John Harrison - Backgarden Chickens and Other Poultry

Before setting out to collect your first birds you should make sure that you have everything ready in advance. Trust us: it will make life easier for everyone if you are well prepared.

One of the first things to do is to find a local vet who is willing and capable of treating poultry. Not all small-animal vets will treat them and some will treat but have not done the relevant courses to know enough about poultry-specific illnesses.

Asking around other poultry keepers or checking online lists of poultry-friendly vets is a good idea before you get your first birds. Although a lot of poultry illnesses can be home-treated, some will likely need veterinary treatment and, if you yourself are unwilling to cull, you will at some point need the vet for that sad final injection.

Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and quail may not be family pets for some people but they do still deserve a high level of care and should never be left to suffer. Usually when you need a vet it is an emergency and knowing which vet you can call will be a boon.

Going on a backgarden poultry-keeping course is a good idea for those who have never kept poultry before. We hope this book will give you a good grounding and tell you all you need to know to get started, but no book can compete with actually handling a bird.

In addition, if you intend to breed meat birds it is a good idea to attend a course where safe culling methods are taught. If you wish to treat your own birds and come the final day do the deed yourself instead of using a vet, you should also make sure you know how to humanely cull an injured or sick bird. We would, in fact, recommend that all poultry keepers learn how to humanely cull. We have had occasion to do this late at night and on a weekend when the vets were not open and when leaving the bird to suffer would have been, in our opinion, cruel and inhumane.

Setting aside a poultry store cupboard whether in the house or shed is a good idea. Youll gradually build up a stock of those things you need occasionally and keeping them in one place means youll easily find them.

The checklist below covers what you need to have ready before you bring your birds home or what you are going to need pretty sharpish if youve arrived back home from a show with three hens in the back of the car!

Housing Make sure you have a poultry house that is the right size and style for your new birds.

Run If you have a predator problem or wish to restrict the area your new birds are kept in, a run should be in place before they come home to you.

Bedding You need to have decided which bedding and nest box filler you are going to use and have got this prior to collecting the birds.

Feeder and Drinker You need to have both of these ready for your poultry and will have to make sure they are large enough for your new flock. Having a spare feeder and drinker is also a good idea.

Feed Make sure you have the right feed for your new birds. Often the breeders will tell you what they have been feeding the birds on before you collect them.

Disinfectant/Cleaning Equipment You will need to clean the house at least once a week and it is also a good idea to do this before the birds come home with you. Dry disinfectants are better for winter months when wooden poultry houses will take longer to dry out.

Egg Storer You will need somewhere to keep the lovely eggs your new girls are going to give you, so make sure you have somewhere to store them, either a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. Once you have refrigerated eggs, you will need to keep them in there. This is due to eggs being easily susceptible to temperature changes as well as bacterial development increasing at room temperature thereby reducing egg quality and life span if you swap them back.

In time, new additions will be made to your poultry store cupboard, including items such as wormers, red mite powder, lice treatments, Apple Cider Vinegar, purple antiseptic spray, beak bits, etc. You may wish to get these in advance or wait and get them as your flock needs them.