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willowtreecreek
Posted - Apr 16 2008 : 8:24:41 PMHubby has agreed to let me get 4 chickens for eggs. I don't have a clue about chickens! I have an area that is perfect for a chicken yard but what else do I need? Do they need to be closed in at night in a nesting box? Should they have access to them during the day or should they roam? What kind of chickens should I get? Do I need a rooster? Please help me out!
Posted - Apr 16 2008 : 8:42:38 PMFirst...you don't need a rooster unless you want to raise chicks from your own hens. I had many years of no roosters. I like to let my hens raise a family now and then, and my neighbors don't care..this little town is full of roosters...so I keep a nice calm one named Richard. Your chickens will need a place to roost at night. They like to be out of the wind and rain. YOur nest boxes should be in this part of the chicken "compound". I don't actually use next boxes any more. My little banty hens make two nests in opposite corners in the deep pine shavings I bed the hen house with (mine is made from an outhouse I found on our property when we moved in...moved, and painted) make sure they don't decide to nest under the roost. You only need one nest box for 4 hens..they will share. Give them a way to go outside at night if you don't have to worry about predators. I have a wire covered chicken yard for mine so I have a small hen size doorway out to the yard and a people size door into there too, and the people size door into the house part..very simple. There is a picture posted on my blog I think right now of mine. I do have another coop/yard attached to the back of this one for my "chick nursery" and maternity ward. My hens mostly lay their eggs early afternoon..but that depends on the hens. I have had flocks before that laid their eggs in the morning. I make sure mine have access to inside where they nest at all times...that little doorway. Make sure they have plenty of water. We use the flattish black rubber pans for feed and water..excellent in winter since you can turn them over and stomp on them and the ice will fall out without cracking the pan. In summer I add another bucket for more water..the 2 gallon or so size plastic bucket...bigger is too hard for them to reach into without perching on the side and you don't want them to do that..trust me...cleaning THAT out of the water bucket..ewww. I have tried the big self waterers but have better luck with open pans for full grown hens. For chicks I use the plastic self waters..they are less likely to drown as chicks with those...but they are a big pain to fill and clean..buckets and pans are easy for sure. As far as feed...I use lay mash or crumble (mine are too spoiled for pellets..but some bigger hens do like them...and they make less waste for sure) and I always throw a couple handfulls of scratch out for them each day in the morning and night..keeps them busy and stirs up the yard some. I bed with pine shavings..available at any feed store. I love chickens..and can't imagine living without them. You will love it!! have fun!
