r
    ('!ll',s ( ir lLr

    ,,"1,,1,,, .,.,.,t,t,t,

    ls,,,t,,

    rtsi,,tr;t

    ly,'xltl,,.l,',

    a66k

    IrvrlrG

    \rrrs

    CurcKENs

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    Eccs

    ro H,qrcu

    d6zP

    adding

    sponge or

    filllng more of the comPaftments with

    water.

    If the

    airspaces

    seem too smal1, consider opening mofe vent holes to allow more air

    circulation.

    f{*.rcxrxe.
    LlvtNc l\asnyo

    ar hvrNc Elrsnyo A.r llvrNc Erlrsnvo ,A.t DrAn ENrsnvo .A.r Asour Z Devs ABour 14 DAYS Asour 7 DA.vs ABour 14 DAYS
    SFIo'irrNG THE

    DIAD EMBRYO AT

    From day ry

    to

    day

    zr, when the chick comes out of the shell, it takes the yolk

    ABour

    14 DAYS

    of the egg into its stomach through the navel. It hatches fully fed and has time

    "Bloor

    RrNc"

    to dry off and get its bearings before it has to find food in the outside world. On hatching day, the temperatufe can be reduce d to 95 degrees, but the humidity

    \7hen you candle an egg, you're looking for one ofthree basic
    configurations.

    \(hat you want to see is a small

    spot with spiderlike

    legs-the

    should be increased to Zo percent or 9o degrees wet-bulb. Ifyou have a see-

    embryos blood vessels-branching out from the center. This is a living embryo. A uniformly opaque egg with a shadow cast by the yolk was never fertile and an
    egg with a darker shadow in the middle surrounded by a discernable blood ring
    has died (the

    through incubator top, it should be fogged up. Put a double layer ofcheesecloth
    on top of the rack to make
    a

    cleaner, more comfortable place for the new chicks

    to spi1l onto and dry out. It is important to leave chicks in the incubator for z4
    hours after they hatch, until they are completely dry and fluffy. Chicks taken out before they are dry will chill quickly and die soon after. Have your brooder the setup ready to go with water, feed, and the heat lamp turned on, and remove

    blood has moved out away from the embryo).

    Cheching the Size of the AirsPace


    Recognizing an egg with an appropriately sized airspace comes with practice. At first, youll need to refer to a diagram. Ifyour eggs seem to have airspaces that are

    dry chicks to the broodef once a


    hatch.

    day

    for the day or two it takes for them all to

    much smaller than the average, try to increase the humidity in your incubator by

    Z DAYS

    14 DAYS

    18 DAYS

    iiir'

    -ti

    tit*.I*[
    ,

    "

    (.

    CHAPTER'
    ..,
    ...,s.
    , f 4

    FOUP"

    RaisingChicks
    h1,

    in Gods name does erer)one wanr

    to ga inta the

    ffiffin

    business?

    wlr

    hts it become the common man's Hofu 'i-)eM


    ,ili.
    ,$$i.
    J

    Grail? ls

    it

    because ntast nten's liyes are shqdowed by thefear of being'

    ,Jirett-of

    not having enough mo,e) to buyfood and shelter-fot fiieirseems haloed w.ith permanency? boss

    fftved ones and the ffl&rtn business

    Or is it that chickenfarming with es6rnan his own


    (.--

    yfers

    rel(f

    6for

    rhc cmploltcr-employee problems which harrlt so man) people? ' ' '

    Again

    I repecff, v1ry ffi$rtns? wh2t not narciQus

    bulbs, cabbage seed',

    greenhouses, rabbits, pigs, goats? AII can be raised in the country by

    lne nTan and present but hal;f tht risk

    oJ

    fiifin'' ll
    MecDoNAr-D,

    -Ssa1v

    The Egg and. I, L953

    '..1.

    Cute and fuzzy as they ate they are' newborn chicks are also at their most vulnerable during the first few days and weeks of their li-fe and need
    aA ,!..,1,,r,, ., , ,i,, ,r',i , ,, r, ,r ! ' l' rr I ' ' ' '
    I

    particularcareandattentionforthemto
    have the best chance at survival'

    Ifthey

    are

    wrtr.n end dry' and have access to food and

    ,l('illl wrll('I,ltt<'sl of thctlr r'vill grow rnd


    l)llrsl)('l lltl(l('l y()lll- ( ill(',
    '1

    (r.) I'

    770{:

    LrvrNG

    \ia/rrg CrrrcKENs

    RersrNc

    CHrcKs

    azrk

    Gnrrruc Ruanv: lffrrnxr Wrrr. You Knn'p Trlnlx?


    \(here
    you raise your chicks depends on the season, the number ofchicks you want, and the relative tolerance of other members of the family for livestock projects in the house. If the temperature outside during the day is

    Tse Hc.rr

    SoURCE
    as

    The air temperature around the chick

    it skitters from feed to water and back

    should be about 95 degrees Fahrenheit for the ftust week ofits life and should
    decrease by 5 degrees per week after that

    until it reaches 7o degrees. At that point,

    roughly the same

    as

    rhe temperature inside the house, especially

    if it

    is

    chicks are able to keep themselves warm, unless it is particularly cold outside' The easiest way to provide warmth is with
    a

    lightbulb. If you have one or


    a

    spring and the trend is toward warmer weather, it is simplest to brood the chicks in the space where they will live when they are adults. This saves you having to move them
    as

    two dozen birds and the weather is relatively mild,

    regular 60- or loo-watt

    they grow, but it will only work if they have that

    lighrbulb will do. start with the bulb about r8 inches offthe floor, and raise

    it

    space to themselves or if the chickens already in the coop can be kept

    about 3 inches per week in order to steadily lower the air temperature around
    eat,

    entirely separate from the new chicks. The grown chickens


    and otherwise terrorize the new ones

    will trample,

    the birds. Use

    porcelain socket because

    plastic socket will melt after endur-

    ing even
    day. You

    a 6o-wart

    household bulb hung upside down and left on most of the

    Even in good weather) many small-scale operators prefer to keep their

    will

    also need to put the bulb in a reflector-one with protective wire

    chicks in the kitchen in

    a cardboard box, at least for a few days. Brooding

    over the front of it to reduce the chances of an accident that could break the

    chicks in the house for the first week or

    so,

    particularly when the weather is

    bulb and, in the worst case, cause

    fire. If the weather is cooler when you are

    cool or cold, helps you to worry less about drafts, and it allows you to watch

    starting, a zso-wattinfrared heat lamp from the feed or hardware store will be
    necessary.

    them easily and often, both for entertainment and to monitor their wellbeing. Chicks grow very rapidly, however, especially meat birds, which go

    from a bit of fluff that fits inside an egg to 4-pound broiler in

    [) r].4tsT

    PnorECTroN

    8 weeks. You

    will need to keep switching


    enough space. After
    size and an issue.
    a

    boxes, or adding on

    in

    some fashion, to give them

    Draft protection for the first few days often takes the form of a corrugated cardboard box with sides approximately afoothigh. for added protection, you
    sl.rould partially cover the top
    vcr.y srr.rall 1,or the

    couple of weeks, they will have more than doubled in


    also become

    will start looking too big for the kitchen. The smell may

    with anothef piece of cardboard. The birds are


    space.

    first few days and dont take up much


    a

    Twenty-five

    r.lricks will rlo f inc lor a lew days in

    box about 18 inches wide and z feet long'

    KnEpruc Youx CHTcKS \VARM


    lltt'tclttt'l\v()l);lllslol<t't'1ritr1"yt'tlt
    tlritll;11';11111;

    'l'ht. b0x will provide adequate Ir.ovt' ttro sr.)llll pretty clUicl(ly, however.To !l)ir( (' lllill y()1 ( :rr t'x1,rrn.l ,rs rr,.,',1,.',1, rt <'it-<'rtl:tt- r'irrt rtltctrrtlboarcl or othct'mate-

    Itr'f irlltrl''lllt'tlrrvillrlt

    ht'ltl

    ri,rl,,rll,,,l ,r,lr,rlt 1irr,rr,l,,r r lrr, li


    1.r,11111,11

    1,,rrrrr.l

    is llrc lrt'st s,,lttlit,rt.

    lt slr,,rrltl

    l'rt'rtl"rotll

    lt

    'lltlt t';tllrl l'lrrl{'( lltlll llrt'tlr It"rlr tlr'rll"

    N..l.t1rrlyrv,lltlr,,,lri,l,1irr,rr,llicr'lrrlt,tll';lttl;tttrllr'tlrll,'ll"l'lirrtllt'

    4 -7) l-

    Irvrr.rc

    wrrrr

    CgrcK-ENS

    RersrNG

    CHr.cKs

    dzlK

    heat from your ligirt bulb, but it

    will

    also prevent new chicks

    from wander.ing to

    Dn-arr Gu.tno

    \ ,\

    far corners of the coop and forgetting where the feed, water, and warmth are'
    1'rrrrMor,rsrER.

    rX/ATERER

    The chick guard has rio corners, so the chicks will not pile up and smother each other in a corner, as they might do if frightened or cold. Make sure tire circle is
    always big enough for them to get out from under the heat if they want to.

    .","1

    After

    couple of weeks they will need half

    square foot per bird, and

    ir-r

    about 4 to 6 selves

    weeks-by the time their feathers grow in and they


    squate foot per bird.
    a

    can keep themFrnn TaoIcg

    warm-they will need r

    One February in rrorthern New England during

    cold snap, as I was mak-

    ing one of my first attempts at chicken rearing, I put my chicks in a kid's plastic swimming pool in the basement. The sides were almost
    a

    foot high, it was

    round, and it kept them offthe dirt floor. I put some litter in it and figured

    it

    B,q.src

    BnoorEr Aprlnarus

    Curcxs Too CoLD. lov/rR IAMP

    would work lust fine. The medical student friend I have mentioned before took
    a disused

    incubator from the dumpster at the hospital,

    long-necked, lead-

    footed piece of equipment made to keep infant humans warm in the maternity ward.

    Iight

    out of twenty-five of my chicks died in the first z weeks. I now

    believe this was because the house was r5o years old and the stone foundation let in
    a

    lot of brutally cold air that washed invisibly over the sides and into the

    pool. The moral ofthe story: Pay attention to the chicks' surroundings. You may suspend a thermometer from above the brooder apparatus so that

    ffi
    J

    )csrJl\
    I

    it

    dangles about z inches above the floor

    ifyou like to have objective scientific

    proof of the temperature in that microclimate immediately surrounding the


    thermometer. It is best to hang it so that it doesnt disappear forever in the litter,
    and so you get the reading at the level where the chicks live, as the air above and below may be somewhat different.

    .ri \{ 't)^'< t4'.\

    \I

    y-h v Y2
    !4

    irx' vfr

    .-1t/t

    r1 (:) t
    \

    \\

    CoNlrl,ross Jusr Rrcrn'. Arr rs rW.rrr.

    Visual observatiotr, however, rather thatt a thertnolreter) is rhe better way Io lt'hit'vt'lht'r'orn't'1 l('lrrp('litlttl('. Slrrll witlr tll.'l,rtrl1r;tbortl Ill irlt'ht's ttll'the
    Irtt lt t usiliArr()N At tttl lrl'l'lll{ Llilrl sll(t\\/s A ll^sl(: lll(il0ltlNt:Sllllrl' I I t rrr tr,\\/Ail t{t lr,lurr lttt r{\t(rN| | r{ slrlll((rlrNlrl,D llY llllr l)ttlt't (jttltttt tNr tl|{l\|, \\'I lr !lrl lll Al l,\All",ll:.1'l lllrl lr I lllrNt Allr)\rl

    llot,t,;ttrtl lrt.;ttt,;ttt.ll rvlt;tl tlr,', lri, li,;,1,,,,t','l llr,' ttt'xl llolll il:l lll('l('l)lll('l;lltll('

    dz+9

    LrvrNc

    \rrrrr

    CtlTcKENS

    R,trstIrtt;

    (l tt ttl trs

    ,1751

    ture comfortable to them. Not all of them are comfortable at exactly the same temperatllre
    at the same time, which is wiry yon know you

    have it right when they spread tiremselves out' You also know you have it right

    ifthey

    are eat-

    ing and cheeping pleasantly. If their peepir-rg


    is loud and anxious, they are probably too cold

    or hungry. Tiris is not to say that a quiet brood of chicks is necessarily a bad thing. Chicks need
    a

    lot of sleep, and for much of the night and parts


    of the day, they trade peeping for sleeping They rouse themselves quickly, however, when there
    is any activity nearby, or

    if they

    have a visitor,

    and go back to eating and drinking, which is

    what you want them to do.

    Knnprwe Xeiun Cnrcxs I{cPPv


    anrr) rf,HAr,TlrY
    in your setup stabilizes. Ifthe chicks huddle
    under the lamp, they are too cold and the lamp

    A conTo keep your chicks healthy, you need to provide air, litter, and light.

    If they crowd the wall or affange themselves outside what has close. Move it become a circular hot spot directly underneath the 1amp, it is too
    is too far away.

    living stant supply of fresh air is the most important way to keep the chicks'
    water space dry because the chicks'breath and manure constantly release

    all over up or down a couple of inches at a time until the chicks mill around out more the floor, comfortably eating and drinking or spreading themselves
    t,r- lcss cvcr-rly rtcross

    into the air. Keep in mind that chicks' production of manure by volume
    ir.r(.r('irs(,s as

    irsf rs

    tl-re

    chicks therrrselves. \7e have talked about the dangers

    tht' floor to slccp.

    ol-tlr.:rl'ls. llorv lrtt'lh('y l() lr,'witrt.I',, clraft ltrcc, aucl have ertougir lresir air? It's
    ,r

    Str.it.tly.lr,,,rlritrl,,, t lri, lts lt,',.,1

    l. l'tvt'il lllllll('.1 lt'tttpt'tltlrtrt's;tv:rilltIlc,

    ll('l\\,{'('ll.tlrrrttl

    '\,,1',1 '1'' rlt'1',rr'r"' 'tl lll"l,';(r llr'rt tlrIy t 'lll ( llo(!5(';l l{'llll)('l:l

    this tlt.lit lrlt' l,,rl'rtr, ,', ,rtt,l il's t'rtsit't wllt'tl lllt' ltil t'tt(sitlt' is w:tt ltt' Ilvclr if \'('lllr; ()ll ll)('li(t(l{lr :itlt'r'l lltt'r ooI ill('()l)('l) il lirr'l llri',.,.,', ltt ll,,"'ttt,'lll''

    d76v

    LrvrNG

    wrrrr

    CrrrcKENs

    R.crsrNc CHrcKs

    dzzK

    the birds are ourside, or that the windows are ajar if the chicks are in a small,

    tightly

    \"/

    sealed

    room.

    For

    litter, for the first z days-and only the first z days in order to avoid leg
    a

    t\4

    problem5-put

    layer of newspapers of paper towel on the floor inside the

    draft guard and spread their feed on it. This way they can find it easily using the
    peck-and-scratch method that all chickens are born knowing. After this intro-

    duction to pecking, you can spread pine shavings on the floor. The reason to

    wait

    are

    twofold: If you had spread crumbles in the litter initially, they would

    have disappeared quickly to the floor underneath it. And if you leave the newspaper there after the second day, the chicks begin to lose their footing, and those t1s51 susceptible to 1eg problems may begin to drag themselves rather Cnrcx \(reTEnrn

    than walk from here to there. Natural light, of course, is a must, and whatever housing you have cobbled together should have it, at least after the kitchen stage is over. Direct sun on the

    screw onto the top (which becomes the bottom when you turn it upside'down)

    of a small-mouth r quart canning jar or

    mayonnaise jar'

    Youll

    also want
    a

    to make another important purchase from your local hatch-

    floor

    of the pen dries

    it out and kills unwanted microorganisms. Just as impor-

    ery or feed store:

    vitamin and electrolyte mix that you mix with the water in

    tant to newly hatched chicks is extra artficial hght. Chlcks grow better if they
    eat during the night for the first z days' and a light helps them to find the feeder and gives them encouragement to go find it in the first place.

    tiny amounts. Use it. Unlike antibiotics and hormones' it is not dangerous to you, and it makes growing fast easier on the constitution of your tiny chicks.
    At the very beginning, put the water jar within z feet of your lightbulb or

    Ifyour

    brooder is

    lightbulb, you have satisfied the requirement. Make sure to turn


    a

    it

    other heat source so the birds dont have to go too far to find it,

    \(ithin

    couple

    off fot at least

    haH hour a day though' or your chickens may panic and pile up goes oirt.

    of weeks you will need to move up to one or more r-gallon plastic poultry metal waterers from the same feed store; you'll soon trade this in for one of the
    or plastic waterers that comes

    ifthe electricity

    in

    5- and

    ro-gallon sizes'

    Pnovrntr,rc En oucg ![:rrt

    Until your birds

    reach maturity, keep the watel

    within ro feet of the chicks'

    There are various sorts offeeders and waterers available for starting chicks, and you will need to fiave two or three sizes on harrd to accommodate yotrl fast-

    heat source. Replace the water every day and never let it run

    dry-they cant

    drink much at once, but they need to drink often in order to grow and prosper.
    Nevcr
    rrscr a

    grcwingbir-tls.'lhcy will tlrirrblc tlit'il inlrrkc ol wrtlt't'irr tht'l'ilst

    .t

    rv.','l<s,ttrcl

    watefer that the cl-ricks can walk in or sit on top of, because allow<listtirse tlrrlL

    ,l,,rrl,l,,il
    ,,1,,.rr,1

    rrl,,rtilr .,

    rr,,,,'li,;;rl1t'r

    llr,rl lirt tlrt'l,t,tt,,l t,,'tt', lri, li:;, \,,,rt tvill ttt't'rl ltr
    1,.,',1

    ilrg tn:ttrttrt'l(r H('l ill((r lht'wltlt'r is tirc qtricl<cst wily to sprcad

    will

    li I ilr) rrt r,(r;rl llrr.l,,,,rl

    ,,1,,r,'Irr

    ,r

    lr'\\'li,rlt"rtrir,',1 trrrl,rl l"t"r'li llr,tl

    kill y,'trr y,'rtrrg Itit,l';

    lz8Fi

    LrvrNG

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    Fnnnrxc Youn errrcxs


    There are metal canning jar bases for feed, too, as well as trough feeders like the
    ones pictured in the brooder setup. In order to discourage the chicks from

    standing on top and defecating into the feed, the trough feeders either have

    rolling bar across that top or holes in the top for the chicks to poke their heads
    in. The rules for its placement are the same as for the water: no more than 2 feet

    from the brooder for the fitst week or

    so,

    and no more than ro feet away after

    that. As the chicks grow, keep the lip ofthe feeder at about the height ofthe
    chick's back so they
    are

    will spill

    and waste less feed. After a few weeks, the chicks

    likely to be heallr and aggressive enough to knock over any of these feeders.

    As soon as their necks are long enough to reach over a hanging tube feeder's

    high lip, you should hang one an inch or z offthe ground.

    Clrrcr< 5l,tnrrR

    AN r.l

    Coccr Dlos ts

    Most commercially produced chick starters include medication to help prevent coccidiosis, the most common ailment afflicting young chickens. It's up to
    you whether you want to use this type of feed or find one without medication.

    It

    depends, in part, on the conditions in your coop, the number of birds you

    keep, and the climate you're raising chickens in.

    Coccidia, the protozoa that cause coccidiosis, live in the gut ofevery

    chicken from the time they are very small. If they multiply at

    slow rate inside

    the chicks, they dont pose any threat to the birds, which gradually develop

    immunity to them in about

    14 weeks'

    time. Coccidia thrive in damp condi1rons, srrch rrs rl,rrn1,

    chickt'tr IiIl,'r',

    rrtrtl

    ;rl(' Irt('c('nl in lrrrlit' lrtttttltt'ts itr llrt' , lr,, l,','rr.rrrrri'

    tl tl',', I'r, li','\\'.rllr

    r',

    -l8oF

    LrvrNc wrrrr CurcKENs

    RArsrNc

    Clrrcxs

    *{8r

    t+

    Seal,

    for instance,

    se1ls a zz

    pefcent starter ration called Game Bird Crumbles

    made without medication that

    will suffice for young chickens.

    You may be even

    better off buying from an organic grain company, although it willlikely be


    more expensive.

    Cnrr
    Chicks need to ingest grit, or sand, in order to digest their feed. Il they were
    outside, they would be swallowing sand themselves, but chicken grit is available
    at the feed store too

    for

    few cents

    pound. Sprinkle it on top oftheir feed the

    way your kid puts sugar on his cereal and your chicks will get what they need.

    Grit is discussed in greater detail in Chapter

    6.

    VHlr ro Do \VunN
    not kept clean and free of manure, the chicks will swallow additional populations of coccidia, overwhelm their infant immune systems) and get sick. Runny manure

    THE CHrcKs ARRrva


    mai1, you

    If your chicks are coming by

    might want to call aheadand let the

    post office know you are looking for them. Although at first you may feel odd discussing chickens with your postmaster or -mistress, they have likely had chickens come through the mail before, and they know the drill. If you wait, the post office

    ii,'',r,ril,,,r'r,:,;:,::

    and general lack of thrift are some of the earlier symptoms. Bloody manure is one of the later symptoms'

    If

    will call you on the day that they arrive, but I like to be at the
    ca11.

    you see these signs and havent been using the medicated feed, you should remove the affected birds, introduce medicated feed or water) and try to clean the place up. After about 14 weeks, the birds are old enough to have adapted to

    post office before it opens instead ofwaiting for a phone

    Itisnt

    an every-

    day occurrence, so treat it with the pomp and circumstance that Chick Arrival

    Day deserves.

    the local coccidia and are large enough to manage without the drugs'

    Chicks are made by nature to live for 48 hours after hatching without food
    or water, but it is berter that they drink sooner rather than later. Mter taking thcrn our of tfie box or out of the ir-rcubator, dlp the beak of each chick in tire 11ilt'rirl-l:rr:ccl wurcr.-l'hcy will cht:ep loucily and stnrggle, but most will dtink
    a

    If you

    are raising batches

    of roo or more chicks, or if you're starting your

    birds once the weather is already warm, it might be difficult to pfotect them from coccidia without
    a

    coccidiostat in their feed. If the chicl<s stay warm and

    tlr.y irrrtl lIt'ir.wrrtcl iltt(l lilt(.r lrrt. 1<t,pt t lc;rn, ltowt'vt'r, y()tl (:ll) r';rist'chiclts with-

    l"wsrrr,rllgrrll.srrn,l s,.,.rrrgl,r,l tohrrvt'lr,rtl thcwill('rPoilltc(l ottl l,rlltctn rl.rt,l


    rtr.r.rl l{r

    Yott

    {rtll l}l('(li(;tlt'tl sl;ttlt't ll ttt;ty l;tltr"irtl)lr lt)r'leitlp' lo litll rrti lr 'r 1't"'lrtt l' lllrtt'

    lt(.;tl lr.r.,l itr

    llr,,,;,r1r,.11,;11,,

    lrrtl ltt.lr\,r,iil'r.,'l lrilrls lllll st'('lll lisll('sS

    l8z

    lrvrNG

    rirrrrr

    CrrrcKENS

    R.qrsrNc Crrrcxs

    i8rF

    and uninterested in the feed. SIow starlers can be helped

    ifyou dissolve one-

    PrcxrNc
    \(hen chicks peck
    at one another,

    third of a cup of sugar in each quart of their water.


    After that, just watch and make sure nothing bad happens. Check on them sftsn-ss112inly no
    less

    it

    is called picking. Picking can happen at

    any time, but it doesnt have to, and it is easier to avoid

    it starting than it

    is to

    than nvice

    day-to

    replace water and feed. Clean the

    stop it once they get going. The most common reasons for it are overcrowding, overheating, and insufficient air replacement. Chicks may begin to pick the toes or feathers of their mates as a result of these stressors, and once there is blood,

    feeders and waterers. Keep the cat out of the room.

    it

    [Iow ro I]aaL wrrrr Vanrous Tnounnns


    If just one or two chicks in a batch of twenty-five die before reaching maturity,
    you are doing well. If they start to drop offwith more regularity, you might be

    only gets worse. Chicks can literally peck each other to death. Ifyou have
    adjusted for the three big problems above, try throwing them green grass clippings to distract them from the wounds of their neighbors. Clean the wounds o.f the victims, and put bacitracin ointment on them to promote healing. A red
    heat lamp

    looking at a problem. The first thing to watch for is that each chick drinks
    water, and after that, that they are all eating. If your chicks dont eat or drink, they will die-there is no getting around it. Keep an eye out for
    a

    will reduce the

    chance of picking because it makes it harder to see


    a

    the toes and other spots that visually attract the pickers. If you have

    whit-e

    few of the

    lightbulb, put some red cellophane in front of melt, stick to the bulb, and burn with
    a

    it-being

    careful that it doesnt

    other more common reasons that birds die in addition to coccidiosis: pasting up,

    lot of acrid smoke.

    picking, and runts.

    Ruxrs
    Prlsrr1"IC UP
    Many batches will have
    Occasionally the trip across the country in the airplane, or simply the stress of being new in the world, can cause the stool of the chick to be looser than
    a

    runt or two. These

    are

    birds that can't compete and

    that get shoved aside whenever they approach the feeder. They stay small as the rest of the flock grows. As you raise the feeders farther and farther off the floor

    it

    should be. Instead ofdropping to the floor to be absorbed in the litter, it sticks to the down immediately surrounding the vent. If allowed to persist, the manure on the bird's bum can harden and seal him up so that he will die of an

    in order to keep them at the level of the birds' backs, you may make it harder fot
    the runts to reach the feed. Farming can be a cruel business at times, and this is one of those times. Take the runts out and give them
    a

    decent buiial instead of

    inability to poop. There's an image that should keep you up at night.


    Pasting up can occur as a result of many kinds of stress.

    watching tirem slowly starve to death or die of something else because they
    wercrr'f hardy enough to withstand the local pathogens.

    If not attributable

    to travel, pasting

    may be a

    sign that the birds are too cold. Pay attention again to
    ,rr.l.jtrsl

    theirbel.ravior urrder the brooder',,rrr..l

    it lccoltlitrgly. lf'thc biltls show

    sililrs ol-il, t lt'rrrr lht'Drrslt'o1-l-lvitlr lr l)lrl)('r'lorvt'l nroislt'n,',1 *,illr \vrrtll) wll('t'.


    I

    lr,'l,ir,l

    11,111,,,1111,1.rrtr

    rrril,lrlrly, lrul \'lrt Itt,,tv

    il

    i't

    llt

    lrr',,,tt't,11,,,,,1.

    Cr{APTER

    FTVE

    Buying Adult chichens


    oultr2-keeping is intere$7ng because it gives pleasurc
    as we(l as pro;fit to persons

    gf boff

    sexes,

    a[(

    agtt,

    aff

    walks of life in alf sectiorts of the

    cluntrylIt

    is usefu[

    alike on the;farm and in ffe city back-yard, in the cold Nor{f ond iru

    6he sunny souf6, \-

    in the hi(f and mountain cluntr), or on flie ylain.

    rr

    .ma\, be conducted as srt exclusive businesfor as a side


    cTleasure and

    line.lt

    ffirdf
    tr'

    profil;for rich and poor ctlike.lyfact, lt is ffe universaC

    agricultural induffiy. . . . It is a healff-giving recreation


    fliousq,ds o,

    ,rff

    as a means

    gf ,r,.,purr.

    tl

    -Iours

    Hu xn, Modern Poultry Management, 1928

    If you decide

    to forgo the complications of incubating eggs or brooding chicks, you can still have a fulfilling relationship with chickens by
    buying adults. You'll want laying birds or cocks if you choose this route-there's 1F[l
    ],

    i,ir,r.ilrr:ir,r r, Lr, 'r;; l:,,i

    little point in buying


    as

    meat bird as an adult,

    they are ready to eat after only a few weeks.

    Pullets are sexually mature at r8 to zo weeks whetr they statt to lay eggs. Cockerels are sex{rirlly rn:llurc rtt itbottl 25 w('('l(s.

    'l tls I'

    .)86k

    LrvrNG

    wrrrr

    CHrcr(ENs

    BuvrNc

    Anurr

    CrlTcKENS

    i8zF

    '"ees

    ,
    ,{.-ld

    {4"I

    lVnnnn ro Loox
    You'll need to use your own resources to find grown
    a

    chicken-I dont know of any mail-order

    , s:' iqlt|'

    ti 1l.'r'l'

    ffi
    "

    suppliers or warehouses that specialize in adult chickens. Dont despair, howeverl such birds are

    surprisingly

    easy

    to find. Check with the veteria

    narian, look in the classified paper, travel to

    fair,

    look in the yellow pages, search the Internet, talk


    to the butcher at your grocery store, or contact
    relatives who live a little farther out than you do. You should be able to find someone willing to

    . .,,,if.... $.,1'.1,

    part with

    few hens for $z.oo to $5.oo apiece.

    You may even be able to get your birds for

    free, as it is not unusual for someone with chickens to have some they don't want. A career in

    poultry is a fluid thing, with periods of ebb and


    flow, of growth and shrinkage. For all but the most experienced, and even some of them, there
    are times when

    it becomes clear that the coop

    is

    too crowded, whether because for now it is too much water to carry or the neck, tail, and wing feathers of the birds show too much sign of pick-

    ing (one of the signals of overcrowding). It is

    rirrt' rro( or.rly to make soup of the older birds no

    tlt't't'

    Ir

    ()nl ('s

    lirl t lrt' ot'r..'-rt

    rr.l-lt-lt

    tr

    [-year-olds in

    t88r:

    lrvrNG

    \rrrrr

    CrtTcKENS

    There are some risks to finding birds this way, of course. I was told

    story

    once that undoubtedly has been repeated ovef the millennia in places where rural and urban cultures meet. This particular man got
    a

    false start in his life with

    chickens when

    mofe of less straightforward neighbor offered to sell him four

    hens for a few dollars apiece, assuring him that the birds would pay for themselves by laying eggs for many years to come. Two of them were evidently older

    than the buyer realized, however, and died soon after. Although the survivors entertained their keeper for another season or two, only one of them supplied any
    eggs

    in return for her room and board. This is not to

    say

    that people dont give

    away perfectly good hens

    for nothing occasior-ral|y if they have small backyard

    flocks and little interest in recovering all oftheir exlernal costs. But in choosing
    chicker-rs, as

    with any other serious human endeavor, it

    is

    well to stay alert.

    il
    ri
    ,ffi

    sVual To Lnore Fon


    There are
    a

    few things to look for in both hens and roosters. Bright eyes;

    smooth, shiny feathers; smooth' clean shanks (legs); and full, bright, waxy-

    looking combs. In particular, the legs ofan older bird are rough and hold the

    dirt

    and manure) whereas the legs of younger birds are smooth, and dirt does

    not prevent you from telling that the legs are either yellow or white, depending on the breed. ri l c K1l'i{:: Ir|) R
    Fil^ RAS 1]'. L5

    L,

    Ifyou

    are

    buying

    hen or pullet and

    haven't yet learned to gr:rb otrc' yottrscllt,

    withotrt too tl'tLtch llrrlllrrt'yo(l{ illl Jlt'l llrt'


    ,rr.llr't lrr lt,,l,l it ,t1,,',1,' rlott'tr
    I r)1

    't'

    1'r'l \

    (llll

    ''Ilrlr"llrrr"lrlr(

    'r"l

    l""l

    rt tlr' \'( rrl rlrrl

    n:l'

    tq 't !,,:,' "'


    ,! . tr/
    l:5

    igot:

    IrvrNG

    \(/rrH

    ClrTcKxNS

    BuvrNc

    Aourr

    CsICKENS

    ilrF:

    under the wings for external parasites-little bugs crawling on their skin. These
    are mites, lice, and fleas, and you also

    ffi
    ii.jli

    dont want them in your coop. Keep

    lookout
    ffi
    ,|:

    for loose stools that obviously stick to the feathers of the rump, which

    could indicate worms or other internal parasites.

    I{oxz To Tlrr \(hile

    I-r'A CHrcKrr"r Ls Lavrruc Eccs


    a

    the bird is being held upside down, there are


    a

    few other things to

    look for that will tell you whether

    hen or pullet is currently laying eggs or


    ar-id

    not. First look at the vent of the bird again to see if it is moist

    oval-

    shaped, which suggests she might have passed an egg recently. The illustra-

    tion below compares the vent of


    not laying.

    hen that is laying to that of

    hen that is

    Next, feel the chickens underbelly where the fluffy feathers are above the vent. If this area is soft and doughy, it is a good sign. On
    a

    bird that is not Iay-

    ing

    eggs,

    tire skin across that area is tight, or feels thick and coarse. Next look

    rrt the

    pubic bones, which stick up on either

    sitlc of thc ver-rt. They are wider apart and are


    s,r1-l

    rrntl plirrblc on
    f

    rr

    bircl that is laying,


    n{('t-s l..,,r.'lwcct,

    ar-rd

    y(){r (;rr)

    il two ol lr()l('l-i

    tlrr.rrr.

    ll y.u ( ilrr lit ,'rrly orrt'litr1,r't h('tw('('r) lht'ptrbit


    "l),1(

    btrnt's, sht'plob:rbly is

    ( lll lll(

    ,litt'r'li,,tr, ttp llotrr lltt'


    1,11111'1 11,,,1

    l.r'r'l lrrrtrr', r', l,rtitlct orr.t Ir{ tr ol

    lszk
    i---'-"'--*-*-"---"

    LrvrNG

    wrrH

    CrrrcKENs

    BuvrNc Aourr

    CsrcKENs

    igrK

    ...*---Y*"
    PART oF

    Wrrnx rrrrs

    TrlE

    BoDY

    ,.

    r*rra MANy
    10
    T5

    ECCS

    LOSES tTS YELLOW COLOR . . .

    TIAVN SEEN

    "* I,A[D

    VrNt], rvE RrNG, AND EARIOBE

    Brex wttrr Brax wrrH

    HALF

    rrs cotoR

    oNE-THTRD

    rrs cotoR

    25 35 75 95

    Brex col.rptETEtY BtEAcHED


    Borrotr,rs oF
    TEET

    FnoNr or Rren or

    sHANKS

    SHANKS

    160
    L75
    i *.1-

    Tops op r ors

    Becr or HocK JorNT

    180
    Crr.Lnr

    Blucrrrxc SrqurNcr

    is laying. Put your fingers across the abdomen of the

    btd to measure this


    a

    width. Two fingers is small and indicates


    is what you want to see.

    non-layer;

    width of four fingers

    Sr"nacllruc SnQUENcn
    Although some breeds of chicken have white skin, most have yellow skin. \7hen
    a

    chickens, it may inspire you in any case to pay atfention


    as

    your own birds grow older.

    hen begins laying, the minerals that produce the yellow pigment on

    her legs and in her beak and other areas is diverted to the yolks ofthe eggs, and the color slowly drains from the pigmented parts of her body. This happens in a prescribed order, both when the pigment disappears during the heavy

    lrtt,tr,

    Arrvrc;E
    As you Iot'rl< ovcr urr adult bird someone wants Io sl.ll
    y1t11,

    laying season and when it reappears in reverse order

    as a l-ren stops layir-rg

    dtrr-

    lh.'b,.st :rrlvit.t'is nol to wor.ry.


    rrl t.yt', irrrtl

    irrg the molt or iu the wintcr.Thc trble lbove givcs it rottgh itlcrr of how tt-r:ttry
    cggs ir

    Ililv('it ( liti(
    \,,,1t lr,,rr is

    ls(.y()ut.[rt'st .jrrtlgrlcnt. 'I'ht, worst that will happer-r

    if

    biltl lrls lrtitl b'tqt'tl ott rvlrit lt

    lrlrr'ls

    t,l'llt't lrtttlv llllvt' ll,()lr(' l'r',ttrr y.'llt'w

    :rrr r.1i1i l;rvi rrll lrri lrrr

    t.,r,
    1l

    hr.c':rt

    lrt.s ils lilst ()n h('t


    1r1

    ilst rrightirr

    yorrrt(,11,

    Itoltt rvltilt'. ll yott;ttt'rvilltottl t'rlrr'lir'ltrr'ttt looltitrll;rl llrt'rolol "l tlrt'lt'1i:;t'l

    rrrlr

    t,i llr,rl yorr u,rll l,',,,.t,,'rrr

    ll l1 Jf.1 rrr r

    $l

    or, ;ttr,l I),1\'(' ;r slor y li)

    C}gAPTER

    SXX

    EeedingYout, Chickens

    hese anit"nals are omnivorous and fliere

    i!

    nothing fliat they


    consunte, q?isted b1

    fr not devour anf


    thefiercenefgf t&elr
    qlffiost otf

    .i'tature, to

    ,uff

    an extent fliat not

    on\ beside

    kirdt
    T

    gf grain tltey enjol theiesh of af land onfwattt

    animals.

    ligr

    'ffi t,nt reJrainfrom even human'fr',ng ar serjents, scoffion!,

    an{ joison,:us

    creafures of

    tfi, klntl

    tt

    -Urrsst

    ATDRovAN Dt, Concerning Domestic Eow| -Ihat Balhe in the Dust-The Chicken, Male and Eemale, 7598

    What you feed your chickens d"pends


    on whether you have meat birds or laying hens,

    their

    zge

    , whether they are able to find their own food


    in the yard, and what commercial feed
    is

    a{

    available at the local feed store. Layers that

    baby chicks that can grow from zero to 4


    por-rnds il-r B weeks-need

    to eat

    lot, and

    llr('y lr('c(l to c,tt wcll.

    'l,r\

    '1g6 k

    lrvrNG

    \(/rrrr

    Crrrc KE Ns

    FrrorNc

    Youn

    CHrcKrNs

    -.tr92 V

    W'un.l

    ro

    FnnD

    iW

    W,t'r'l

    Chickens and their eggs


    each contain about two-

    thirds water. This water


    must be replenished constantly) as it is central to

    many of the processes that


    keep them alive: from

    swallowing feed

    ar-rd

    digesting ir, to regulating body temperature, to lubricating joints, to allowing

    nutrients to move through


    cell walls. Chicks in particular need water, but at
    every stage

    oflife the birds

    need access all the time to clean water-preferably

    not too warm at the hottest

    time of the year and

    r-rot

    too cold at the coldest.

    tu

    ( ()Nr Nttti(
    (

    t.\t

    Itttr

    l()nlnl('r( i,rll1,

    1,1,,,111,,'rl

    lt't',lr

    lltrrl \/r)lr (;rtr

    lir(l irl y()ilr l,',,r1 l,',',1 sl()l(' hilv('


    rr,'r',1 ilr( llr(lilrli Vilil

    l,r.r.tr lrrr trrtrl.rl,,l

    t,' rr', lrr,l, ,rll Ilt,' r!illrlrr'h \'()ilr lrrr,l"

    lqsF

    LrvrNG \izrru CrrrcKENs

    FrlorNG

    Youn

    CHTcKENs

    :1gg F

    mins and trace minerals to avoid developing serious health problems. The
    rnost common formulas available are a combination chick starter/grower

    ration in medicated and nonmedicated varieties (the pros and cons of medicated starter are discussed in Chapter

    and a layer ration.

    In rural

    areas, where the

    chicken population is larger, more specialized feeds

    are available. These

    will allow the keeper to fine-tune the feeding program to the


    a

    particular stage of development of a bird with


    some places you can get a

    particular purpose. For instance, in


    as

    "broiler starter," and a "broiler finisher,"

    well

    as

    "grower" and "developer" rations for pullets. The big differences in these formulations is their protein content, because a chicken's protein requirements
    decrease after the first few weeks. The starter rations contain the most protein

    (from zr percent to 24 percent), and the finisher (r8-zo percent), grower (16-18
    percent), and developer (14-16 percent) rations contain progressively less protein.

    Commercial feed comes in three forms: mash, crumbles, and pellets. Mash
    is simply ground feed. It is not ground to
    a

    powder, which is difficult for chick-

    ens to eat, but is something like the consistency of sand (although

    it contains

    I
    N'v".qL

    di{ferent ingredients ofvarying sizes). Crumbles are ground feed that has been

    { '*, , .**et
    r, -$

    further processed

    so

    that the feed sticks together in small clumps. The clumps


    nruscles, skin, feathers, and internal

    are easier for brand-new chicks to pick up and harder for any bird to spread all

    organs.

    k ., ..,:.r .,.':.,., : ' "' " "


    will only say that

    :'r

    over the floor. Pellets are the same ground feed compressed into cylindrical
    pieces that only bigger birds can handle. Crumbles work best for the youngest

    Carbohydrates provide energy for fueling

    birds, and although almost any size bird

    will

    eat mash, after a chicken is large

    ovel'ythingthathappensinthechicken's body. Fat is tlre fornr in which that energy is


    slolccl lor future nse. Tire roles of the various
    vitlrr.rir.rs rrntl rninr:rals rre rnore complex, and here we

    ,,

    enough to handle pellets, this is the best choice. The birds will waste less
    because the pellets dont spill as easily from the feeder.

    r'lrir'l<t'n ( iurr()l tlo wilhottl (ht'nr.

    DlIrlERuNcEs

    A*loNc

    RA't toNs

    ir':rins trroslly t orrr, o;rls, rrrtl '"vht'rtl s:rtisly thc crrrbohydrltc rcquite[,,ttllly li't'tl.'l'ht'lrtrrlt'itr
    Pot'

    (lhit'kt'rr [i.t.tl tonl;rins l]r()l('in, t rrrlrt,lrytlrrrlt', lrtl, vil;tnrins,:tn,l ttritr,'trtls. l ht'

    nrt'rrl ;rrrtl rrr;rlit,rrlr tlr, l'ulli ol irry ( llr)nl('r'( rlrl lrorr ol r lrr, li,'t, l,

    lrro(r'il

    i:; rtscrl l() nl;tl((,rnllr lr (,1 tlr,";trlr(

    trr(','l llr,'l'rt,l, tt,, ltt,lit,1l 1,,,1',",,

    ,,l

    r', rr',rr,r11t,',,,1,1,,'.,', rrr,',rl Alll){rlr11l) n()l

    llr,'l;ttt',t':;l l,,tt l ol

    FrrnrNG
    ;tr

    Youn

    CHTcKENs

    -X

    ror

    F:

    roo

    [i-

    LrvrNG

    !rtrrr

    CHTcKENs

    the ratior-r, protein is the most expensive part, and the various rations are usually discussed

    first in terms of their protein content. \trhen


    feed people talk about a "16 percent layer ration," it cor-rtains r6 percent protein. There
    are occasionally

    significant differences in the


    as

    mineral or other content of the feeds

    well.

    For instance, as discussed later, the layer

    ration has much more calcium than feeds for other chickens.

    Krlprr.rc l.'lln
    Feed does not keep indefinitely. I would suggest that you buy supplies for a couple

    of

    weeks or a couple of

    months-no longer, or
    *s.

    you risk it going stale. You'll also want to be


    on the lookout for rodents, whose appetites

    $r

    will

    also threaten your store offeed.


    a

    used to
    a

    keep feed in
    so

    plastic garbage pail with

    lid
    l

    it would stay airtight and fresh, until the

    rats appeared and chewed a hole in the lid.

    A
    access to all the protein,

    g
    carbo.: .. :;::,

    galvanized metal can wlth a lid and a bungee cord (or other mechanism to keep the 1id on) will both keep the feed fresh and keep unwanted creatures out

    ofit.

    lrytl r':rtc, vitrrn ins, :rnd minerals


    t

    hcy rrcecl.

    -l'hat

    beirrg said, there

    rlt' vlrious

    wilys lo supltlr.'urcut ol l.ljust their diet in order to cut your feed cost, r)l()r'('(.irsily ;rv:rilrrhlt' lhrrn r't,nrtncrt-i:tl rtliotrs, or sin-rply givi'
    111,'111

    SupplnnrnNlrNG TrrE CoMMBRCTAL RarroN


    livt'tr in sun)nr('l', l);lrti( lrl;ll ly il yr,tt rttt
    , r,rl
    rt

    rrs,, l,'t.,ls

    llrrl lrrt

    llr'1',ittttt't, il is lrt'sl (o l(('('I il ( ()l)ll)l('l'

    llr{'r)l lronl('viu i('ly lo lit','1r


    ,lr'lrr rlrr,,

    ilrlt'rcslctl ll)(l n):rl(('lltcit.ntt'rtl

    tt',,tr'
    'ut,l,'111.1s

    r,rliorr ,rr,.rrl,rl,l,'10 r'r,ttt l,ttrl',.t1 ,tll ltttr,'; lr{'( lll l(' il lllr,rt,rlil('('', llr,rl llt,'1, lt:rl'r'

    ;t roz

    F:

    Lrvrlrc

    \vrrrr

    CgrcKENs

    FrrorNG

    Youn

    CHTcKxNS

    irolF

    ,t,

    "t' .,
    n
    c o

    nf'i

    d ch i ck

    en s

    -fi

    the

    ir own lood,-for

    the

    most part) in summcr,

    and do il0t need to -f'attened-for

    be

    fed excellt when thqt are bcing

    eating, nild itt the winter mlnrhs when

    J'oraging is meager" The basic point to e mphasize is

    thst chickens, Iike all liv|ng creatures,llt,e to

    be-free.

    '|hey are much hnppie r roaming about than shur up

    in

    cages. eggs

    Ir

    does

    filt)

    0J caurse,-follow that the;,

    lal

    n'tlre f'
    I

    (rather the ret'erse), but it is cerrainly true


    IaSt

    thdt they cryoy las,ing them rnuch mlre , thqt thcl better
    eggs,

    and,Jor the most part, fhcy are much

    tasicr'kctPi,,S'Pf

    --CsetrrE s Darvrtr,q..Nru P,{c.E Slattrt, 'lhe Chichen Bt:ol<, 197 5

    ::,.,.,.

    ,i,,.

    :1,

    ,,, :.

    ...:..

    FC:A.f"Cg

    kitcl-ren: vegetable peels and ends, meat scraps, stale bread, the milk at the botrorn o[ the cereal bowl, wilted lettuce, overripe fruit, anything your child

    .,..:

    t.

    they will suPPlement for themselves bY eating just about anY-

    lcuvcs half eaten, dog food, cat food. Sour

    milk is one oftheir favorites

    and

    iv,rs r.cgtrlurly fed to chickens in the days when their keepers usually also had
    trrill<. r'ows ()r llolrls.

    thing that is edible. Bectles, buds,


    bugs, seeds, spilled grair-r, crickets) worlns, termite s, gt'ttl-ts, Qrrtss, lc,tv.s,

    At

    lrit'It'n

    lrrlrnirrrg

    rr,'illhbol of n'rinc says tlut

    i-ris

    chickens alz his composting

    clropped fnrit, flowers, rrn,l ulnrtrst rrnylhitre tht'y f-irrtl irr {ltt'ti,tttpost pilt'rvill

    r;\':rl('nl. All 1,,,,,1 rvrrstt. irr tll(' llolrs('rr,()('s l() lht't'hit-lit'tt c()()p ott lr citrily basis.The

    s('l\/('ir t ltit lit'tt. Il llrt'V,rrt'i otllittr'tl lll(l (,lll'l ,t,ll,1,, rr', ll rl 1','tl (,llr l,llvl,l, llr, trr rvrtlr trl'1,

    1r,{

    l lo llrr'( ()ll1lr():;l l'il,', tlr,'y


    (

    l,tr,l,',l,rrr'l (.,tt r'\'r'tyllrrtrl, ltlrr'\,\\,()tr't r',tl r iltrt:; lrrrit, li,r iltsl;tllr't'), lltlt r.vhtrl tht'y tl,)trl
    r.,rt

    !,rlr" L'll"

    r"l lrr yllll

    I', 1,.,, Lrt, l,,.,l.rrr,l Ir.rrrr1,l,,l rttrlrl rl t, l,,rrl ol llrt llll('l ttlt{l{'llorrl tlt,tl

    +l

    ro4 [i

    lr.vr r.rc \rrrrr

    Crrrc

    K-E NS

    i
    .
    ..,,r{ ...\
    lr,

    n ""\*

    .hl

    "$'

    i:.

    ,]

    *,:.'.

    llllNi
    ,\,iliJ

    .tlt':l\'
    r,,l

    will be next

    year's garden

    fertilizer. It is better to withhold anything that is really

    i{i}iml

    i'w
    \t.r

    "\*i '\.1
    '

    spoiled, which could make them sick, as well as the onior-rs and garlic, which can
    pass

    their flavors on to the eggs arrd meat.


    Your birds will grow more slowly and may lay fewer eggs if they are

    allowed to forage for themselves, but I would venture to say that it makes for happier chickens. It is also true that judging the relative happiness of
    a

    chicken is not

    as

    scientific an endeavor

    as

    developing a feed ration. \whether

    it

    makes the chickens happier or not, you may well be happier watching your

    hens scratch in the lawn, under the hedge, in the leaves, or wherever they can get to (short of the garden) than you would be if you only see them when you
    go out to the coop to dump a little more feed ir-r their trough or break the ice

    out of their water bowl.


    G

    nlr
    In chicken terms, grit is
    sma1l sharp-edged stones or pieces of
    sar-rd

    stone-ranging
    a

    from the size of grains of

    to the size of small pebbles-that


    a

    chicken swal-

    lows to aid its digestion. The grit stays in the gizzard, which is

    large muscular

    pouch just above the intestine that grinds the grit together with the chicken's food. "scarce as hen's teeth" is how the saying goes, because chickens don't have teeth at all. they rely instead on the gizzard and grit. Chickens that only eat com mercially prepared rations do not absolutely need grit because the feed has
    already been ground. Chickens that are fed any whole or cracked grains have to have grit available to them to do the grinding. \7hen left to their own devices

    ti..

    ;.'

    ,..,

    ''' " "*! Y $:it ..: ,o{t,r.

    ''.
    ,.t
    i'

    ,.1:{\l1r''. -.
    ' '.. {ri. .i. ; ''

    ,,

    |.

    1 : ..r"1' | ..r ...it""i:,:

    rlf.. i. .,.'1 i. . .' :i ;l'l',. r1'

    ,* ln - , r'\i
    l

    ;:.-r.t - :i: r. ,'

    .)i'..i.,'.:..1

    *-$'

    i.,.., i\
    ',

    outside, chickens swallow small


    stones on their owtr.

    If kept in

    cot-rlt
    (l

    mw*
    1t" {l

    finerlent, or in colclcl clirlrillcs


    *,ltltt'llr,'1',t,,ttt,,l
    is

    ottl ol tcrti

    lrl,(l( t llt, ,t',',r'IIr \\'ttrl' t \lu lr'(

    . r ,.1

    ,t

    I,
    1}.,

    l tL

    '.t

    ,l

    t\

    l'

    aa

    "f.

    ;J

    ro6 f:

    Lrvrsc

    wrru CrrrcKENs

    IrrnrNG

    Youn

    CHrcKrNs

    lrozF

    "W
    ilL.:

    .tq-cill.r

    's 5e{ir.rlu

    Pearson's square is a method you can use to make simple adjustments to the pro-

    tein cor-rtent of your main ration. In the example below, for instance, the aim is
    qu.

    .Sh'

    '....'

    i,.r

    :'l ]1]

    'e
    .s *.
    i$&f

    ,M .'w'

    to figure out how much commercial chick starter/grower containing 22 percent

    protein should be combined with how many oats) which are r2 percent protein,
    iFyotr want to end up with r "developer" rrlion containing r5 percent protein

    for your young pullets before


    they begin to lay eggs. The protein content you
    are aiming for is in the center

    of the square.

    on the left are

    ;W,w')-,
    :1,

    the proteir-r contents of the two


    feeds you

    will mix,

    cl-rick

    starter on the top and oats on the bottom. You can find the

    to supply your birds with whatever grit is carried


    by your feed store. Clean gravel from a local streambed works just as well.

    protein content ofthe chick

    PEARSON S SQUART

    starter printed on the label attached to the feed bag. The

    protein content ofoats and other feeds can be irad from the closest extensior-r
    L-ls r

    "'-c ll't

    u r, :r. Av',.r i-* ll

    l !u lt]5

    olflce (Colorado State Ur-riversity has

    particularly good bulletin on home


    ).

    \X/ith some experience and practiced observation, you can eventually begin to
    adjust the protein level in the ration yourselfin order to cut costs and use grrins

    li'c.lirrg o1'por-rltry at.\ilt/.\!,!:r-l..r.t.ftltiililL!,:,!i:du/{tr*rslil:i:*htt.i."i.t{,p!Li.

    ()r'rce the numbers are in place, you can forget the percentage signs and

    and other animal feeds that are available to you. I have buys
    fec'ds
    a

    friend r'vith

    a cor'v r'r'hc,

    sirrrlrly c:rlculrr(c thc tlilfcrences between each of the numbers on the left with

    growing mash with the lowest proteirr--r5

    petcent fbf
    is
    l'r

    his chicl<.s lrtrl

    rlr, nrrrrrlr,'r'intlrt'rrritltllt'.()ntlrt.riqht sidcofthcsquarcyouareleftwiththe


    l)r()l)()rli()rrrrr\\'lri(lrl()r)\ix\,(rlil l\\/(rlt'r'rls.lnthist-;rst',tlr,'tlil'li'r?lrct'bclweetr
    t

    thcm r'ill< i'stt':rtl .1-rvltlt'r'1. rltltl rvh:tt


    1',t{)\v

    lir'llirlr

    t'i'1'*'tt'irr lrrtr'li ttrl"

    tlr,', lrit lis'tli,'t. l'lr,'y


    l

    il lilllc lril tlrt'tr'r;1,'tvlt'llr,rr' ll" r''1" rrtr I lttr li ';t ttlL

    ,,,,,,,1 ',r,

    ,()1,,,r ,', ,,1

    I,.rl,i rlr(li;l,lt(.t

    llr,.,lillr.rr.rr,r'lrr.lrvcclt

    r\lrrtl

    .,l,,,,, lrrl rl , \\('r llr rl l,, lrttrr ! lr'r', 1 lr, tt c rllt.tl 1,, 1,., "rr lr.rrr'l

    lro8F

    Lrvruc

    \7rru

    ClrTcKENS

    Fr.nnrNG

    Youn

    CHrcKnNs

    irogK

    Fo s r,l {t{.A

    rI rqc Yol' n Own I'cr:

    lr
    a

    Raising your own feed is an option, but not

    very good one for the beginner. Growing feed


    is a considerable effort and expense unless you already have the time, inclination, and equip-

    ment to do it. L-r any case' mixing feed with the


    correct protein) carbohydrate, vitamin, and

    mineral content is more easily done in the

    1ab-

    oratory. Still, there are social, political, and eco-

    nomic reasons for creating your own chicken


    feed that deserve serious attention' from the
    use of pesticides, petrochemicals, and patented
    seed

    *..t q
    L!rS"
    {i .j

    #r,;;-r"tr:;'

    i:'n kt
    ,i

    in the production ofthe feed to the inclu-

    sion of medications in the rations For more

    information on creating your own rations,


    ,!rlli!-v.Jit}.!

    see

    r$rlp.{.i]tlLl{:hif-l|el}s.h1 Ll l.

    Tnn Pnxcxxca tlp Fnnnlwe


    Although some prefer to bring individual
    is the premeals to their chickens once or twice a day, free-choice feedir-rg
    have ferred method of backyard chicken raisers. This means that the birds

    g
    Irrlrrl, \l r1q
    ]l
    111

    1,r

    ivill food in their feeder at all times and take it when they want it. The birds lht' mofe feed than they should, however, if yoLr clon't let thctll t'rrl rtll
    waste

    'l lt.' cotnmon rLrle o[ t[rumb


    s:rys

    tlr:rl you will

    lteecl z

    pounds

    food in thc fccdcr bclirrc rrrltling nr()r(', itl l('ilsl ()lr( (' ilr

    rr

    rvlrilt' ( 'lrit lis ilr

    P;rr

    ,,1 li'r',1 l()r'('v('r'y Potttrtl of'r.vt'ight thrrl yotrr

    broilers gain. Lf you want to grow


    z-otl

    lir rrlrl slrottltl lrrrr,, l,,,,,l


    t

    ,',' 111;ll,lc

    lo lltltlt ;tl ;tll litrr'

    r;'

    l"'"ttt';t

    llr( \/;ll('1r'l()\\r

    t\\/r'nly liv,'l.ir,l'; lo,1

    1ro11t1115,',t,

    Il, y,,tt shttrtltl l'1,,t,,'', brryilrg ltl-'ortt

    lrt",( ' l,l"

    l)r'un(1,,,,1 l,',',1 lri.lorr.it'.,.r11,,1,,'1,,rl ,r lol;rl r Osl itr lltc

    ttctliltlrotltooil,'l

    $ 1,,.,,,,

    FlrorNG

    Your- Cr{rcKENS

    *l

    rrr

    F."

    Start chicks

    offwith a commercial chick starter/grower

    feed. \7hen a chick is


    a

    only

    few days old it will take him what seems like forever to go through

    pound offeed. Your first 5o-pound sack will last for the first couple ofweeks.
    Rest assured, their appetites grow as fast as they do.

    Ifit

    is warm enough and

    you can give them access to the outside, open the door for them when they are
    about z weeks old during the warmest part of the day. Meat birds are not as

    interested as other chickens are in eating grass and bugs, but they will relish

    them ifthey learn about them early.

    If a finishing ration

    is available at your local feed store, begin to give it to


    3

    your chicks when they are

    or 4 weeks old by mixing a little more each day

    with the starter that they

    are used to

    until you have completely switched to the

    finisher over the course of a week. A finishing ration contains more carbohydrate than the starter ration. This allows the bird to put on
    as
    a

    little more fat and,

    the birds proteln requirements begin to decrease, makes it slightly cheaper to

    feed the birds for the last z to 4 weeks.

    If finisher

    is not available, you can slowly

    mix in cracked corn or other "scratch" feed, which is easier to find than finisher.
    This has the similar effect of cutting the protein content and increasing the carbohydrate content ofthe feed. Add the corn until it is one-quarter or one-third of the total feed ration.

    I't,t,ntNc

    LavEiLs

    once they are full grown and laying eggs, the amount an adult laying hen eats
    varies witi-r its age and size, the air temperature, and the number of eggs it is lay-

    fll

    [);uI lir;r!rtrr:r lllrt 11i,t:, ,,,lrlrl,,,l rr,rllt ir,l .lrttr' \l;rvtr;rrrl.r l,.rnl.rrrl \l,ryrr,rr,l ,.r,rl lr, r 1l lrrrrl', ,l' r,,1. .rl',',rt tl,r,, r'.rll,", ,rl rr rlr r ,1,\ '" l',' l, 1,,1' rl,,,r, l'1'l'.rr,,l ,,',1 rl',', ir'r",'r i
    cltrrXrro';iir:r r\
    r

    ing, but

    rough average is

    quarter pound

    offeed per chicken per day. Under this ttrlt',


    s;rt lis
    rr

    tlozclr l:rycrs will eirt two 5o-pound


    rn ;r trronllr, wlticlr
    1,,
    lfl,

    t'l l;ryr'r'pt'llt'ts

    rrrililrt , ()sl \'{rlr li t.,.r,r,

    t 5.,,,,.

    ;\ l'tt

    :)

    ttzk

    LrvrNG

    \rrrrl

    CrrrcKENs

    FrrorNG

    Youn

    CHTcKENS

    {rrtF

    for your pullets by mixing oats-which are much more commonly available
    than the various pullet ration5-fn1e the chick starter. This is the example
    we used to illustrate the workings of Pearson's square. Don't add the oats

    until the birds are

    8 weeks old. At that point, begin by mixing one Part oats


    a

    to ten parts starter ration, and increase the proportion one part at
    every day until the feed is about one-third oats.

    time

    \(hen the birds are rB

    weeks old, make the same gradual switch to a layer ration.

    Carcrul.r
    Eggshells are made from calcium, which comes from the hens diet. Although

    their commercial ration

    has

    plenty of calcium for an average hen on an average

    day, calcium requirements

    for any particular laying hen go up and down

    depending on their age, the weather, and the season. You will therefore want to provide a source of additional calcium for your laying flock. I suggest using pulverized oyster shell, available in most feed stores, for this purpose. Ifyou prefer

    not to buy the small feeder that can dispense the ground shells, put some in
    small bowl or in
    a

    pile on one side of the feeder for the birds to take if they want
    as

    it. Crushed eggshells will do

    well if they are clean and broken beyond recog-

    Ifyou
    lrjljll:'{lrj ! i!

    can let them outside, treat the layers the

    nition. Feeding eggshells that look and taste too much like eggshells might
    encourage the hens to eat their own eggs.

    same as the meat birds, encouraging them to forage


    r i;l lri l,i
    ,L

    after about z weeks, all the while feeding chick


    starter, or pullet starter if it is available' get pullet grower, gradually switch to weeks.

    -ir.4 I t!r !:lf lli i'i ; i:il ilii-l

    i i,, r,-,

    r.ir,rr'

    If you can

    I r,r,uruc

    Boln

    LavERS ANo

    lv{tal Brnos

    " i'',:,lr-.,;'-

    it after 6

    Here is a typical scenario for the backyard operation starting twenty-five chicks that will be half layer hens and half meat birds. Feed them all chick starter Iogr:thcr. Irrtroclucc sonre cracl<ed corn or oats after 5 or 6 weeks, and

    If pullet developer is to be had, gradually

    switch to that after about tz weeks Finally, switch


    over to a layer ratiot-r a[tet' zo wccl<s

    kill the

    nrt.lt biltls wht'n llrt'y ln'l'l to ro wccl<s olcl. Over the next couple of weeks,
    rrtltl r,;rts lo llrt'lrrrllcts'1,...,1 trrrtil

    l['tlilrt

    sorrncls ('()lnl]liclllc(l ,lp,l lrll y()ll ( rl1 l'irrtl is

    t'llit k still'l('l llllioll


    ;tr r

    il

    is

    ort' lhiltl

    ortls. Whclt tht'y;lt't' t8 or 2tr

    rrr,l l,ry,.t t;tlion, rlotr't \vol t y Y('lr ( iltl llllrvi(l(' l)('l lt'(

    lly

    r'l'l'llrlt' ttttlt ilttttl

    rv,','li,;,,1,1, rrrrttr lt I lt,'tt'';1,,\\,ly 1,, ;t l;ty('t I itlt('tr

    i r14F
    Gnnss Frrnruc

    Lrvrlrc

    wrrrr

    CrlrcKENs

    FrrnrNG

    Youn

    CHTcKENs

    $rrsh

    a fenced-in Although many people let their chickens run in the yard or in

    it by keepchicken fun, you can use pasture more efficiently and even improve every day ing your chickens in a confined space on the grass and moving them
    but your or every few days. You will still need to feed a balanced feed ration,
    v-

    -"$
    2'
    yir
    a\"

    birdswilleatlessofitifthegrassisyoungandtender'thewaytheylikeit.As
    their manure you move them from one patch to the next on a regular basis,
    be distributed evenly over ti-re ground in amounts that

    will
    \.dis:

    will feed the will

    grass

    instead of burning it. The scratching that tire chickens do


    ate the soil near the top,
    as

    be enough to aerMovresrE pnN FoR rNTENsrvr poulrRy cRAZrNc ProNrERrD ev Iorr SararrN.

    but not enough to dig the plants up and kil1 them off'

    hapPens over time in the run'


    less intenThere are two basic options for grazing your chickens. The first,

    ex?anses where herding types of animals traveled in closely bunched groups for
    safety. Crowded together, they ate all the

    sive method is a coop on wheels'

    It

    is easily moved from one spot to the next

    plant material down in

    small area and

    inside

    enclosed paddock made with portable electric fencing to keep the birds

    then moved on to another area, leaving the eaten plants to grow back. By'mobstocking" one small patch at
    a

    elecin a large area surrounding the coop. The portable fencing is lightweight posts that are easily troplastic strands or webblng. The wire is hung on fiberglass (see ti-re Appendix for pulled up or pushed into the ground with your hands

    time and moving your chickens daily, the grass

    gets the competitive advantage over the weeds, and the pasture only gets better and better.

    from predators at soufces of fencing). The coop provides shade by day and safety

    night.Ifyouhavelayers,theycanhavetheirnestingboxesinthere'too'Move
    to look weary and the fence and coop every few days when the paddock begins
    bare spots begin to show.

    FnBnrNe neurpMnNT
    Cirickens are well equipped to feed themselves, but chicken farmers like to

    The second option is

    low flat cage

    couple offeet high that keeps the

    l-rave a

    place to put the feed so it is not spilled and lost. Feed represents the

    birds confined in

    limited

    area of perhaps 2 square feet per bird. Tl-ris

    method is

    brrlk of the cost of keeping the birds: about 6o to Zo percent. Most of us rely
    orr sirnplc trougl.rs, cither on the gr:ound or hangir-rg from the ceiling by

    grass down generally used for meat birds, In the space of z4 hours, they eat the

    with insects they close to ti-re groUr-rd, and they supplemer-rt their protein ir.rtake

    cllrins. Als() inrl)(rllilrrl


    vrtl,,
    rr

    is

    gt'lling w;rlt'r to thc'chickens: Unless

    yoLt can

    pto-

    wly to flrrtl ilr tht'gtrtss. Yott llrtlsl lrl()v(' lhis lrsst'rnbly c'rt li tl'ty' btrt this is thc
    ( sl)('( i('s ('\/()l\/('(l itr lltr'1it'lllrl t,t,l llrr,lt).,1 {rltl 1l llri'l:rt:;ltttr'ot l;trvtt ll;l:l:l;t:l il

    lrrli,', r'r't't'li,

    ol rivrlr't hy llrr' r't'op, y,rtt'll rvrtnl lo hrtvt'

    s()nr(' s()rl of corr-

    litllti'l l(rl ll)i'l

    FprnrNG

    Youn

    CtlTcKENS

    drrzk

    d 116F

    LrvrNc

    !rrrll

    CrrrcKENs

    Tusl
    Tr-oucu Fslonr'

    FErorR.

    Taorrcn Fnr:olas
    Thetroughfeederisthemostcommontype,andtherearevariousstylesavail. or roosting to prevent the chickens from stepping in
    able. Each is designed

    chicks as soon as the chick is Both trough and tube feeders can be used with

    as

    tallasthelipofthefeeder.Keepthetopoftheliproughlyattheheightofthe
    birds,backs.Thechickenswillspilllessiftheyarenotreachingdownlowto
    scoop up each mouthful of feed'

    overthefeedandsoilingitwiththeirmanure.Eachismadetoadiusthigheras
    thebirdsgfoqsomesuspendedwithchains,otherswithadjustablelegs.Some fill them into them to allow the birds to sit and eat' Dont
    have roosts

    \(/zr.rrlRlNc METHoDS ANo nfl'A'.rrneqs


    \Watering methods vary according to the patience, strength' and ingenuity

    built

    spill as much much more than half full' or the birds will

    as

    they eat'

    ofthekeeperaswellastheclimatethatkeeperlivesin.Carryingwateris

    Tust FrlPtns
    Asfarasl,mconcerned,noneofthetroughfeedersareasusefulasthehanging tube'styiefeeders.First'tubefeedersareeasytoadjustinheightastlrebirds glowastheyaresusper-rdedbyasinglechainandanS-irook.Becausethey

    notdifficultifyourflockissmallandyoursourceisnotfar.Keepinmind
    twice daily to once that you need to sctub the waterer anywhere from it and how hot the weekly, depending on how many birds are dirtying

    wcafhelis.ll-lrereareanttmberofdifferer-rttypesofwatercontainers,or
    l,{/it

    l('r{'rJ, lo c hotlst' {i'tlltr' s(or(' ilrc tnlrclc of n-retlrl lorrvt.rrliorr;rl t lticl<,.tr will('11'ls ;1v;1il;1[rlt' :rt f hc Ii't'tl ;tlttl to 1i:rll"tl sizt's"l'ltt' tttt'lltl otlt's l,l;ltlir ,lll(l ( olll(' itr rltt;tt l, 1i;rllolt, ;tllrl \
    (

    opcrateoll(.h0first-ilr,firsl-otttit.rventorymethod.-wlriclrirrthiscascnreans 1'r'r'lrr tht'lop arrd hir'ltt'trs li't'tl {ittlrr lll('b{)llt)lrr rlt'w li't'tl is iltltlt'tl
    thrrl tlrt't
    Icr.rI rrIt ||tr lrrrttrrttr i\ gl)l)(.' r'vill.,rrly l)r (.itlilt,lltt.t .rll. (|t ll!(t!l'.,1 lltc.,l.let
    d{e"

    rr

    r18

    !*

    Lrvruc

    Nrrrrr

    CllTcKENS

    FrsorNG

    Youn

    CHTcKENS

    i rrg [:

    from directly. This is a luxury item-automatic waterers will save the chickens
    the discomfort of
    a

    waterer gone dry on a hot day and prevent them from going

    thirsty on mornings when their water is frozen solid and you are sleeping in. In addition to all ofthis, it will save you from having to ask
    a

    neighbor to carry

    water and break ice out of the waterer if you go out of town.

    If you live where the water will

    freeze, there are various approaches to


    a

    watering. The time-honored method in the winter is to go to the coop twice


    day

    with

    new container of fresh water and swap it out with the frozen one,
    a

    which you bring inside to thaw out in

    utility sink somewhere, or on the floor


    a

    in a corner of the basement. Before I replaced rubber and plastic bowls with

    regular poultry waterer, I had a certain amount of success carrying two gallon
    \fi/arr

    plastic milk jugs full of hot tap water to the coop. I poured one gallon on the back of the bowl, warming it enough to pop the ice out, and the other gallon to

    will probably

    last longer, as the plastic ones tend to get brittle and develop

    refi11.

    cracks or shatter altogether

    ifyou dont treat them with

    care. Choose

    your size

    one of my neighbors, after years of breaking out ice, decided that his bantams could get all their water in the winter from eating snow. A more conven-

    and number of waterers in order to allow at least one-third of your birds to

    drink

    at once, no matter

    what kind you have. If the area around the waterer


    a

    tional method is to keep an electrical warming device (made expressly for the
    pufpose and available at the feed store) under the chickens'waterer. I have also
    seen a similar device made at home from a ceramic light socket attached to the

    tends to get soggy, you can build

    wooden frame of z-by-,1s with hear.y wire

    mesh stapled to the top of it; the chickens can hop up onto the mesh to drink.

    Iike the feeders, keep the lip of the waterers


    back.

    at a

    height level with

    chickens

    inside of the lid of an empty glass peanut butter jar such that
    was

    4o-watt lightbulb

    lit inside

    the jar. The jar was put in the space inside a cinder block laid on

    If you dont want to deal with delivering water twice


    ers

    a day,

    automatic water-

    its side. The warerer was ser on the cinder block, and the ligirtbulb underneath
    l<cpr rhe

    that are constantly fed from

    pipe or hose are available in feed stores and on


    ar-rd

    wr(er from Fteezing.

    the Internet. If you live in a cold climate, bury a pipe below the frost litre
    have

    it enter the coop in a way that will prevent it from freezing on


    rt

    tl-re

    way in.

    Tiris will save mucl'r effor:t. One typc of atttomrtic waterer is

    cttp with

    l vrlve

    irr it lltlrl lcls pt6rt.wlrlt,r'i1q,1,,'r, llt,. l,'r,,'l irr lltt.r'1p ll('ls l()() lou,. Altolltt't is.t
    rrilrIlr'11,,11,,1,,t, rVlti, lr

    .ttlrIulll,; lr,,r r lrir liCtr rr,,rlr.t lililtll,tilr llt,rt llrr'l,it,l,,',rlt

    CX{Ag}'FHR
    Hens and Eggs dd

    $K\TK,

    r,Llr ri

    ,x
    trs
    .l
    l,.'.1
    .

    he

    qwe

    stian ( af whiifr'

    ''.!

    cttrnt -f'irst, thc ch

    ittiin

    x*:.

    :tif

    .rf

    aftlre

    egg) sirttyly-f'otfs ,rh'a) Y'h,.rt anc


    c-{Jc.i

    considtrs'flre f$'iokrr't ttttrl r'lte r3g os 1rro.

    wt{i

    its objects. Eat.h rtpresents ttt)t a sc!}{1ratt: ttnit, but trttnsitiani.tl

    "i:
    tri,

    stages

    in a, c;,;le
    "".

    !'lil'c, o{l' ytarts af whit tTrc motdcil b1 t:votrwtionarl


    tg: , r{presutting f{it "{c'aalc cornytancvl sf

    ,,,

    L'i,:t:q '1r,1;|$
    .1:

    1,reftres

    .'l{;c

    tht

    gtrn'tlinc,

    is ftte

    br;rl@tttwecil indir''itlusl cjclcs ,tnil is-ite:ctrt


    '7'liu(rvcn *,hen r!'rr tiiit:k is in thr ry;g rlrerc
    ;lt
    i

    ttt sotnL'-firttt st

    t{l^

    -tf,*:c-e. I
    (

    arr

    qyls ',t'ifhin rht


    P

    f$tn

    ; r a s ra p i

    al $, s *t

    tf" h

    ut .f u til 3/' y n, t,, n t i o' I "

    -Ctlaxrss

    Deul i.L Ar{D liacl Stvll'r'n, 'l lrc chirhcr Booh, 1 975

    Young pullets begin laying at r 8 to zo weeks of age an d after a somewhat slow start
    sirould lay continually until they molt (lose their feathers)
    lirr thc [irst time about a year later. No chicken will lay as many
    st,t orrtl

    eggs

    in her

    y('llr

    irs

    in [c'r first, and although solxe may continue to lay slowly and

    \ '\

    slcldily lor 5 to ro
    r'j'

    ye

    irrs or moLe) most

    will probably

    ai

    ("rt rlr()r'(' ll,,rt, ll,cy ill-(' worth in eqgs alter the first
    r

    lrrl,lc ll

    1,1';11';

    Altr'r lltlrl lll,'y

    11,t

    l() lll('slcw P()t.

    h
    11

    I 1r, ,.1,,,1..

    r,'r,l, lrr)rr ;lr'\\'llrt,,,l,l lr, t,'l l,:tr;l l;rVittt', is

    $-

    11.,r

    rzzk

    lrvrNG

    \(/rrrr

    Culcr{ENs

    -FIaNs eNo Eccs

    { rzr

    !+

    the chicken soup known across cultures and generations to cure colds and

    other ailments.

    Btlst olrsc

    Vrll ttn E MEMBRANT


    Nuctrtrs oF pANDER
    Nsr:x ot
    ,,,...-

    lerlnne

    Lllssnn

    Tun FonuarroN or rr{B nce


    A hen's willingness and ability to lay on
    a

    given day is subject to her physical


    a

    Cr-rAlAZA

    .....,

    condition, what she has been eating, and the season (light plays

    critical role).
    YOIK IAYERS

    As explained in Chapter 3, a typical cycle calls for a hen to lay an egg about an

    hour later each day, until the laying time starts to run into the evening hours.
    The hen wont lay in the dark, so at this point she will rest overnight. Unless you
    are

    Yrrrow Yorx \Trrrrr Yorx


    oI
    '-,.;: "" '----- Crrrr
    PARTS cr

    letting her brood,

    she begins the cycle anew rhe next

    morning. This results

    AN EGG

    in something

    less than

    two dozen eggs

    month-a figure that goes down in white-are wrapped around


    it. The yolk twists through the magnum, and the

    the "darker" months of fall and winter. Every female chicken is born with two ovaries, but because of the room an
    egg requires, the right ovary stops developing when the hen is yourlg. The left ovary, made up of a cluster of follicles, contains the primordial germ cells that

    thick part of the albumirr is twisted at each end like the wrapper on a piece of
    candy. This process takes about 3 hours. The next section is called the isthmus,

    where the shell membranes (two of them) are added. These are the tough rubbery membranes rhar keep the shell stuck rogerher when you peel
    a

    produce eggs.
    These cells appear as a cluster ofspheres each independently attached to slerrder stalk. Imagine them like grapes or berries on a stalk, most very small, some growing slowly, and perhaps a half dozen of different sizes all ballooning
    at great

    boiled egg

    or crack

    fresh one into the frying pan. rilzhen the airspace forms at the large
    a

    end of the egg, it will form between these two layers. It takes

    little more than

    an hour for these membranes to be added and for the egg to move on to rhe Llterus' or shell gland. As rhe name implies, this is where the shell is applied

    clip before they pop out oftheir follicle casing and head down the

    oviduct in what is called ovulation. That ballooning happens as the yolk material is accumulated in layers, almost all of it in the week before ovulation.
    The oviduct is a long passageway coiled in the body of the hen that includes several distinct sections, each with its own role in the formrtior-r of the

    around the shell membranes over the course ofthe next 20 hours or

    so.

    There

    the egg waits, once completed, until the hormone secretion and muscle conrractiorrs cornllrcrrcc that push it oLlt iltto the nest.

    'l'h,' rrrrr.rrslik. Itrb'i.,nr rh:rr lllows tht: egg to exit the


    It'r I llrt','t1ti rvlr,'tt il (lr i('s,,r,

    l-ren also

    helps pro-

    cgg.'fhe irrfirncliltrrltrm is the first secliolr, whcrc fi'rtilizrrtion

    lr:rp1-rcns

    ilrti'r-til-

    tlr,'slr,'ll,rn,l

    li,r'rns rvhrrt is t;rllt.tl thc bloonr. yotr

    iz:tliottisl()o((lrl.'l'ltr','1,q1111isirrllrrirrlirrr,lilrulrrtrrlorrrrrll,rrlrorrl r\t)rinltl('s
    I'r'l.tl rl tnl\'(", ln
    1,,

    i.llt'l:ti'llr,ltl,,,'l)t,l)t'lllr';,ttr(,ll)('rrlt'lt'rrr'trllolr:rrllti:tllr:tlrvtrtrlrlt'trlcr. lll,'rl,lr
    t1,, 1,,'r,', lr tlrr.,,l,, ll,,tr,,l rt
    1,,.11,,,1,,.,.1,111,,1,,1111,.,,,

    lltt lr,l,rrnrr, rvlr, t, ll','1.'1,,'r',,,1 ,rll,rrrrrrrr .r ('t'l'

    HrNs

    eNo Eccs

    rz'k

    There is no reaAs a hen gets older, the shells on her eggs can be wrinkled.
    son not to eat

    them-they just look funny'


    ready.

    often happens Sometimes you will find eggs with bloody shells' This most

    in pullets laying their first few eggs before they are quite
    is not a problem.

    In most

    cases,

    it

    It

    is rare that a grown pullet or hen


    a

    will get coccidiosis, but


    as

    bloody eggs may be

    symptom if bloody stools are found

    well
    sur-

    Eggs are occasionally laid with no shell' You


    i'i lrl

    will find them in a puddle'

    '\'\;
    "t\

    \\$,0

    just no shell' This is prisingly complete with yolk, white, and shell membrane' nothing to worry about if it doesnt happen often'

    :t tt;

    \rl

    THn Roosrnn
    is occasionally You dont need to have a rooster in order to have eggs. This
    a

    (and the matter of confusion to those unfamiliar with the ways of chickens
    li i*L..,,',;r
    r'
    '

    those eggs. world). You need a roosrer ifyou hope to have chicks hatch from
    eggs are more There are those who prefer to eat fertile eggs, feeling that these

    $,

    will not argue with complete in some psycho-spiritual-nutritional way, and I

    that'Othersbelieveaneggwithalivingembryoinit'barelyifatallvisibleto of taste-not the human eye, detracts from its appeal as food. This is a matter
    of the

    tongue-but of the sensibility'

    Coxrnor,rrNc LrcllT
    Hens need light to produce eggs. Light stimulates the

    pituitary gland, which stimulates the ovaries and


    rrirl<cs fot maximutn egg production

    ln the height of

    sllnllr('1, trrrtttt',' hcll',s ott( lhc chicl<eu farn-rer with


    ,,rrr,lipiltt, l,trl ,tr llrr' 1t1111tlrt't

    t'l lti'ttts "l'tllrylight

    rz6 [i

    LrvrlrG

    wrrrr

    CrrrcKENs

    Hrxs

    .qr.rn Eccs

    -)

    rz7

    drops to 14 in a day-as
    does in most parts of the

    it

    United

    States

    from

    September or october

    through April or

    May-a

    hen

    may stop laying altogether.

    Commercial egg producers often use artificial light to support egg production and

    profitability through the


    cold, unproductive winter months. Although it is not
    necessary) and although some
    her-rs

    will continue to lay all

    winter anyway, you too can


    increase your egg production

    by providing artificial 1ight. For a backyard opera-

    tion,

    4o-watt bulb sus7

    pended about

    feet offthe

    floor will provide llght of


    enough intensity to substi-

    tute for daylight in

    small

    coop with about roo square

    Il yorrl t oolr is :r Iittlc biggcr,


    riilrrrLl,ri r't r'tijr.li r,, li r lr' 11"
    r

    rr

    6o-watt bulb will suffice for

    '

    lr,rr','11,,', lt,,ir
    ,r,lilr'r 0lrlrllr,rllirtr),

    r',tl ttt, tr
    tl t',
    lrr

    ;rsitr1,, I11,'

    lrl,lrt irr tll(' l))()l lrillll ()l il)


    lr( l()l{'

    llr't lo lr.tt'r'tlt, lrt'ltt'' ( olll( oll

    -N

    rz8

    LrvrNc wrrrr CrrrcKxNs

    HsNs .cr.Io Eccs

    drzgk

    sunrise in order to extend the chicken's productive day at the beginning rather

    than at the end. tf the lights go out all of a sudden in the evening while they are
    busy eating or pecking, they may panic, and they

    will

    have difficulty finding

    their roost in the dark.


    You can turn the lights on and off

    yourse[ but you must do it

    at the right

    time at both ends of the

    day,

    every day. Irregular lighting can cause the hens to

    go into a molt (more on this later in the chapter) and stop laying altogether.

    It

    will probably

    be easier to install a timer that

    will turn the lights on and off for

    you. Keep in mind that you

    will still need to adlust the time that the lights

    come on as darkness comes progressively sooner, until the winter solstice on December zr and progressively later after.

    SronrNc Eccs
    If
    eggs are collected
    a

    within a few hours of the time they

    are laid, and

    if they

    are

    kept in

    cool moist place at about 7 5 percent humidity, they can last for up to 4

    'll

    months. Your refrigerator is much drier than this, which is the reason eggs

    will

    rrn Mor,r
    The feathers on
    a

    only keep for 4 or

    5 weeks

    there, unless you wrap them in plastic to keep them

    chicken, like

    from losing moisture. Keeping the eggs clean is the main reason to collect them
    often. \(ashing eggs reduces their shelf life to perhaps a month because
    removes the bloom, which keeps them from drying out.

    those of other birds, wear out

    it

    over the course of the year and


    are replaced annually

    in what is

    \(hen you are awash in

    eggs in the summer, the best way to deal with the


    a

    cnlled the molt. You may notice your birds looking pretty ragged
    rrr

    surplus is to make friends and

    little bit of money by selling the excess to

    neighbors and coworkers. You can also freeze them to use later. To do this, break the eggs into freezable containers and mix hghtly; add a dash ofsugar or
    salt to help maintain the texture when they thaw. Yotr crttr rtlso sepill'iltc the

    s()rlr(' point iu the fall, ar-rd although you should make sure they are not being

    l,c,'l<c,l or losir.rg tlrcir {clthcrs for othet reasons (see Chapter 9), this is perfectly
    rr()l

    llrrl. l lrcv ittt' sh.',l,lilr1i tht'ir li'rrllrt'r's rrtrtl growitrg ltrw

    ol1('s.

    rvhi(cs

    florl lhc

    yoll<s; srrgrrr or-srrlt itr th,'y,rll<s

    ivill lit't'I. lht' lt'x(tttt' lnrtn gcl-

    'llr, trr,,lti:;ol1r.r1litttlrttitttlrotlittl(('1()l:tyilrglt,'rts.llcoillt'itlcswitlrthc
    lilrrr'rrl
    1,r'.rt

    llll!t, |lur))nly.

    tlr,tt ll',' lr,'t,"',1il1,

    l'1y1111'

    {'1'}l';

    illl(l

    tt':,1

    lrrt 't |)t't iorl llt;tl l;ts(s;tr;

    -'l

    r3o

    LrvrNG

    \x/rrrr CHrcKrNs

    Hr.us

    avn Eccs

    *{

    13r

    the hens.

    If the molt can be completed earlier, laying through the winter

    can

    be extended.

    Iike adding artificial light, the forced molt is a way for larger

    operations to be profitable in the winter, when hens managed less intensively

    will lay many fewer eggs than they

    do in the summer.

    The timing and duratiorr of the molt also says something about how pro-

    ductive the hen is. Birds that begin to molt earlier without being forced tend to
    have longer periods when tl-rey are not laying and therefore lay fewer eggs over

    the course of the year. The poorest layers may begin molting in July or August and stop laying for 4 or 5 months. These are the birds to stew when the time
    comes for stewing. The best layers tend to begin the molt later and molt more

    quickly. Some

    will even continue to lay while the molt


    a

    is in progress ar-rd may

    only stop laying for

    period of

    few weeks

    ir-r

    the late fa1l.


    a

    A molting chicken sheds its old feathers and acquires its new ones in

    prescribed order: head, neck, body (including the breast, back, ar-td abdomen),

    wing, and finally the tail. The ten primary flight feathers that every chicker-r
    has at the end

    of each wir-rg are particularly predictable and allow the careful

    keeper to gauge the length of time of the molt and predict how quickly

    it

    might be finished. A slow molter loses just one primary at a time. Each of these
    feathers takes 5 weeks to grow back, and they are usually shed at z-week intervals. A quick-molting bird

    will

    shed the feathers in groups of two or three

    every 2 weeks instead of one at a time, and so reduce the total amount of time

    :rrtl,:rtir';

    -j r:,r,i,ii:'iliL:r

    , i.l.:r'.1rr i:

    little

    as a

    few weeks and

    as

    much

    as several

    ncccled for the molt.


    yotrr- bilcl's

    If you see new feathers of different lengths coming in on


    a

    months. Commercial egg-laying operatiolls


    ,

    wing, she is
    rrr-c

    slower molter. If the new feathers come in such that


    sl-re

    nvo or tlrrcc

    tht'srrtre lengtl-r,

    is a faster molter.

    often replace the


    I<ept

    her-rs at tl-ris

    poirrt, hrving
    1,,.',',tttst'

    thcln fbr-.itlst onc Ilryitrli yt'ltt',


    t'1',1',s

    lr,'r, , ,rtr't ,rlli'r',1 tt, li'r',1 tlrt'ltt rvillrottl 1'('lltlrl'.

    itt l('llll ll. Sol))('lil))('ri ll)('y

    'lrrtr r"' ll',' t,,,'ll l,y lrtrrrtttrt,llr, .rtnltttrl,,l

    llt'.lrt,1,,,1, rr,,l rt',rl, t ,rt',ttl,rl'l, ll

    CHAPTER
    q: * : S:. "li-{ i ]r,

    ETGF{T
    ha does not know thst the $i'icken is used-fof

    Butchering Your Me at Bir ds


    \
    ..

    ,l

    i'
    ,

    ,S,

    Joodl

    ,tfiis cresture almost nlone is our

    ffief

    it{

    ffi

    T,:
    '{i,1

    reslLtrce whenJriends or guests arrive suddenlr

    .l

    't.

    ),"

    anttrnexpectedly; we lwe t0 rhe ch{@r olf f6t fiendor displayiil


    r'6y a rich rable or by one thar is modestl2 .ruhich is slenderlL

    stf|lled or b2 ffiar

    lodrrg.

    tf

    {
    ,l
    l

    -Urrssl

    ArDRovANDr, Concerning Domestic EowI That Bathe in the Dust-The Chicl<en,


    Male and Female, 1598

    There is dirt and physical labor associated with some aspects of raising chickens. For the
    backyard smallholder, the relative unpleasantness is
    very limited and should not intimidate anyone with an inclination toward keeping

    fowl. For those who dont already enjoy such tasks

    as

    carrying feed and water or

    shoveling manure, the company of the birds and

    ff

    the eggs and meat they provide will more than outweigh most of what might be the less attractive requirements of chicken husbandry.

    I{illing the birds, however, may be another


    nr;lll('r-. I,irr-nrosl ol:rrs,

    il

    has beet-r:rt least a genll

    (,rirliotl, t,1 :r1'1rq'1111, sirrt t' lltt';rt t ol'slrtttghl('f was

    ,1

    r r r l,

    ;l rr+

    Lrvrwc

    wrrrr

    CrrrcKENS

    BuTcHERTNG

    Youn

    Mte.r

    Btnns

    ! tl5

    f,

    drains, and the bird lerks and flaps in reflex. These


    are confusing, terrifying moments) as well they

    should be.

    &urcmsnlNc ar tr{ouE
    You can process small numbers of birds at home

    without anything fancier than a sharp boning knife.


    A "small number" is anywhere from
    5

    to r5o, depend-

    ing on how much practice you have had and how much help yoll can find. If you have never butchered
    birds before, start witl-r five or less. The basic steps are to

    kill

    and bleed tl're bitd,

    scald it in hot water for a minute or two) pick all

    the feathers off, pull the guts out, and then put the
    carcass

    in cold water to cool.

    PnnpaI{ATroN
    The first step is to withdraw feed, but not water)

    from your birds for rz hours before slaughtertypically, that means the night before you butcher.

    regular practice in our families, and both the knowledge of the mechanics and the

    llrt,t lr,p rrn.l bowels rvill empty out, and there willbe
    lr;rvc to rlilt.r-t rrwrry fr-om tire meat during processing.
    I

    less manure that you

    willingness to do it have been lost. This is


    reason enough to

    lrr'

    rrxl

    nronrir.rg, you ncecl to create a place to work. Cleanup is easier

    if
    a

    try it yoLrrselL

    \'(,u ;rl(' lrtrtr

    lrt'titrrl,tttsitlt'

    bt','rtttsc splltcrccl blood and bits of skin and feathers

    rr''ll ,lr

    1,

    11,,rrr{l l)l()\\1,r\\/iry or lrt't';tlt'lt lry rtsitlt'lrt stlllrll :rllitr-rltls. Yotr

    will

    need

    itli tlrt'Iinili't,r tlr,'nt't li,'l


    rrl,,;irl,'rl,'tt'tr I|(rnr
    ,r 'tlr

    rt

    livitrll

    t.rl,l,',,1 ,,r,rrr'liitr,l ,rl u',rr',t lr, rt,lrt tlr,rt ,,ltt 1,,', l,',ttr,',1 rv,'ll. Ilillrt'r t lt'lrlr llorrlrls

    rIll

    \\'r,rl)l)r'(l

    ,,r l,lt'rr', rr rrl rrtr',,ttIlF1,r",

    \\ r'r l,', I rtrr'

    ;l r36 ii

    Lrvr lrc \vrrrr

    C rr r c K-E NS

    BurcHERrNc

    YouR

    Mr^' Brno.

    !I37*

    You'll also r-reed to assemble some equip-

    x
    .,,,iirli
    .,ilirr{i}.

    ment. A very sharp knife is the most impor12n1

    leel-n

    dull blade multiplies many

    d$i

    times the effort required for processing. For


    r'sl$N

    scalding, you'll also want

    pot or pail that


    a

    holds at least 3 gallons and

    thermoureter to

    measure the water temperature.

    lt

    car-r

    take

    little while to heat 3 gallons of water,

    and

    you will want to hear some extra jusl in case.


    so

    put the water on the slove early Finally,

    you will need another large vessel filled with


    ice water to cool the birds after they are
    dressed.

    !,
    .
    :ri.$r,
    .

    rrillli

    l \.

    .',,lrit'ill

    This orre shouid be big enough to

    hold all of your finished birds at once. Make


    '-$**P''

    "

    "*,ffd . ,t

    ..\
    ,
    'il:r!i.l

    ".i\-".

    sure you have plenty ofice on hand, as you

    i
    li" 'l ' "''"r"]'i

    , ri

    I rlilf:r''

    will want to allow several hours for the birds


    to cool. i{.r
    t. r

    *4#"
    ,1.. 'itiriilrl;ii
    .,
    1s9
    'iir

    r,

    r.r C

    Your main object when killing rhe bird,


    besides getting it done quickly, is to do it in
    a

    way that allows the carcass to bleed out completely. A poorly bled chicken is less appetiz-

    rrr, ;rrr(l
    ,.,r,:r1.r;t

    r)r()r'(' srrl)i(.ct

    to slroilrrgc lherr otrc that is completely bled out. It is

    trI Itl,',',1 tlr,. Irir.,l lt,rrn tlt,'n,'r'k, rrPsitlcrlown,You

    musthangthebirdby

    rl , llr'l lrr)rr ,r lr,, l,t,ttt, lr ot r loll,,:;lil,,',1si11',;r sliplirtrrt rtl

    lltl t'tttl ttl-lt short


    rr

    l.tr1'llr ll trlrr', 1',.,r'1 , t',,rr1,lr t. l','l,l tl,, l,r,l ll,'tt, r yi t r;


    r,1,,, l, r'..,

    lirllrtrt,r onr',

    L",1,'l r",

    r.rl lrri,r,, I I'r1', rr,'rrll! r,'

    l','l,l

    t1,, , l,r, 1..,.r,,,1,,',lt tl,,rt

    {rl8K

    LrvrNG

    \7rrIt

    CrrrcKENS

    BuTcHERTNG

    Youn

    Mr,qr

    Blnos

    {rlgF

    LETTIN

    nLs

    G SO AflEONE E DO IT

    Ir vou DoN'T THrNK You cAN HANDLE killing your own birds-or don't want to spend the time learning howyou can often find someone else to help you out, at a cost of g3.oo to $4.oo a bird. ln some places, a local butcher will kill chickens, or there may be a chicken farmet in the area who

    In other areas' who will do your processors poultry there are commercial birds while they are doing theirs. In my area, thete is a man who will bring his poultry-processing apparatus' mounted in a trailer, to your door and perform the entite operation on site. You find out about these kinds of people by talking to
    dresses neighbors'birds as well as his own.

    Krrrrxc CoNr
    allows just its head and neck to stick out of the small end' The helps prevent the bruising that can occur when the

    others like you who have a few chickens. If there is someone you can take them to, be sure to transport your chickens in wooden crates or cages, five or ten to a crate. If you close them up in a cardboard box without putting a lot of holes in it, or crowd too many into too small': a space, they rnay well suffocate. In large groups in the b.4ck
    r'

    killing

    cone

    btd flaps and struggles

    while it bleeds out. Most methods of killing chickens, including wringing the neck or choppirrg the head off with an axe, sevel the spinal cord and stop the heart immedito pump the iltcly. lr is more effective to cut the jugular vein and allow the heart
    one hand, and hloocl ogt of the ci-ricken. To do this, hold the chickens head with

    truck they can panic, pile on top of each othet in a corner, and asphyxiate the ones on the bottotn of tliep-ilt!.' ' '
    of
    a

    the wir lr a swilrt firm srroke of the knife, cut into the neck immediately behind
    jrrw,

    witlr0ur curr

    ir-rg ir.rro the

    wirrdpipe, esophagus, or spine. The bird will bleed

    Ip tlt.rrllr tlgickly,:1rtl lhclr l'llrp rrntl twist fot another z or 3 minutes.

    If you

    are

    lrsinll sllinli ilrst(,ir(l ol

    rl

    olrt,irntl ,'llr hctlr'l thc

    [rir',1's hcrrtl

    tllltil the colltfictions


    rr

    rrrlr, il rvill
    Irttr

    [,.,.1,1,1,,,,,1

    111r111

    lrt'irr1i sprtllt'tt'tl irll,,v,'t. lllt'r'tl tht'lritrls itrlo

    Ir'l Irrt ( Ittlllr(r'ilIllfl

    {r4oF
    Sc.q.rornc

    LrvrNG

    \rrrs

    CHrcKxNs

    The reason for scalding the chicken is to make it easier to pluck the feathers. You

    will

    need a vessel large enough to dunk

    bird in without spilling the water out,

    and you

    will

    need a rhermomerer. Recommended temperatures for the scald

    range from r25 to r5o degrees F, but in practice, maintaining the correct tempefature is a delicate and critical balance.

    If the water is too hot, you will find the

    skin ripping

    as

    you pull feathers our. If it is not warm enough, the feathers

    will

    be more difficult to pull, and the amounr of time and effort needed to pluck the

    bird-particularly the tail

    and large wing

    feathers-will

    increase dramatically. A

    good rule of thumb is to scald at r4o degrees for r minute. Holding onto the bird

    by its shanks, dunk it upside down in the water, and whoosh it up and down

    bit

    to make sure ir gets soaked through to the skin. Pull the bird out and see how
    easily a tail feather comes out.

    \(ith a little practice, you will

    know whether to

    put the blrd back in the scald for a few more seconds or not'
    Depending on how cold it is in the room or shed or yard where you are

    working, the water can cool enough to do you no good after just
    dunked. you could purchase or build plete with
    a a

    few birds are

    var heated with electricity or gas, com-

    thermostat to keep the water always at the temperature you want,

    but unless you are doing hundreds ofbirds, this is too expensive to be practical.

    I keep an extra pot of hot water on a camp stove to heat up the scalding vat. You
    can also keep extra water on the kitchen range to carry out

    if

    necessary.

    Prucxrxc
    Particularly for the beginning home poultryperson, plucking is the most
    time -cot-rsutnir-rg ancl pailrstrl<ir-rg part of

    lh,'lrto, !,)r)r'

    t'ss. Mosl o{

    tlrt'li'rrllr,'r's slt,,rrl,l ttr,t I,'tt' nrlilttl(".

    r'.r,;ilY irr lr.rrr,llirl';

    {r4zF

    IrvrNc

    \rrrs

    CurcKENs

    BuTcHERTNG

    Youn

    Mter

    Brnos

    {r+ls

    m1P'-:*.e;*;*r$-*i\:::*t t
    f;"- "-rt-taw----*\ -- -t" --* v J*-rl:'. . ty s\ --*-r r-. li",J ,"'."r-: -*V:r--.

    Currrlrc Orr rnr Frrr

    CurrrNc Our Orr Gr.quo

    but the final cleaning ofthe pinfeathers, which are the tips ofnew feathers, can
    take a few minutes more. Tweezers or needle-nose pliers can help, or you can

    to the other. The hock will separate, and you can cut or pull it apart easily. Similarly, if you cut around the neck, you should be able to twist the head

    off

    pull them out between your thumb and

    small knife. Stainless steel plucking

    without having to cut through the spine with your knife.


    Now slit the skin along the back of the neck lengthwise, and separate the
    wincipipe and esophagus from the neck skin. If you withheld feed, the

    machines with rubber ffngers can pick four chickens clean in 15 seconds, but they are not economical for the small home producer-unless you can convince
    several of your neighbors to raise their own chickens and go in with you on the

    cropbe

    wlrich

    is the enlarged part of the esophagus at the base of the

    neck-should

    equipment.

    ,.nr1.ty urrcl srnall. Cut

    it olTat the

    base of the neck.

    Ncxl, tll<r' the oil glarrd out of the back of the tail. You can locate it by its

    EvrscERA'rrNc
    The first step in preparing to eviscerate the bird is to takc off thc fict rrnd hc:r.l. Cut the feet off

    :;rrr,rll

    ,,il ril:rrrtl rripplc. (ltrt across the tail about an inch below the nipple toward

    s11,,[,,',lyt,l tlrt.bitl,,rn..l sli,'.''tlowtrtothcvc'rtebtainthetailandthenbackup

    ll

    the hocl<, which is thc l-ir-st joint. Yorrl

    linr

    is rrot lo r-rrl
    i1 1q,11,t.llrt'r'

    lo:i(

    o(,1)

    r,ttl llrc

    t',1;ttrrl.

    lhrottqh lr,,n,', lrtrt tost'1r:r1:rtc llrt'joint. l'lrt'rl is;r lt'trtlor llr:rt lri'ltls llr.rl
    \,(rU

    f.lr,\\'lrrr'

    11,,

    ,1,,,1,.,'n,'r','r :;r, llr,rl

    il

    is lyirrl'tttr tls hrtr'li lrlilrin, rvitlr ils

    Lil) ( Ul llil('ill1lr lr1",lr,

    rtr1l

    ,Ir)ilt!ltlr,

    l,,t,

    [ ('l lllr',r]iltl ltr'trr ilrr(.:ilrl(.

    ,lrrrtrr'.lr,l,'.'.1,,1,,r1,rr;,111, rr',,t

    tl,l,rr",ttrllr'lr'.llltlrl'1,.rrr Nl.rlir',1(lllll)lolllll)

    :tr

    r++k

    lrvrNG

    tirrrrr

    CrrrcKxNS

    BurcHERrNc

    Youn

    MrAT

    -BtRDS

    dt+sP

    lfJ,)f
    t"

    s::

    t'PuLlrNc Our rHn Gurs

    Brltv IncrsroN
    the skin and fat iayers in the soft belly ofthe bird above the vent. The cut should be an inch or z in length; it should be vertical if you are going to cut the

    your vent, so be careful not to pull the intestine apart and spill manure in
    the chicken. Rather, cut all the way around the vent so that it comes free from

    bird into parrs, or horizontal ifyou will roast it

    as

    it

    is. You are being careful at

    bird with the intestine. Next locate the unmistakably bright green gallbladder, which is the color
    maroon of rrotiring else inside the chicken and shows up obviously against the the Iivcr. pir-rch or cut it off the liver, being even more careful with it than with

    this point not to cut deeply enough to nick or cut.open the intestines coiled in
    the belly. Once you have an opening into the body cavity and can see those intestines, you can tear or cut the opening further until you can fit your hand inside the bird.
    Put your hand inside and reach all the way up inside along the

    liver inlcsrine, as the bile in it will ruin the meat if it spills. Now you can set the
    ,rn,l rhc hcrrr in ice water and
    i,,r:rvy ()r. lirr
    ir

    keel-which

    pull off the

    gizzatd if you want to keep it for

    right now is the top of the body cavity-to the top where the

    esophagrLs and

    sl.c[. (]lcrr' it by cuttirrg it open and peeling the thick, yelloq rubbery
    'l lr rrrw tlrc lin irrg ,wrry wil h whrtt.t,er gravel and undigested grain is

    windpipe come through from the neck. Hook tl-rem with yor-rr fil.rgcr-rtrrd sirrrrltaneorrsly grab the gir,'r,lrt7,which is thc only r-t'rrlly strlitl otgrrrr itr tlrt' l'totly '''rvity
    (Iti1,,1,,,1.t1'rrr,t r,,,,ll-l,,rll,r1,l

    rri , rll.

    'rtrll irr;i,1,'rt.
    I.irr,rllv, \,{,ll l)11,;l t(.it( lt llrto tl,,.l,ir,l ;r:;r.r rrnrl lillt'in

    srtlrll,'r ll,,rr',t 1,,r,;,,lltll).

    ll,'l llt,'ilrtr.tt,l:r';lt,'tll,l

    olll('l l() st t':tPc lht'

    lo lllr' l,,rll,,,rt ilr,r rn,r',', l\l llrt" 1,,rllrl, rl 1 ' rll',trll,rlt,' l" 'l l'l'll"'l'11"'tttlr'"lttr.
    i

    lurrl,,rrlt

    Ilr,.t,,tr,.l'rrrl,,rrr,l',1,!,rrl'\',ttrrl,tlr"rll,r,lrr',1l"l't'li"lll"'l'irtll;rilt:;'

    '{

    146

    LrvrNG

    \rrrrr

    CrlTcKENS

    BuTcHERTNG

    Youn

    Mt,q.:r Brnos

    At+z v

    of the ice water, and let them drain for about 20 minutes before bagging them.

    Ifyou double-bag them in plastic, they should keep for


    freezer.

    as

    long

    as a year

    in the

    Ifyou cut them into

    parts, dont plan to keep them longer than about 5

    months.

    g
    ,;'i.,,r.

    l-

    which are now on the bottom o{tthe body cavity'

    as

    .., .

    I '' rr"'lI'1 j' r


    .:.: | .',.,.:

    Nowrinsetheinsideandsubmergeyour
    .

    perature ofthe carcass to less than 4o degrees F

    as

    quickly

    as

    you can. You should allow 6 to Io hours for this-less for smaller

    birds and more for larger.

    Fnnnzxnc
    your fryers and roasters willbe better preservecl if they agc in thciI ict'vv;tlt't ot

    in tfic refr-igcrl(or lcrr,'vcr.' I fi'rv Irotrrs tntrlt' lh:ttr il l;tlit's lt, t ool
    1,,, ,,5 lrrnt',:ts I

    lilt'ttt

    ,ttl,l

    {lit\':l

    l.r'l,,tt'ltt'r'zitrJ',

    ll

    ir;;tls" lrcsl llr;rl

    tlr' ltirtl:l lt'' 'rs tlt\''t''


    11,,

    1,,,,,,,,1,1,.r*lr,.rr llr,.\,

    lt(.(./, rrr lrrlrt t,'.rr,,r,l ltcr':r't I'ttt r, l.rl',

    ()lll ' l"' I r'lr:'

    CHAPTER

    NINE

    The Health of uour Chickens

    an2 diseases can be prevented ffrough

    gooL

    .ynqnageffiefit but cannot be cured onco

    cthry t-

    orruf l2

    rvcrsily of Missturi Agriculture Guide CB35o, t.997

    -U,4

    The health of your chickens

    will

    depend

    mostly on your management of their keeping


    and feeding as discussed throughout this book, but
    partly on luck. If you provide them with plenty of
    space, good

    light, lots of

    fresh air, protection from drafts, access to the outside, proper feed, and clean water, your troubles will be minimal. That said, some of your chickens are bound to get sick, and some will die,

    often for reasons that remain

    mystery Even a well-run operation loses from

    to ro percent of its birds each year. The time to worry comes when three or four
    clie

    in a period ofhours or

    days.

    Yor.r'll need to watch out

    for disease (invisible virus and bacteria that invade your chickens' internal systems), parasites

    tl

    .)

    (small but visible creatures that prey on your


    chicl<crrs), rncl canrribalism (chicker-rs that prey

    otr r,rrclr ollrt'r').

    &-

    '1 r +.1 l'

    r5o

    K'

    IrvrNG wrrrr CrrrcKENs

    Trrr

    HnArrH

    oF Youn

    CgrcKENs

    ;tr

    rSr

    No matter what its ailmenr, a sick bird should be quickly isolated from the
    rest of the flock, either in a separate part of the coop or in a separate hospital coop. This

    will help the bird to recover (if it

    is going to recover) and might help

    keep the others from being exposed to whatever is ailing the one. Rodents have been mentioned elsewhere in this book, but they deserve

    a
    if

    RX} A. BOUT ANT IBTO TICS


    wrCI
    you

    particular mention here as they can carry diseases and external parasites. The
    most important protection is to keep your coop and its surrounding areas tidy.
    Rats are attracted to waste feed and other gar-bage, and they gain easy access

    Ir vou usE ANTrBrorrcs ro rREAT YouR cHICKENSI

    must not eat the meat or eggs from treated birds while they are being given the drugs, or for a petiod of time after they are no
    longer being treated, called the withdrawal period. The withdrawal period is the time it takes for the drug residue to leave the bird's

    they can hide in tall grass or accumulated debris near the coop. Iffeed disappears too fast from the feeder, or

    ifyou

    see

    holes or trails in the litter, or ifyou

    surprise one in the flesh at the feeder at dusk, discuss traps or poison with the people atyolx feed store. Follow instructions and be careful with poison.

    DrsnA,sns
    Most diseases your chickens will get are of the respiratory variety Their symptoms are uncannily like those of the common cold: nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing, and general malaise. Like the spread of a cold, spread of disease is almost always introduced into
    a

    find out how long that is. There is much concern about drug residues in chicken, but a greater risk to humans is the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In large commercial operations, antibiotics are routinely included in chickens' rations not just to fight infection but to enhance their growth. Routine use of antibiotics causes bacteria
    system. Read the label to

    to develop resistance much more quickly than they would if antibiotic use were more limited. In some cases, the antibiotics used in commercial poultry ptoduction are also used to treat humans or are related to antibiotics used to treat humans. The worry then is that we are creating bacteria in our poultry industry that can cause illness in humans that can't be treated with existing antibiotics. Your intermittent use of antibiotics won't make a big difference in the global situation, but it pays to use them carefully, if at all, even in your own backyard.

    healthy flock from an outside source. There is

    some risk from wild birds coming to feed (and defecate) at your chicken's feeder, but more often the risk comes from chickens you bring in from some-

    one else's flock to join your own.


    Some diseases dont cause symptoms ar every stage of infection, so if you

    bring

    new bird in, it's hard to tell how healthy it really is. You should quarana

    tine new birds somewhere by themselves for

    full month to see if thcy


    t-ur.r

    are

    going to keel ovet and die of tttrl<uowt't ciluscs. Yotr

    llkt.yorrl lt.sl rr slcp lirr

    thcr iIyotr wrlrl l() l',r'tlr,ubly srli'. Sonrt'linrt's tlist.;rscs llrlrl tlolr'l ( ints(.syn)l)
    l()l)ls ()l l))tt( l) llilltlilli( 'tr

    ot)('llor li r,rtr rlt t,,t:;l,tlr.,ilt{rllt(,t I'ul otr,,rrl yrrUt o\\'lt

    Ir5zK

    Irvrr.rG

    \rrrtt

    CrrrcKENs

    Trrr

    HEAITH

    oF Youn

    CrrtcKENS

    irsrF

    by sneezing, sniffling, and nasal discharge and can be treated with antibiotics. h{"qRe

    x's iJrsuASl-

    This causes paralysis, usually in young birds. Hatcheries vaccinate for this
    disease' before they ship day-old chicks to you. There is no treatment for this

    NrrvcAs:f L ll

    IJ

    ls l.qs I
    bird has it, although

    This common and dangerous vital respiratory infection causes sneezing, coughing, and often paralysis. There is no treatment for this once
    a a

    vaccine does exist. It can also appear as a mild case that is not life-threatening

    l rvr

    rr

    r'1tl

    ils Bao

    c l{ 1'r rs

    This is also a respiratory infection causing sneezing and coughing. It can affect
    I

    birds (one that you can bear to part with

    if
    a

    the reproductive organs ofyoung birds and lowers egg production in layers' There is no treatment' although
    a

    vaccine exists for it'

    need be) in with the quarantined birds to see

    what happens to her. If a1l are well after

    lNFtc'ttous

    Cotr.YZA

    month, you can mix them in with your flock.

    This results in watery eyes, foul-smelling nasal discharge, and swollen face and wattles. It can be treated with antibiotics.

    Ifyou dont

    have a place to keep another group ofbirds) or even a way to

    segregate groups within your coop, you'll have to rely on your own observation,

    I rr11r1. Pgv
    lrowl pox is a viral disease that causes wart-like efuptions on the chickens skin
    rr

    the reputation ofthe seller, and luck.

    Ifyou

    do suspect disease, you'll probably want to call call the closest exten-

    rrd in its lnouth. It is spread by mosquitoes as well as direct and indirect contact

    sion poultry specialist or get advice from the local feed store, where you can als,,
    get the necessary medication. Still, there are
    a

    rvirh inlcctecl bircls. Vaccinatiol is the onlyprevention' and there is no treatment

    few names and sympton.rs an

    informed keeper needs to know about.

    (lrr nrlru lr I{r st't t{A l ()ttl l)rst,rst


    I

    lris inllr trr)lr'r, ( olrl,r1,iott,;,1,;,,t',,

    1';

    lr('l ll';tl,llly l,rt,rl, l,rrt rl r,rll ,rllr'r I


    11

    t'1',1'

    I'rorlrrr ttllr,ltll

    trr,rl., 1','lt , lr, l., tr'. t,, tr, r,rl11 rtllr,rl'1,1

    r'., Ir.rt.t, l, ttr,,l

    { rs+ F"

    IrvrNG

    \Y/rrrr CnrcKENs

    Trrr

    HEAlTH

    oF Youn

    CHTcKENS

    irssF

    oxide, applying bacitracin ointment, and then wrapping the foot with
    a

    bandage.

    Fa,xEsrrss
    Parasites,

    F$e",",;:
    which can be either internal or external, sound
    are.

    .F'

    much worse than they

    They can be easily treated with

    I
    f

    .$d

    the correct medication used conservativelv.

    J
    i
    l,l

    \.

    f";

    Ir"rrleNer Pan.ruslle

    Protozoa and worms are the most common kinds of inter-

    nal parasites. Coccidiosis is

    common protozoa that takes


    a

    ft:

    "l.is .i.

    up lodging in the intestines of

    chicken. This parasite is

    discussed in Chapter 4 because it almost exclusively affects young chicks. Vorms are a dilTerent kind

    of

    unpleasarrtness that adult chickens can pick up just by eat-

    ing in the grass in the yard. Chickens that have roo many
    tapeworms or other kinds of worms in their gut may eat
    less, lay less, and begin to

    look miserable. Although the


    vent, and take
    a

    likelihood of a worm problem is small, a vet can diagnose


    a

    closer look if

    bird

    w
    1{

    l i-

    problem with

    fecal sample and recommend treatment.

    appears listless or is eating or laying


    less and has a pale comb.

    ::"..

    :.-i.. :lr::'}*i;

    :
    :

    r
    iat
    ;: i

    -.

    ;;;'r;

    il;t:t

    l irilr

    lt

    :-.

    ,:ji

    ji i:t-i:: i'r:il,;1.,::' ri:r;i' iri'i{:


    i

    Extealrat Fatastrls
    Ixternal parasites means mites and lice.
    Tl-rese

    Lice live on yolrr birds for life.

    i ii rii:;,i
    { l{r1!11

    r i:::*p :}:r:: ; ilr'l


    :--ri-lrt!.

    il:: ;:'

    were mentioned

    ir-r

    Chapter

    'I'hcy crt ll.rc f:crtl.rcrs and dead skin


    5

    lill] it{rf; iii

    because your birds are most likely to acquire tht:m or.r thc botlit's ol rrtlrrlr birtls

    ,rrr,l s,',r1,s
    1,,

    ol'yotrt'chickcrrs irr'td lly cggs rt the base of the feathers that hatch in
    ;rt

    brotrght itr

    1.r'otn sorn('()n('..'ls..''s ct,r.,1r.

    Il

    is rrlso possiblt.
    {)(

    lirl

    r';rts rrrrtl

    rviltl birrls

    .' l() ;' \v('('l(s. l,it't'

    t'

    1r()11'

    llris:rn( t' llltlt tl;ttrgct-, bttl

    :t

    scritltts itrFcstltiou cln

    itrlt0tltlt t'lltt'ttt lo y,tttt ll,,t

    li

    Y,,tt

    slr,'rtl,l

    (.t:rionilll\/ l(('('l),il1 ('\,(,otrl lor lirrV

    (;urr('lll(', lti, li,'tr lo rlt lr virtlt'ltlly

    rrlrrl lrrlll ottl ltt't ttrvtt li'ltlllt'ts,:ttttl ttllty cltrtsc

    ,t.rtllitrl,tltttrl,'r,,111,lttt lrrtrl,l'.rtlr,rrl,rrlt',r'll,,.llrrll 1,.,r11,,.r,,,rr,,l.ulutr(lllrr.

    Irrt Il r',tI 1,",',,rt,,I IIrt,'1,,t,'l,r1'l,'rr', t ,'1111';

    Trrr

    HEALTH oF Youn

    CrrrcKriNS

    {rszK

    Mites do not sefile for feathers and dead skin-they literally suck the
    blood from the birds and can cause weight loss and a drop
    ir-r egg

    production.

    Some live in the cracks and crevices of the coop and only climb onto the birds
    at

    night to latch on.


    The scaly leg mite burrows under the skin on the legs and feet of the

    chicken to feed there, and a buildup of detritus pushes the scales up and makes painful eventually for the chicken to walk. The general ffeatment is to smother
    the mites by covering the legs with petroleum jelly or dipping them (daily or weekly to get rid of
    seed oil. Ofterr the
    a

    it

    problem

    ar-rd

    monthly for prevention) in vegetable or lin-

    oil is mixed with up to one-third kerosene. Since the mites

    crawl on the roost to get to the chicken, painting the roost with the oil-kerosene

    mixture can help. The dust bath is the best way the chicken has to control mites
    ,i

    and lice herself. Cedar shavings can help keep them away as well, particularly in

    the nest of on
    a

    setting hen, who must spend many hours sitting more or less still

    clutch of incubating eggs and cannot so easily scratch or dust.


    Finally, there are poisons and powders designed to combat mites and lice.

    Consult your local feed store or extension poultry specialist.

    (lnmnrnnr,rslx
    Picking is central to what makes
    a

    chicken

    chicken. From the time they are

    hatched, chicks know how to use their beaks to grab food and ingest it. Perhaps
    \lN\: ,\.,di

    bccausc their own toes and those of their broodermates look something like

    tl

    small worms, "toe,picking" is somerimes

    problem at a

    vcly c:rrly :rqc.'l'hc potcntial for


    ,rrr,,ry

    problem does not go

    rvlr,'tr t lrc bi r-rls rrtr' :rtltrlls, :rlt hotrgh (o('s .ll e no tlrt'

    l(rrll'r'l r)l itrl('ri,rl Ilr,'lr,';r,1, \r('tll,iltl(l llr,'lilr',t:ilrtrtntl l'.,',, ,'l rlr, t.rrl,rt, tlr, lrr',1',1'{'t', tlr.ll t,rl\\,lr
    (

    lri, li,

    rr:; rvrll

    {rs8F

    LrvrlrG

    Nrrrrr

    Crrrc KENS

    Tgl

    HEAtTrr

    oF Youn

    CgrcKENs

    'j rsg F

    peck on tireir coopmates under certain circumstances, and the results can become bloodily disastrous in a very short time.

    Ifyou notice feathers or

    patches

    of

    feathers missing from one or more birds, it may be the molt, or it maY be

    that your rooster has been standing on


    dt'.:'
    ,-4r".,.

    her back in order to do his job. If you


    suspect picking, however, try a couple

    ofthings.
    The reason for cannibalism can be related to nutrition, particularly insuffi-

    cient protein in the ration' and the


    stress of overcrowding. Invariably, how-

    ever, cannibalism is ascribed at least in

    part to boredom. To comPlain that

    chicken is bored strikes me


    sarily anthropomorphic and

    as unnecesa

    little

    weird. And yet, chickens by nature are curious, exceedingly active, and indus-

    trious creatures that during the day-

    light hours

    are constantly moving,

    4ir{arorr -ri i,qriurrrLi;li:


    l',ri

    pt'r'l<irrg, cxploring, scratcl-ring, digging, dusting, laying, turning eggs, chasing rrrt,tlrs, prrlliug w()rnrs) rr ncl cl-rasing the rototiller, with only a short break now
    ,rrrrl :r11rrirr t.

    1irl

    ri 1,liit
    rl
    1t

    111:'ir

    i1li,1!i

    ',

    ,lrrr,t i,

    l..l<

    rrt y,,tr sirlt'wrtys ,rrt,l l,lirtl<.

    Whcn they are confirred to


    l()

    ro by

    r, l,r,l rvrllr ;r rl.zr.rr,,,llrrrrlr',r il is 1rt'rlr;rPs ('ilsy


    tlrr.rr tlrrr.rvrllr rvlr,rli r','t rllvcl',trrtr lltr'\'( ittl llll(l

    ittlttllittt'tllt'rrl tlyirlg to {:ill

    &!

    *) 16o

    lrvrNG

    tli/rrs

    CgrcKENS

    THI

    HEATTH oF Youn

    CrrrcKrNs

    d16rF

    If this doesnt
    a

    resolve the problem, you have some othet options. There are

    number of devices that attach to a bird's beak. One such device is made to

    shield the beak so one bird carit strike another bird with the sharp point.

    Another amounts to rose-colored glasses that make any spots of blood harder for the chicken to
    see.

    A drop ofblood shows up in brilliant contrast on

    chickens skin, and only serves to attract further picking. A simple way of coun-

    tering this phenomenon is to put

    red light in the coop.

    You can also try one of the many ointments and preparations available in

    the feed stores and supply catalogues that (reportedly) taste terrible to chickens.

    If

    spread on the wounds of afflicted birds, the taste is supposed to discourage

    further picking. A drastic measure, but one sure to work, is beak trimming Personally,

    think that beak trimming is mutilation by any starrdard; if nothing with trimmed beaks look ridiculous. That
    seid,

    else, birds

    if you are desperate, you can


    a

    remove the last quarter-inch of the upper beak with

    pair of toenail clippers.

    If

    you remove tire lower beak, the bird will have nothing to scoop grain up with
    To help resolve this, 1et the birds outside as much as possible. This gives them and

    will

    starve.

    only about the

    last third of the upper beak need be removed to

    prevent cannibalism. It will grow back in about 6 weeks, and you can trim
    again if you think it's necessary.

    it

    more to attract their attention and gives

    birds lower in the pecking order more


    places to get away from antagonists closer

    If nothing else works, you'll

    have to remove the picker from the flock.

    to the top. Next, if you can find

    particular

    offender or ringleader, remove him or her


    to solitary confinement or the stew pot. Finally, provide toys. Scraps from thc

    kitchen keep them engaged for

    little while, but you can tnl<c it rr stcp lirrt

    hcr

    by hanging a cabbagc or sonrcthitrg grc,'tr ,ttt..l l<':tly

    llultt .l sll ir)ii \rtsl)('rr(l('(l

    lirnr tht'r'r'ilirrrl ()l y()ul i oop.'l ltt' lrirtls


    rrlrotr( rr tryl
    lr i rrl'.

    Iili,r' lo tt';tt lt, I'it lt, ;ttrtl :;lrtt'tl itt:;l

    li,ili

    tu

    CF{APTER

    TEN

    children and Chickens


    t's

    importanf to reolize that ltou

    kee 7'

    chi;furt -1n,nLr'

    yoursef and notfor your children-bccausc tttc lufgrlws the pledsure afJtnding qil g
    4n tlre nesting bax, sti{f warrr.r.

    'f
    -Trrs.Aurr-ron

    For the daily gift of the eggs, fot a fteezet full of unadulterated homegrown roasting
    chicken, and for the companionship of these independent
    and yet companionable creatures, you are

    willing to establish-and probably

    enjoy-the rhythms of feeding


    in that
    are

    and cleaning and letting out and shutting back

    your end ofyour bargain with chickens.

    But as the rewards of right living ripple outwatd, your children are the next

    in line to benefit. Small children love to join in with work projects led by a par-

    TtI

    ent. My kids put almost as many nails into our present coop as I did. They are particu-

    larly skilled with litter, both spreading


    fresh shavings as needed and shoveling

    it

    :rllotrt in the spring.


    'l'he srrrprise and delight of finding
    r'1,,1is,,,1-t

    t,rrtst', is lhc
    lt,ts il

    highlight. One

    li,,'1,,'t I lil,,'rv

    \ y(';ll ,tl,l trt'igh{r,rI

    Lll

    1r

    t'

    1'

    4r64P

    Lrvrr.rc

    \rrrrr

    CtlTcKENs

    CrrTTDREN

    eNo

    CHTcKENs

    165 fi

    that has learned to listen for the particular cackle, the "song," he
    calls it, that the hens sing when

    they hy an egg. When visiting, he makes trips every ro minules to the coop to listen and look

    for new eggs. A young visitor to


    my coop once gently carried an
    egg away with her, and, accord-

    ing to her mother, didnt let


    out ofher sight for
    a

    it

    week.

    Another friend has encouraged


    her girls to collect the eggs,
    wash them, and put them in the

    cartons to be sold. The girls then


    get to keep the egg money.

    A certain amolrnt of care


    needs to be taken when intro-

    ducing children to chickensand vice versa. Althougir hardy and self-sufficient, chickens

    (particularly your-rg chicks) can suffer stress ifchildren handle them too roughly or make too
    rnuch lor-rd noise or move too
    ,1rrr, (

    l,ly i'r , lr;rst' tlrt'trr ot otlrcrrvist' ll('rt( lh('l)r ;ts:rtrythitrg tttht'r (han

    fellow

    tr.,ttlrr.\\,()t tlr\,(,1 lr..rl)r,{ t l lr,'lli1r:;i,ll is llr:r( t lril,lr,'rr rttt'st'ttsilivt',1oo. ()ltt'

    1,.,.,1,,1

    ll,,lrlrrlrrr,'l,,r,lltr',,r',r',ln,rl\,1,r1','t'.,r',(olltltrlt,rlrlylititlllt'troo|,

    166*

    Lrvrxc

    \rrrH

    CsrcKxNS

    CsTTDREN

    .4.No CHrcK

    ENs

    4167ft

    and the overcrowding caused a general nervousness ofthe birds that her children picked up on. The coop wasn't
    a

    pleasant place to be for the kids or the chickens.


    Because

    children are sensitive,

    it

    can be difficult for a parent to feel com-

    fortable involving them with butchering, but children will let you know how

    much they want to be involved. on

    recent butchering day, my 7-year-old


    was comfortable viewing the

    killing

    and

    processing from a distance ofabout 3o


    yards, and his 5-year-old brother had to be reminded often to keep back far

    enough from the killing cone not to get blood spattered on him. The chicken feet in particular fascinated the younger
    one, and when he tried to enter the

    kitchen with one in each hand to show them ofl his mother made
    l',1
    a

    point of

    ushering him back outside again. A frier:rd with two sons felt stl,n11ly cnrrtrqh thrrt thcy shotrlcl l<now where their food comes from that
    r.vlr,,rr slrt, lrr';rrtl

    .,Ah*p'e;

    rrllrgt- l*;11

    l{i1xiif5 ilrr.tr;r1r.'tl
    ;r

    ilir; *hicli*rr {roul*, r'virh

    si rrlirlrrrt {rr

    "rnrusl rll'r'Xrir'{rr.nu, lrr'rrrirl I tl

    llr:rl u,t'r,vt'r't'11oinq lo butchcr-chicl<cns on lrr trpcotning

    ,r'

    , ,.,.. . f

    ,.

    Srrtrrrrlrrl,, slr,.trr,r,l,..r(tl(.1()

    lt,.tlr,,r,,rvitlr Iiitl:i itt l()\v l() ltt'l1.,rrrl. I lt'r'ltoys


    ,r

    tt'r'tr' lrrtlrlll' r!rli'lr",li'(l lor

    lr,rt lJlillul(.,i l,i.l0rt. ttr,,t,inl,, lrtt lr) illt()ll)(.t

    :rt

    liVily,
    I

    l,rrt I ilrrrtl, I l,trorl n'l'.rt tlr,,ll,rlt \\'.t',,rllr.t l\tr,,tlt,,r, lrr, lilrr r,rr,,rrry, rrrotlrr.r

    i168F

    LrvrNc

    Nrrrg

    CrrrcKENS

    CrrrrDREN

    eNo CHTcKENS

    :tr

    169 k

    know explained it to me once this way.


    She wants easy

    her kids to be familiar and

    with the basic elements of the

    cycle of life in this world: hatciring,

    feathering out, growing up. moving


    outside, fighting, the establishment of

    pecking orders, laying eggs, and finally


    death, whether it happens by our own hands, or by a hungry raccoon, or

    whether one morning we find one on its back in the litter with its legs sticking up, dead for no apparent reason.
    She says that these things don't

    ;r
    lrlu.

    '

    frighten her children-they take them


    more as a mattef of course, as occasions
    i
    "1r

    /isnl}.\r"'{ir'$rlii'li.-;.:

    of consequence and gravity and cer-

    tainly curiosity, but not reasons to be


    afraid.

    li

    ",1$$i.:;

    In the meantime, whatever the


    developmental or metaphysical or emot

    ional or political benefits are-impossi-

    ble to measure or sometimes even

    ff
    frotl

    ., ...dh\

    ''r,r;r)q

    $;r.

    describe-chickens are just good to


    have around. One evenir-rg last spring after I had brought the chicks hotr.re

    the post office and got them watered and fcd in thc'ir crrrclbo:rrtl box in tht'

    kitchctr,

    lly

    younll('sl pit'kt'tl i,nt'rr1.,'lrrtlirlly, lryitrll n()l l() s(lu('('z('loo lrttrl. ll

    r lrcr'1rcrl on(

    ( lrl lrvir r'.rtrrl ll', t,';,'lll,,l ,l,,tvl itr Itir;,

    tt1,1,,,1

    lt,tt,,l,,,t,;

    il

    lrc rvct,'

    l'.rrrrl I t,Ir( r'i,,rr(l llrr'lrvr,,'l llr, rr \\'('trl lr",l,','1',1, lt()rrl,'l llr,'rr',,,,,1',1,,r','

    ':1..

    ..1

    ,tl{
    r*$ir

    ' '-i$i ';i'.' 'l"ti. ':,r.iiil


    r ,r,r htr.ii

    rw'f:
    liSr:"r:'

    APPE NDIXES
    {$nnrcrnn CllrcKnN SRan$$ SY f;r,lss {wmnnn r}rn sr&x}$ onr6r}rarsr}}
    Anrrnrcaru
    \Tyandotte Plymouth Rock
    I{hode Island Red New Hampshire

    i r,tl
    "ii

    ..

    MsDTTELTnANEAN
    Ar-rcona

    Eucrrsrt
    Orpington
    Cornisl-r

    CoxrrNrr{TAl
    Houdan
    Faverolle

    Leghorn
    Andalusian

    Australorp

    Hamburg

    $xx,ncvsn Knxrng sY Srs{rarrv l)rrar Punlosl


    Dominique Houdan L;\YERS Leghorn
    Buckeye Chantecler
    Delaware

    Mlal Brnos
    Brahma

    Cochin Cornish
    Orpir-rgtor-r

    l'lymouth Rock
    Sussex

    Orpington

    Dominique Holland
    Java

    s
    W

    wyandotte
    Australorp I(lrotle Island Red

    \X/yandotte

    Nt'w IJrnrpshire
    Ll tresh:r n

    langshan
    Au

    stlalorp

    I)olkinu

    I r ,'r

    x r72

    Y:

    lrvrNG

    \rrru

    CHTcKENs

    Crrrcrlx

    BREEDs

    rzlk

    Snrscrrn BnnEns
    Wru:r-ln FJ.,tanr (nroaE Lti LLY rEalucnrr)
    Brahmas

    BY IIaRDTNEss

    Lr:ss So
    Andalusian

    Orpingtons
    Cochins New Hampshire
    Reds

    Ieghorn
    Minorca Hamburg Buttercup
    Naked Neck

    Rocks

    $nrncrnn Snnnrs nx Tn&rpnnxlrgLry


    Ll .t

    irc

    t'J

    rnvous

    .t't,a

    Cochin
    Sllkles

    Hamburg
    Sebright

    Cornish
    Dor.kine
    (

    Buttercup
    [,:tl<t'nvt'ltlt'r' l(1r,,,1,
    l.

    )ll)il)1il(

    )lr

    1';1,11,,1 1i,',1

    l'llrrr,'rrtlr li,',

    Itl, rr ILrtrl',lrrr,'

    GLCISSA. ITY
    i i
    i : I
    il

    B;*il;
    B

    -'

    ;;;;ii;.;nk";,;1";;;;;;;;',r'r,h;i;i;
    chicken. .

    i i

    resular-sized I ofa I -- - --o"-"- -

    reecHrNc roov

    i -, ".- j -.-:... tl , The fading ofyellow coloring from the beak, shanks, i I . rlcir. ,rlaying r hen. : ano yellow-skinned rayttrB of a yeltow-SKlnneu and venl vent oI i I
    ;

    i 'i

    i An inusible protective coating on


    , keep bacteria out ofit.

    an egg that helps

    i B*ortun i B*uao
    i i!t

    I eyo.ttrgmeatbird, alsocalled aftyer,

    i Agrorrpofchickensthatsharevariouscharacteristicsl
    comb i i including
    j n

    and plumage --r-r^------d- style.

    I Bnooo
    i I) I( (J L' U

    iri i I I ti Co*otu

    rv r4rrL LrlrLAor Vdlurr vl LurLArr i Abatchofchicks;toraisechicks;tosetonaclutch

    I I

    -^ -oo- until they ; ofeggs I

    hatch.

    i i ;*'
    tr

    i Toviewthe contents ofan eggbyshininga hght I .^"-L it i rtr through

    it.

    i C,q,r'rwrBALrsM TC H Cr,urcH
    CI D IOSIS CoccrDrosrs

    I chlck"nr pecking each otheruntil they do damage.


    I e group ofeggs accumulated by
    ti"**" -..a

    and hen to set on an


    ..."..'.'*,.'*..'.'--'"'-..''*.i

    i i i

    I ir,.,rbrt".

    *-*--

    causing i i A disease caused by a parasitic protozoa causing j dlatrh"r and death in young chicks. *.1
    I

    -..-.*.""..-..,...."',-.*,

    ;;;;;,.;; ;; ; IOSTAT
    K Coc x

    'L.* {
    I

    ! o.rrg used to fight coccidiosis.


    --.-"."-"-"...-,.---..,-

    l
    ,-'---*---.-. -.'---. ..j

    I R male chicken or rooster

    year or more ore old.

    old.

    I ;

    Cocx EREr
    ()l!{!rxriil{
    , 1", , 1,,,
    {

    lAm"lechjcken
    ilr
    r,

    less

    thanayearold.

    1,, .r,,r1,,'r ,

    r?r1

    lr,,trr lrir
    1,,,r,, rl,,

    L,,,,,','1r.rit, Lrl,.ri.,rr,,,,I

    r, 1,,,lilr" r,.,,I',

    qtl,rrii,,11 11"r'r Lil t'i,,,

    1,,r,!,",r

    \r l, lrr.,l,l

    '\1,,',',

    1," 1,, r',,'l',1.

    .1

    rrl

    11;

    4 rgzY:

    Cross,qrv IrvrNG wrru CrrrcKENs

    lrqlF

    E\,renvo

    The developing chicken inside

    fertile egg.

    Fexn rcc

    An object with the shape, size ar-rd weight of an egg left to encourage hens to lay in
    a a

    particular place.

    Fnvl n

    A young meat bird, also called

    broiler.

    Ctzztxn
    Cnrr
    HpN

    An organ in the digestive system ofa chicken that


    ,grinds
    Sar-rd

    food with grit swallowed by the chicken.

    and pebbles eaten by chickens to grind food

    in its gizzard.
    A female chicken
    The
    a

    year or more old


    and

    Hocx
    HvsR.ro

    joint in the chicken's leg between the thigh

    rhe shank.

    The offspring ofa cock and a hen ofdifferent


    breeds.

    Knnr

    The breast bone ofthe chicken.

    Lrrrr

    Biodegradable material sucl-r as pine shavings used on the floor and in nesting boxes to absorb moisture and keep housing clean.

    Cotvrs

    The fleshy

    1ed

    spiked top knot on a chicken's head

    MrrE

    A type oFexternal crawling parasite. The annual dropping out and regrowing ofa chicken's Feathers.

    Cnop

    The pouch in a chicken's esophagus,

    rt the

    base

    of

    Morr
    Ovroucr
    I),ts lrruc I)ti<;titNr;
    () ll. l) lr
    I)
    I{

    its neck, that bulges with feed after the bird has
    eaten.

    The tube tl-rror-rgh which an egg travels over the

    Curr

    To remove a nonproductive or otherwise

    corrse of its formation Lrntil it is laid.


    Muntrle s(icl(ilrg to the lenr of
    rr

    troublesome bird from the tlock; also, rhe removed chicken itself.

    young chick.

    'llrt'st,t

    irrI trtnkitrtt ol-rt rltottP o1-t

    hir'lit'rts

    Dr snex I)not't'r

    To remove part of tl-re top berl< to pl'cv('nt

    r'rrnnibrrIisrl.
    Nl,rtrrrr,'

    tt r; t

    ,,
    1l :1,

    'r ,

    I't, 1,,'r, r;l( ( lrrr ,rr rrl rrtl'111, ,tlrr", ,tll'''l

    ;t

    ) rg+K

    lrvrNG

    wrru

    CgrcKENs

    BIBLIOGRAPHY
    Prurr.recr
    The feathering of the chicken as a whole. The two bones sticking out from either side of the vent.
    Aldrovandi on chichens:The omithology of tJlisse Aldrovandi Q6oo) Yolume lr, Booh

    Punrc BoNns

    XIV, translated from the Latin with introduction, contents, and note by
    a

    Purrrr
    RerroN

    A female chicken less than

    year old.

    l.R. Lind. Norman, oklahoma: University of oklahoma

    Press, 1963.

    The total mix of feeds eaten by a chicken.


    A bird for cooking whole, larger than a fryer or

    Roesrln
    Roosr

    Damerow, r995.

    Ga71, Storey's Guide to

    RaisingChichens' Pownal, Vermont: Storey Press,

    broiler.
    A pole a chicken sleeps on at night, also called
    a

    perch.

    Daniel, Charles and Page Smith, The Chick'en Boolr. Athens, Georgia: The
    a

    Roosrrn
    Scnercrr Snrrr Nc
    Snxno
    S

    A male chicken
    cock.

    year or more old. Also called

    University of Georgia Press, reprint zooo.


    a

    Whole or cracked grain fed to chickens.


    The incubation ofeggs by a hen. Chicks that have been sorted bv sex. The lower leg of a chicken. The sharp points on the back of
    a

    Graves, lwlll,kaisingPoultry Successfully. Charlotte, Vermont:

    \(illiamson

    Publishing, r985.

    Jull, Morely A.,

    Successful Poultry Manageflxenf.

    New York: McGraw-Hill Book

    rr.q,r'r

    Company, r95r.
    rooster's shanks.

    Spun

    Srer.roeno

    Short for the Standard of PerJection, published by


    the APA, which describes the "perfect" bird of each breed. Also, the description for any given breed.

    Iee, Andy and Pat Foreman, ChichenTractor:The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens
    andHealthy Soil. Columbus, Pennsylvania: Good Earth Publications, r998.

    Srnercsr nuN
    Tnr o

    New chicks that have not been sexed.


    A cock and two hens (or a cockerel and two pullets)

    Lippincott, \(illiam Adams and Leslie E. Card, Poultry Production. Philadelphia,


    Pennsylvania: Lea and Eebiger, t946.

    of the same breed and variety

    Vrmr

    The opening at the rear of the chicken where the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts errd.

    'White River Logsdotr, Gene, The Con.trary Earmer. Jct., Vermont: Chelsea Green
    Publisi'ring, r 9ol.

    firg5F

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