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.
