Urban Chickens
It’s About Where Your Eggs Come From.
garden. Very high nitrogen careful to not use too much.
Help With The Chores
Where to get Chickens
Matthy’s Market, TSC, Rural King
Stromburgs, McMurrey, My Pet Chicken
( about 50% of eggs produce roosters)
Picking Your Chickens
Pets
Egg Layers
Meat Birds
Show Birds
Egg Size
Egg Color
Chicken Size
Cold Hardy
Docile
Think About Raising Heritage Chickens
https://livestockconservancy.org
Heritage Chicken must adhere to all the following:
Chickens marketed as Heritage must include the variety and breed name on the label.
Caring For New Chicks�Feeder�Waterer �Heat Lamp �Shavings for floor�Box or Tote to house them
It is important to keep water fresh and clean
Heat Lamp Placement
Make sure heat lamp is secure,
and does not touch surfaces
Keep temperature at 95 degrees for 1st week ,
then lower by 5 degrees a week
More Supplies
Most chicks at local stores are not vaccinated
( best to check }
When ordering online you can choose to have the vaccinated.
Only use medicated food if they are not vaccinated.
Water in the Winter
As your chicks feather out it is time for a little outside time – �Section off an area in your yard where the chicks can explore, scratch, etc.�Start on warm calm days for short periods of time.
Out To The Coop
Coop Tips
Chickens need a place to roost, and lay eggs
Keep Your Chickens Safe
Handling Chickens
Always use proper hand washing
After Handling Chickens
Or Working in Coop
Change boots and gloves when leaving coop, and clean tools
Bird flu is characterized by the following symptoms:
Do not share equipment with other flocks.
Set a limit on visitors and visits.
Do not introduce new chickens into your flock.
If my chickens already have bird flu?
Indianas DNR 812-929-0753
Feeding Your Grown Chickens
Foraging
Chickens need to forage for their overall health, Bugs, worms, plants, and small stones.
Chickens can destroy a garden in a short time
Grit
Chickens need grit to digest their food if they do not free range you will need to supplement them.
( put it in a bowl, they will take what they need)
Calcium
Laying Hens need lots of Calcium. If your eggs are thin shelled or soft you can supplement with crushed oysters.
You can feed them eggshells, but make sure they are crushed fine and dried.
Most chickens lay eggs on an almost daily basis.
Eggs are produced and laid regardless of whether the hen has been mated and the eggs are fertile or not.
A hen is capable of laying approximately 270 eggs per year.
The light stimulates a photo-receptive gland near the chicken's eye, which in turn triggers the release of an egg cell from the chicken's ovary.
The egg laying process for a chicken begins in its eye.
Chickens lay eggs only after receiving a light cue, either from natural sunlight entering a coop or artificial light
Egg production begins when the birds reach about 18-22 weeks of age, depending on the breed and season.
Production rises sharply and reaches a peak of about 90%, 6-8 weeks later.
Production gradually declines to about 65% after 12 months of laying
Laying Facts
Egg production can be affected by such factors as:
feed consumption (quality and quantity)
Water intake,
Intensity and duration of light received, parasite infestation
disease
numerous management and environmental factors.
Laying Facts
Chickens can live for many years and continue to lay eggs for many of these years.
Laying Facts
After two or three years many hens significantly decline in productivity . This varies greatly from bird to bird.
Good layers will lay for about 50 to 60 weeks and then have a rest period called a molting
Poorer layers and older hens will molt more often and lay less consistently.
Dust Bath
Recommended To Put In Dust Bath
Quick Tips
Soapy, lukewarm water, a light washing with cloth, then in the fridge
Questions ?
6. Some garden plant leaves such as eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes (usually chickens tend to stay away from these plants on their own).
7. Tobacco and Alcohol. No partying out on the town with your birds! They can't take it. And nicotine is poisonous.
8. Avocados. These can be fatal for your chickens.
9. Some types of flower seeds such as sweet peas, morning glories and angel's trumpet.
10. Raw meat. Chickens can eat meat (even chicken), but don't feed it to them raw because of risk of disease.
Your chicken's taste buds can be quite broad, but learning what's good and not good for your chicken to eat will help keep them safe and healthy. And easy way to keep track of many of the chicken feeding no-no's is to think: If it's not healthy for me, it's not