Isabella Hobby - How to Look After Your Chickens: Pet Care for Children

How to look after your chickens:

Pet Care for Children

Copyright 2013 by:

Isabella Hobby

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Introduction

Chickens make wonderful pets. They are friendly, quiet, gentle with children and produce healthy eggs to enjoy. Chickens are easy to care for, fun to watch and also are a wonderful way to keep pests under control in your yard. There are a few things you do need to know though if you are going to have chickens for pets.

There are a large variety of chickens suitable for pets. These do differ through many parts of the world. Below are four breeds which are common in Australia and many other parts of the world.

Common chicken breeds

Rhode Island Reds

Rhode Island Reds were developed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts (USA) and are normally a rust color. They are excellent layers and are known to produce brown eggs. They have a lovely temperament, are known to be hardy and live approximately five years.

Leghorn

Leghorn chickens originated in Italy and are known to be wonderful layers. They are often friendly, calm, animated and curious however, they can also be a little noisy. They produce large white eggs and lots of them. A couple of leghorns will keep your family in eggs all year round.

Bantams

Bantams chickens are a variety that originated in South East Asia. They are great for smaller backyards as they are quite compact and dont mind small cages. They come in a range of varied colors and feather patterns. They are good layers but wont produce the same amount as other breeds. Their eggs tend to be a little smaller than other breeds. They are very protective birds and can get a little broody when laying. Broody means that they get over protective about their eggs and will sit on the eggs for hours or even days on end.

Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Rock (known as Rocks) originated in the USA and are known to be long living, large birds which are very good layers. There come in a wide range or colors and lay white, brown and even the odd egg which has a touch of pink. They are known to be friendly, intelligent and curious. They dont get broody but can occasionally be mean. They are well suited to colder climates.

Orpingtons

Orpingtons chicken originated in England. They are large in appearance with soft fluffy feathers that can even hide their feet. They are also well suited to colder climates. They are friendly, gentle and are very good layers. They can also be a little broody but make excellent backyard pets. Because of their gentle and docile nature, they can sometimes be picked on by more aggressive chickens.

Where should I buy my chickens?

Chickens are often sold by breeders who specialize in a particular breed such as Bantams or Leghorns. Breeders are usually very knowledge about their chickens and will provide good advice on caring for your chickens. Sometimes pet shops sell chickens but always check the health of the chickens. When chickens are first born, it is not possible to know whether they are female or male.

It is good to wait until they are between 16-20 weeks old and you can know for sure that they are female and will lay eggs for you. This age is called Point of Laying which means they are ready to lay. Some people like to buy baby chicks and take the risk they may be roosters. Some breeders will swap them for hens if that occurs. When you first bring your chickens home, it might take a few weeks to get your first eggs. Often the first eggs are small, they will increase in size over time.

How many chickens should I buy?

Most chickens will lay between 5-6 eggs per week so for a family of four, three or four chickens is a good number. It is possible to mix different breeds together in the one coop, but you may need to check with a breeder as to which breeds live happily together.

Tips for building a safe and strong coop.

You can purchase chicken coops from pet suppliers or you can build one yourself. If you decide to build your own, here are a few helpful hints:

Door. The door should be large enough for you to enter and clean the coop. It should also be lockable to keep the chickens securely in.

Perch. Chickens like to sleep up off the ground on a perch. The perch can be a wooden rod approximately 2 cms (1 inch in diameter). You can place the perch approximately 60-120 cms (23-47 inches) off the ground. It is ideal if this area is closed to stop cold winds from affecting them.

Laying area. A laying area is essential and if you have more than two chickens then two laying areas is ideal. Chickens like this area to be quite private, so create a clean area, well sheltered with clean straw that is regularly changed. You can use a simple wooden or plastic box for this.

Clean straw. Clean straw is essential for the bottom of the coop and the laying area. This ideally should be cleaned and changed every week. You might also like to place a large wooden or plastic container under their sleeping area as this will collect a large amount of poo. Dont forget to use this rich fertilizer on your vegetable patch or plants.

Beams to hang food and water containers. It is a good idea to have some strong beams across the roof to support the foot and water containers.

Beware foxes! Foxes are present in many parts of the world and unfortunately will kill chickens if they can access them. Also make sure chickens are locked in at night and when you are building your coop, it is a good idea to bury the chicken wire into the ground to help deter chickens.

What should I feed my chickens?