Raising Bantam Chickens Successfully
There is a lot that goes into raising bantam chickens. This is because bantam chickens are very different from other chickens in terms of size, how and what they eat and in terms of how they behave among other differences.
Pure Breeds versus Hybrids
Before you start raising these chickens, you must understand what they are and what they require. Bantam chickens are breeds that were among the first breeds of chickens to be domesticated. These chickens are small and they have unique features. Although there has been a lot of interbreeding, it is still possible to find pure breeds of bantam chickens.
The crossbreeding is carried out to produce superior breeds. The superior breeds are more resistant to harsh environment, disease, they lay eggs of a certain color, size, can withstand harsh weather conditions, etc. For this reason, it is important to find out if what you have is a pure breed or a hybrid.
What is Your Objective for Rearing Birds?
If you want to keep chickens as pets, then bantam chickens are a good idea. However, if you want chickens for commercial purposes, meaning chickens for their meat or eggs, you should consider getting other breeds because bantams are very small whereas you get paid depending on the weight of the chicken meat and they usually produce very small eggs due to their small size.
However, bantam chickens can take care of themselves better than other breeds of chickens in terms of looking for their own food – this is important when you want to keep free range chickens and you do not spend a lot of time at home because of work or other reasons. Bantam chickens are also important when you want to use chickens as natural pest control because they are very resourceful in catching bugs. They are also valuable in areas that have grasshopper problems.
Good Husbandry
Bantam chickens always need to be clean and they usually fill the waterer with dirt very quickly because they are very curious. For this reason, you should always give them a fresh supply of water. They are small birds and you should build the chicken coop in such a way that they will not have difficulties in reaching the food, water or moving to different places in the coop.
The alternative is to build a waterer in such a way that it is difficult for them to fill it with dirt. Bantam chickens do not have a thick cover of feathers and so you should protect them from extreme weather conditions such as extreme heat, extreme cold, snow, etc. This means their chicken coops should be weather proof and you should even think of artificial heat sources and/or artificial ventilation.
Protection from Predators
An important consideration when raising bantam chickens is the threat of predators. They are especially at risk because of their small size and their curious manner. You should surround the chicken run with a wire mesh perimeter fence that runs about a foot underground to prevent attacks from predators such as snakes and raccoons and you should consider a wire mesh on top to protect the chickens from hawks, owls and other aerial predators.
Secrets of Raising Hens
Although hens may prove difficult to look after for people who are not well informed about them, raising hens can be a very pleasurable venture for those who are well informed. Imagine the pleasure of fresh eggs for breakfast every morning or the sound of chicken clattering in your compound every morning. To avoid complicating the issue, chicken are omnivorous just like human beings, they are also gentle and can mingle freely with humans. These factors among others make them among the easiest animals to keep.
It is important to know what breed of chicken to keep in what area as some are tolerant to some climates while others are not. It has been noted that chicken can be easily conditioned to certain circumstances e.g. if you condition them to feeding at particular times and at a particular place, they will always avail themselves at the place at the very particular time. In this situation, it is easy to mix with them in your environment without interfering with your regular activities as long as you give them the little attention they may demand from time to time.
Chicken in a free-range system can some times wonder into strange territory causing conflicts in the neighborhood. Although some people may decide to put up fences to prevent the hens from straying they are usually surprised to discover that the chicken still managed to get through the fence. It is important for such individuals to know that chicken fly just like any other bird and thus may be capable of flying over the set up wall. To prevent this it is advisable to get hold of the hens and proceed to clip the end of their fore most feathers. This will hold them back when they try to take off.
Feeding
Many people assume that chickens will eat any thing especially in a free-range set up; this may be true although it is also important to know that some foods such as avocados are high in acidity and may cause death to your chicken it is therefore advisable to try to keep such food away from your birds.
Roosters
Roosters fight territorial wars and can prove very difficult to keep together. Some people have nonetheless discovered that two strange roosters may fight to death however, they have also come to realize that roosters who have grown together or in view of each other do not carry this rivalry too far and one usually surrenders making the dispute less disastrous. It would therefore be very advisable to avoid introducing new grown roosters into new territories to avoid such inconveniences. Another point worth noting is the fact that chicken can lay eggs without the presence of a rooster as long as you do not need fertilized eggs. On this point, you can therefore decide to avoid keeping roosters totally, if you do not need fertilized eggs and you do not like roosters either because of their loudness or for the reason that they keep fighting as they struggle for control.
Common Chicken Diseases
Common diseases affecting chickens
Newcastle disease is probably the most common of all chicken diseases and it is highly infectious and deadly. To keep the disease at bay, all newly hatched chicks should be vaccinated against this disease. It is worth noting that the disease has no cure. Prevention is the only option.
Coccidiosis is another common disease that mostly affects young chicks. The disease is highly contagious. The disease arises due to poor housing conditions, mainly due to excess moisture in the coop. The best way of preventing a coccidiosis epidemic is by keeping the chicken coop clean, dry and well ventilated. Incase of an outbreak, quarantine the sick hens and use drugs to contain the spread. Bloody chicken droppings are a good indication of this disease.
Mycoplasma infection is also one of the more common chicken diseases. The disease affects the respiratory system. The disease is characterized by foul odor emitted by the sick hens, coughing as well as sneezing.
Botulism is another disease caused by poor hygiene and poor housing conditions. Toxins produced by a bacteria known as Clostridium Botulinum cause the disease, this bacteria thrives under humid and hot conditions. To help protect your chickens from this disease, always keep the chicken coop dry and provide some form of cooling when the weather is too hot.
Caged layer fatigue is a common chicken disease that affects layers. The disease is caused by a lack of calcium. Symptoms include tiredness, weakness and inexplicable breakage of bones.
Scaly leg disease is also common. It is caused by parasites under the feet of the chickens. To tell if a chicken has scaly leg, check for scales that are rougher and harder than usual on the chicken legs.
Why Take Precautions?
Prevention is better than cure this is true when it comes to chicken diseases because the diseases spread very fast and some of the diseases such as Newcastle disease are untreatable.
Preventing diseases is also cheaper because you will not have to spend money on meds and vet charges.
You should vaccinate the chicks at birth since most farms selling them offer the service at subsidized rates.
Signs of a healthy bird
To prevent these diseases, you should be able to spot a healthy chicken from a sick one.
- The comb should be the correct size and color,
- The eyes should be bright and clear, the gait of the chicken should be upright and alert,
- The feathers should be smooth and shiny and in the right place,
- The tail should be in its proper place,
- The legs should not be too scaly,
- The droppings should be dark with a white tip,
More tips
Apart from the physical appearance, you can also tell healthy chickens from sick ones by considering their behavior. You should make sure the chicken is calm and contented, but not silent, it should feed and drink normally, it should not lay an egg if it is too young or too old, it should move around, it should dust bathe and sunbathe regularly and there should be mock fighting in the younger chicks among other considerations.
Tips on Keeping Chickens in Backyard
Raising chickens in backyard are a very common practice in most cities. Many chicken lovers living in cities prefer to keep the birds in their backyards, as it is easy to manage them in this type of setup. This method gives the chicken as well as the person keeping them plenty of time away from each other as both parties have the liberty to do whatever they want.
If you are aspiring to keep chicken in your back yard, you need to ensure that you have what it takes to succeed in the venture. The most important factors to consider before getting into the venture should include the availability of space. Identify a good source of chicken feed in your area, their security and a good chicken coop among other factors. Chicken do not demand too much attention as long as you have a routine in place to ensure they get their basics. By picking a number that your space can accommodate, all you need to know is the amount of feed your flock consumes per day. This will help in ensuring you only give them what is enough for them every day thus avoiding waste.
Security
If you have a good coop and a good perimeter wall to protect your birds, there is still one thing that may prove to be of risk to your flock. Think about the presence of flying predators like crows and eagles that attack your birds from the air. Some people have confessed that the greatest threat to their birds turned out to be other birds. To reduce this risk, it is advisable to put up a good fence that covers even the top in the area where your birds like to perch as they rest during the day. If possible, it is also advisable to try avoiding tall trees around your home, as the meat eating birds will launch their attacks from these trees.
Resting place
All birds enjoy perching above the ground and chickens are no exception. Due to this fact, it is important to put up perches at strategic places to give the birds the pleasure. Giving them an area full of soil is also very advisable, as they love to take a bath in the dry soil. Keeping water troughs around their resting places is also a good idea, as this will keep them at one place thus saving you the pain of having to keep watch over them. If chicken, lack these small treats they are likely to become a nuisance, as they will start perching on tables and other places that may inconvenience you. Lack of strategic watering troughs to drink whenever they feel like may force the birds to come into the kitchen as they look for water to quench their thirst.
Good coop Chickens
The place where your birds sleep is very important as this influences their lives in a great way. Keeping chickens in backyard will demand the presence of a very good coop to guarantee the safety of your chicken during the night. A good coop should have a door large enough to let you in when you want to clean or collect eggs, it should also be warm enough to prevent young chicks from freezing to death incase there are any.
Guide to Backyard Chicken Coops
The most important factor that can never be ignored in the process of keeping chicken in your back yard is the availability of good backyard chicken coops. Just as other birds build nests to rest at night or during certain times of day. Coops are the ultimate shelter for your backyard chicken and you cannot afford to keep chicken without providing them with shelter.
Homely environment
Besides roaming around in the yard, chickens need a homely atmosphere to go back to incase of needs. When chicken want to lay eggs they will automatically run back to the coop and choose a favorable area within to lay their eggs. In the event that there is no coop to go back to under such circumstances, the chicken may resort to laying eggs along the fences or any other funny places where they may feel safe such as flowerbeds or even in the kitchen garden. This habit may result in the loss of several eggs.
Qualities of a good backyard coop
Several designs are available in different shapes, sizes and color. Although the sizes may vary and is mostly determined by the number of hens you have, the most important attribute of good backyard chicken coops is their functionality. The coop must be spacious enough to hold the number of hens intended with estimates of about 2 to 4 square feet per hen. The floor must be made of good material that can hold the wood shavings frequently used as bedding for a long time without rotting. It should also be able to withstand the dampness that it will be subjected to because of the wood shavings. The best material recommended for chicken coops is wood. The coop should have good openings to allow in enough light so that the interior does not become very dark and damp as this condition may give rise to infections.
It is also important to ensure the coop has good height that can allow you the owner to walk in at times when you need to collect eggs or during cleaning. It is equally important to seclude an area to keep the young chicks before they are old enough to mix with the rest of the flock. Having a few perches strategically erected within the coop will give the chicken good perching pleasure since they like perching above the ground.
Extreme weather
During extreme weather especially winter, it is advisable to have the temperature of the coops regulated by the use of lamps to prevent the chicken from freezing to death. Chicken can withstand unusually high temperatures but freezing temperatures are a major killer and should be avoided at all costs. Chicken are very punctual and maintain regular times thus for checking in at sunset or leaving the coop at day break, for this reason, it is important to ensure the coop has a secure door which you can lock after they check in and open at day break to ensure their security during the night. It is notable that there are automatic doors for coops, which will open at, designated times and close similarly, perhaps this may save you the pain of having to do it manually every other day.
Info On Chicken Raising Equipment
To be successful in raising chicken, you must have the right chicken raising equipment. This equipment is used in the construction of the chicken coop, the maintenance of the coop, for retrieving eggs, for clearing the terrain where the chicken run will be and for carrying out other functions in and out of the coop. Most of the work can actually be done without the equipment, but they make work easier, faster and more enjoyable. You should consider renting some of the equipment that are used only once such as those used in the building of the structure. You can rent them from your local hardware store if they offer the service or from friends and/or neighbors.
The equipment you use in the construction of the coop includes nail guns, hammers, saws, mattocks, etc. The materials that you use with this equipment include nails, wire mesh, wood, iron sheets, etc. The equipment you use depends on the scale of your project, on the materials you are using for the coop and on your expertise in using them among other factors. The equipment used in the day-to-day running of the chicken coop include a waterer, artificial lights, supplemental sources of heat such as heat lamps, a poultry feeder, an egg retriever, a nesting box, hoses to clean the chicken coop, etc.
Incubators are very important and they are used by those who want to hatch their own chicks. They are useful because you do not need to have your hens take a month off laying eggs. They also have a greater success rate than when hens hatch their own chicks. Brooders are equally important for those who want to hatch their own chicks and they are used to give a controlled environment, meaning chicks are more likely to thrive. The controlled environment is achieved by having heating lamps, cooling systems whenever it is too hot, etc.
The feeder should be built in such a way that the chickens do not waste their feed – there should be just enough space for the chickens’ heads. Similarly, the waterer should be built in such a way that there is only enough space for the chickens’ head to avoid contaminating the water.
You can make some of the equipment yourself and you can eliminate the need for some of the equipment. Equipment such as poles to retrieve the eggs, waterers and feeders can be improvised. You can construct some of the equipment such as nesting boxes because they do not need to be complicated or to have aesthetic value since they will be inside the coop. You can use a normal lawn mower to clear the ground where the chicken run will be and you can use normal water hoses instead of investing in specialized equipment.
You can buy the chicken raising equipment from offline sources such as hardware stores or from the internet. There are more benefits of getting the equipment online such as convenience since you do not have to leave the comfort of your own home and because the internet never closes, cost benefits since you get to compare prices, anonymity, etc.
