Chickens in Your Backyard
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Chickens In Your Backyard By Ralph E. Mitchell Disclaimer ∗ By Code, you cannot keep poultry in a residential area ∗ You can only keep poultry in areas zoned agricultural Why Raise Chickens? Why Raise Chickens? ∗ Nutritious food for family consumption ∗ They make good pets ∗ Fun to watch ∗ Manure as fertilizer ∗ Bug terminator ∗ Biology & food education Chicken Basics Glossary ∗ Chick – a newly hatched or very young chicken ∗ Pullet- a young female chicken ∗ Hen – a mature female chicken ∗ Cockerel – a male chicken less than 1 year old ∗ Cock – a male chicken more than 1 year old ∗ Rooster- a male chicken Chicken Basics ∗ Broiler - used mainly for meat. A broiler is a chicken is 6 to 7 weeks of age and weighs 4 pounds when it is sent to market. ∗ Layer - a mature female chicken that produces eggs. Most can lay nearly 300 eggs/year. CHICKEN BASICS - BREEDS ∗ There are many things to consider before selecting a chicken breed for your flock - whether you are planning to start a new flock or to add to an existing one ∗ a dual-purpose breed ∗ a broiler breed ∗ a layer breed ∗ a pet ∗ chickens to show at exhibitions Red Jungle Fowl ∗ How Did Chickens Originate? ∗ All breeds are descendants of an original Red Jungle Fowl ∗ Found in East Asia Recognized Breed Classes Examples American Class …………. Rhode Island Red Asiatic Class …………….. Brahma Continental Class……….. Hamburg English Class ……………. Sussex Mediterranean Class ……. Leghorn Game………………………Old English Game Oriental……………………Cubalaya Miscellaneous……………. Naked-neck Dual Purpose ∗ Dual Purpose Breeds have the ability to produce both eggs and meat. Buff Orpington Hen – Dual Purpose Barred Rock Hen - Dual Purpose Rhode Island Red & Rhode Island White Hens - Dual Purpose New Hampshire – Dual Purpose Meat Birds - Broilers Cornish-Rock Cross - Broiler Meat Breed Fast Growing ‘Broiler’ Breed ∗ A Cornish/Rock cross can reach 4-5 lbs. in six weeks and 6-10 lbs. in twelve weeks Leghorn – Layer of White-Shelled Eggs Sex-Linked Brown Egg Layers Ornamental - Silkie Ornamental - Sultan Naked Neck - Oddity Chicken Anatomy Chicken Anatomy Egg Colors Egg Breeds ∗ Ameraucana ∗ Ancona - Mediterranean ∗ Araucana Egg Breeds ∗ Barnevelder - Continental ∗ Campine - Continental ∗ Catalana - Mediterranean Egg Breeds ∗ Lakenvelder - Continental ∗ Leghorn - Mediterranean ∗ Minorca - Mediterranean Egg Breeds ∗ Sicilian Buttercup - Mediterranean ∗ White-Faced Black Spanish - Mediterranean Egg Breeds ∗ What Do White Egg Layers Have In Common? White ear lobes Egg Breeds ∗ What Do Brown Egg Layers Have In Common? Red earlobes Egg Production ∗ Hens begin to lay eggs at anywhere from 18 to 22 weeks of age peaking at 28 weeks. Factors Affecting Egg Production in Backyard Chicken Flocks "the highest authenticated rate of egg laying being 371 eggs in 364 days" Incubation Incubation ∗ An Incubator provides and maintains a favorable ∗ Environment for hatching fertile eggs. ∗ The incubator replaces the hen. Incubation Important Factors to Successful Incubation ∗ 1. Temperature – 98 – 102 degrees F ∗ 2. Ventilation – air must flow through the incubator ∗ 3. Turning the eggs- at least 3 times daily. Incubators may have automatic turners ∗ 4. Humidity (water)– there must be moisture to keep the egg shell healthy – Relative humidity should be 60 to 65 percent for the first 18 days of incubation, and 70 percent for the last three days Incubation Incubation ∗ Candling is the process of looking inside of the egg without cracking it to see if the chick is developing. Incubation ∗ Notice the embryo has begun to develop. ∗ Notice the veins, this is the embryo forming. The Hatching Process ∗ Hatching Begins on Day 21 give or take 3 days ∗ Impacted by Light and Temperature ∗ May take Several Hours for Chick to Exit Shell ∗ Don’t help Chicks Hatch -- Struggle Necessary for Survival The Hatching Process The Hatching Process The Hatching Process The Hatching Process Chicks remain in incubator until dry and fluffy May take several hours to dry Once dry and fluffy place in brooder Brooding Brooding What’s a brooder? ∗ Pen for chicks ∗ Absorbent bedding i.e. shavings, newspaper, etc. ∗ Brooding light hung low to warm chicks Brooding Why Is Proper Brooder Management So Critical? ∗ All of the chicken’s body systems are developing ∗ Immune system ∗ Thermoregulatory system ∗ Digestive system ∗ Feathering ∗ Eating and drinking behavior Brooding BROODER EXAMPLES ∗ Electric Lamp Type Brooding - Gas Brooder Brooding Brooders should keep chicks at the proper temperature. Newly hatched chicks need to be maintained at 95 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for the first week of their lives. After the first week, chicks can tolerate temperatures 5 degrees F cooler for each week until they are four weeks old. In other words, one week old chicks can tolerate 90 degrees F and two week old chicks can tolerate 85 degrees F Brooding Equipment Waterer Feeders Bedding Cardboard Enclosure - Rounded Chick Water Founts Chick Feeder Chick Feeder Feeding Program - Broilers (Or As Recommend by the Particular Feed Company) ∗ Meat-type strains (Commercial-type broilers, roasters, “Cornish-Rock” crosses) ∗ 0-2 weeks. 22-24% protein chick starter ∗ 2-4 weeks. 20-21% protein grower ∗ 4 weeks to market . 18-20% protein finisher Note: About 2 pounds of feed are converted to produce 1 pound of live broiler Feeding Program - Layers (Or As Recommend by the Particular Feed Company) ∗ 0 to 6 weeks. 20-21% protein chick starter ∗ 6 to 10 weeks. 16-19% protein pullet grower ∗ 10 weeks to prior to Egg production. 15-17% protein pullet developer ∗ At onset of egg production. 16-18% protein layer diet** Feeding Program – Dual Purpose (Or As Recommend by the Particular Feed Company) ∗ Dual-purpose breeds (Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, etc.) ∗ 0 to 6 weeks. 20-21% protein chick starter ∗ 6 weeks to prior to egg production. 15-19% protein pullet grower/developer ∗ At onset of egg production . 16-18% protein layer diet** Medicated Feed ∗ Many commercial starter feeds are medicated to control coccidiosis. This disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that infects the intestinal tract. The mild strength of the drug used in the feed will kill most, but not all, of the parasites. This will allow gradual immunity to develop so the birds usually will not have problems with coccidiosis as adults. Grower and layer feed usually do not contain medication. Other Notes ∗ *These recommendations are based on common protein levels for feeds available in most local feed stores. It is assumed that the finished feed is balanced for energy, vitamins, and minerals in relation to specific protein content. ∗ **Do not feed a layer diet to chickens not in egg production (too high in calcium). Growing Out Equipment Feeder Waterer Automatic Waterer Self Waterer Bulk Feeder Bulk Trough Feeder Nest Boxes Nest Community – 3 to 6 hens Individual – one nest for every 6 to 8 birds Nest box height and width should be 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 cm inches ; depth should be least 12 inches cm). Figure Small-Scale Housing Minimum Space Requirements Bantam Chickens – 1 square foot per bird Laying Hens – 1.5 square feet per bird Large Chickens – 2 square feet per bird Small-Scale Housing Small-Scale Housing Small-Scale Housing Small-Scale Housing Small-Scale Housing Small-Scale Housing Small-Scale Housing Small-Scale Housing Poultry Health Best Management Practices ∗ Preventative practices are used for natural poultry health management ∗ Reduce stress ∗ Adequate spacing ∗ Proper temperature, ventilation and litter conditions ∗ Good nutrition ∗ Clean water ∗ Vaccines also help prevent infectious diseases Common Diseases ∗ Fowl Pox – Virus - Vaccine ∗ Infectious Coryza - Bacteria ∗ Infectious Laryngotracheitis - Virus ∗ Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) - Mycoplasma ∗ Omphalitis - Mushy Chick Disease - Bacteria ∗ Coccidiosis - Protozoan External Parasites - Poultry Mites The most effective treatment for all mite species is a regular inspection and spraying program of both the birds and their premises. An appropriate solution of permethrin, when sprayed on the birds, will eliminate all mites that infest the bird. The spraying of all facilities will ensure that any mites hiding in cracks and crevices will be destroyed. The treatment should be repeated on a one to two month schedule or whenever populations of the mites are detected. External Parasites - Sticktight flea ∗ Can be removed with tweezers by grasping and pulling firmly. ∗ A flea product registered for on-animal use should be applied according to label instructions. Care should be taken not to get any product into the animal's eyes. ∗ To avoid reinfestation, treat the premises to eliminate flea larval development. There are several insecticides registered for treatment of outdoor areas for fleas. Burning of infested organic material, such as animal bedding and poultry litter, has been recommended. ∗ Wire cages at least 3 ft. above the ground should be used to minimize chances of sticktight flea infestation. Scaly-Leg Mites ∗ The Scaly-Leg Mite (Knemidocoptes mutans) lives under the scales on feet and legs of poultry. It also may attach to the comb and wattles. It causes a thickening of scales on the feet and legs that gives the impression that the scales are protruding directly outward, rather that laying flat on the limb. It spends its entire life cycle on the birds and spreads mainly by direct contact. ∗ Effective treatments of the condition include weekly coating of the birds' legs with petroleum-based or mineral oils that suffocate and kill the mites.