Chickens are the easiest to care for when it comes to livestock and provide food in the form of meat and/or eggs. If you find that your family is not able to consume all of the fruits of your labor (or the hens) you can even sell the excess meat and eggs and make a profit! That equals more money in the bank or reinvested in to your farm! Depending on what type of chickens you have and what you feed them, you may be able to make a pretty penny off of those cute and fluffy little friends! Many homesteaders even find that they love chickens so much that they become chicken breeders! But let’s back up a bit and talk about how to pick the best chicks- you do want to make sure that you are set up for success, don’t you?!
Meat or Laying?
Chickens have been bred for specific things; some are for egg production while others are for meat. Chickens that are bred for meat still lay eggs; however, they do not produce nearly as many eggs as the chickens that are bred just to lay eggs. Meat chicken breeds do not gain as much weight as compared to egg laying breeds. In addition, egg layers tend to grow much bigger, much faster and are super tough and hearty. Chickens of all kinds are so much fun, and each have personalities of their own, but just like different breeds of any different types of animals, each breed has different nutritional needs so you typically will not be able to house them all together. Once you determine the purpose for the chickens on your farm to serve (eggs or meat), you will know which breed or breeds to research!
How Many?
Now that you (may) have determined what purpose your chickens will serve on your farm; it is time to figure out how many! The more the merrier, right? No, not always! Chickens cannot just be let loose on your farm because they will fly the coop! (They do fly, but they most likely will just walk and pick their way off in to a neighbor’s yard). You must have a safe and secure coop for your chickens and the amount of chickens you can keep depends on the size of your coop. Bigger is always better when it comes to coops because chickens make a ton of poop. There are many ways to use their poo as fertilizer or even to make their coop mobile so it can be relocated throughout your farm so that they chickens can graze for insects and get fresh bugs and deposit “fresh” fertilizer- the possibilities are endless! Chicken coops can be expensive so you may want to look in to making one on your own versus buying one already assembled. Unless chickens are sitting on their eggs, they like to move around and are very social. When selecting your coop, you will want to make sure that you can get in every spot and clean the areas, put down fresh bedding and change the food, water and enrichment toys. Chickens are social so never get just one. In fact, I do not recommend anyone get less than six, honestly. Most egg layers average roughly six eggs per week. If something happens to two of them (whether it be weather, a predator or illness) you will still have plenty of chickens to get you through the season and provide you with meat, eggs and lots of laughs! So, to recap the amount of chickens you get is going to depend on the size of the coop that you can afford both financially and physically.
Red Flags and Green Lights
When picking out your chickens, regardless of their age, you want to do your research first on the company or farm that you are purchasing the chickens from. Previous customer reviews really speak volumes and I am a huge believer in knowing about where I am going before I go anywhere. Once you get to the store or farm keep an eye out for anything that does not seem or smell right. You will want to make sure that the coops that each chicken is housed in is clean and free of odors. Observe each chicken and look for any labored or heavy breathing, sneezing or coughing. If you see drooping wings or heads, that typically means the chicken is ill as well as any type of discharge from the eyes, beak or vent. Check the toes and legs and make sure that all are straight and accounted for. If you see anything that is not normal or does not sit right with you, keep on moving. It is not your duty to purchase any sick chicken and take them home or to your vet to get medical care. Chicken illnesses spread worse than a wildfire and even though you think you are helping those sick chickens; you are putting your own chickens at serious risk. Contact the local Humane Society, County Sheriff or Animal Control and alert them of your findings – it is their job to enforce the laws, not yours. Now, if you see any chickens that do not have any of the previously listed issues and are bright eyed and bushy tailed, you have a winner! Pay for those chickens and get your new family members home!
Chickens may be the easiest farm animal to care for, but do not think that they are just a beginner’s addition! You will have your heart stolen by them within the first week of them joining your family! I hope that this blog has helped you learn a little bit about chickens, and I hope that one day you will love them just as much as I do!
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