Raising chickens at home is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. The excitement of selecting the cute baby whistles that will one day provide you with nutritious eggs is contagious. Before you know it, the whole family will be involved.
When you start, you need to decide if you want to raise the chickens as peeps or try to find older chickens for your flock. Sometimes it is possible to buy five month old pullet hens that will lay eggs shortly, but you will most likely have to raise your own peeps. If you are raising chicks, it will take a growth period of 5-6 months before you get eggs.
Leghorn chickens lay white eggs. Breeds like Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, or New Hampshire lay brown eggs. Some say there is no difference in taste, but I personally like brown eggs better.
In your small flock, 10 hens should lay 8 to 9 dozen eggs a day once they go live. Bad weather, dark days, frozen water, and lack of food will negatively affect egg production.
As the hens get older, they will slowly lay fewer eggs. A flock of 10 chickens will slow down to about 6-7 eggs per day after a little over a year of egg production. During that time, each hen must produce approximately 20 dozen eggs and eat almost 100 pounds of chicken feed.
Chickens do very well indoors. A fenced pen would be beneficial for the birds so that they can go outside during the weather. However, your birds should not be allowed to roam freely or they may start laying their eggs under buildings, in brush, or anywhere in the yard. You don’t want to have an Easter egg hunt in the middle of summer!
Chickens need light to lay eggs. Provide at least 14 hours of total light per day from September to May. If you don’t have a timer, let the light go on overnight. Ensuring adequate exposure to light will keep the hens laying eggs during the shortest days of the year.
Laying hens can sometimes start to peck each other or peck at their eggs. This usually happens if the birds are stressed, bored, crowded, or overheated. Sometimes lights that are too bright can also cause pecking.
Make sure they have adequate space and ventilation. Darkening the room a bit can also help.
Healthy laying hens should eat and drink regularly. Your chickens should be standing with their heads high and their tails raised. Your overall appearance should be clean and shiny. The beaks, crests and wattles of laying hens should be pale in color.
Every now and then you may lose a bird for no apparent reason. Call your vet if other birds start to look sick. You may have a disease in your herd.
However, before starting your chicken farming adventure, be sure to check local zoning and building ordinances. Laws and ordinances in some communities may restrict or prohibit the raising of poultry or livestock in your area.
With proper care, your egg-producing hens should provide you with quality eggs for the foreseeable future. Take good care of them and they will always provide for you.
