The most important part of raising your own meat birds is preparation We begin preparing well in advance, so when the baby chicks arrive, all that is left to do is put them happily in the brooder
My husband is the mastermind of our setup and has built everything by hand There may be considerable cost up front, but many things are a one time build and can be used again and again
Before the chicks arrive, I already have the brooder ready We use an old square shipping container with
During the past few years thousands of American families have started a backyard chicken flock Bringing a breakfast’s worth of fresh eggs into the house is as prideful and delicious as growing and enjoying home grown vegetables
Gardening is legal and encouraged everywhere Sadly, some towns have enacted ordinances banning chickens inside city limits The good news is that change is sweeping the nation Town and city councils all over are recognizing that citizens want to legally keep a small flock, and they realize that it can be done without causing problems So, many towns have
In many ways chickens are like people Both species come in a dazzling array of sizes, body shapes and colors On top of easily seen features are less visible traits Chickens, like people, are individuals They have personalities Watch a flock and soon behavioral differences appear, and close observation makes keeping chickens fascinating Sometimes their antics are downright hilarious
Physical characteristics and behavioral traits are generally predictable by chicken breed Orpingtons, for example, are usually calm, quiet, and inquisitive, while leghorns excite easily and often make a racket They can also fly like a pheasant Yet
Like most birds, chickens love heights Their natural perching instinct is to sleep on a high perch that’s relatively safe from predators while also giving an eagle eye view of what’s going on in the coop during the day
Chickens readily use roosting perches installed in coops, but they also love to sit on the top of feeders and waterers Perching birds often poop That may not be a problem beneath a roost but manure-fouled drinking water or feed is neither attractive nor safe
