Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
is a secure site. Do not be afraid to ask many questions, especially about any guarantees the
seller has. Always be sure to inspect the quality of your animals.
If you prefer to go to a local hatchery to pick out your bird, most have day-old chicks avail-
able in the spring. Nothing says spring like the soft chirping of newborn chicks. If you are
thinking of buying roosters, check your local ordinances first; some neighborhoods do not al-
low roosters because of their crowing at sunrise. Roosters are also more aggressive to each
other and to people, and they can be harder to handle. Roosters do not lay eggs, but they can
provide you with meat. If you consider having both males and females, the roosters are rough
when mating. They claw at the chickens' backs and often scratch and peck them.
Having more than one male creates the need for dominance, so be sure you have lots of room
for them. A flock of chickens has a pecking order, and if there is one male, he automatically
takes the lead. If you have more than one male, the more dominant rooster will be at the top
of the hierarchy. You can expect aggressiveness in most roosters, especially if you have sever-
al of them. In a flock of all hens, one hen typically will take the leadership role. If you have
enough space for the chickens to roam, there is less of a chance of them pecking each other
and displaying aggressive behavior.
Housing and Feeding Chickens
Chickens are easy to care for, but because of inclement weather, predators, and just for their
overall well-being, chickens need a structure that will keep them safe and dry and give them a
place to sleep at night. Hens also will require a safe place to lay their eggs. The coop can be
almost anything that you want it to be, but any standard coop needs to meet certain require-
ments.
Chicken coops
Coops can be any size, shape, color, or material. The size of your flock will determine how
large your coop will need to be and how much material you need to get started. You can pur-
chase materials for your coop at lumberyards, hardware stores, online, thrift stores, and flea
markets, or you can find recycled materials from Habitat for Humanity (
www.habitat.org
)
stores. Habitat stores have lumber and other items such as doors and windows that you can re-
cycle. It just takes a little creativity. To find a local Habitat store, go to the organization's web-
site and type in your ZIP code. If you plan to use recycled lumber, do not use wood that is
painted or has been chemically treated because the chickens peck at everything, and these can
