Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
You need only one rooster for every 20 or fewer hens. In fact,
you need no roosters at all unless you are planning for the
hens to raise babies. Too many roosters is a bad idea since
they are equipped with spurs on their legs and will fight each
other unless the flock is large enough to accommodate the
number of roosters. Roosters are not usually dangerous to
humans, but there have been cases of attacks against small
children, so it's good to keep an eye on kids who are playing
in the same yard with roosters. In addition, if your flock has
fewer than 20 birds, the rooster will likely mount the chickens
so often that they may develop bald spots.
I recommend the following breeds of general purpose
chickens for a mini-farm: Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire,
Wyandotte, Sussex, and Orpington. These breeds make good
meat and eggs, will get broody and hatch their own eggs, and
make good mothers. Especially important around kids or in
suburbia, they have gentle dispositions. But don't be
complacent, especially about roosters. If they feel that one of
the hens is being endangered, they will attack, and once they
do, breaking them of the habit is difficult.
Caring for Baby Chicks
All birds have requirements in common with any other
livestock. They need special care during infancy, food, water,
shelter, and protection from predators.
Chickens can be started as eggs in a commercial or
home-built incubator. Most often, they are purchased as
day-old chicks. They can be obtained at the local feed and
seed store in the spring or ordered from a reputable firm such
as McMurray Hatchery (
www.mcmurrayhatchery.com
),
