Keep backyard chickens can be very easy and rewarding, but there are common mistakes that if they can not be avoided aggravating time and costs more money. My wife and I have kept "women" for years, and we want to share our experiences.
1. Type of chicken (number, age and sex) - The hens lay about five eggs a week, but only during peak hours. Many beginners start with 2-3 hens because of the costs and the myth that "the chickens lay an egg a day, every day" worse they get, or a mixture of chicks and roosters. If your main interest is fresh healthy eggs, chickens and roosters they are a waste of food and time. chickens lay eggs, regardless of a rooster to fertilize them and not lay eggs for 4-6 months chicks (when the vulnerable to better survive for money phase). so if you want the eggs as soon as possible it is to get chickens who have just started to lay eggs, and so is the way most of them are sold by popular demand. There are several reasons why hens stop laying and not so enough to keep 2-3 chickens egg consumption. they are not machines, breathing animal life.
Here are some of the reasons, which are egg production can be reduced;
a. Mauser - molting is a natural process when the chicken replace their feathers and take a break, to reach the egg production. This usually happens in the fall and can take up to 6 months. Egg production completely able to stop in the first few weeks, "then decrease up. Molt course began with shorter days and stress. Therefore, it is not a good idea to create the artificial light in the house, not no stress, it can their food for one or two weeks to induce eliminate healthy molting.
b. Brooding - ruminating Gallinas natural tendency to sit beat eggs a day and that is usually triggered by several eggs uncollected. Meanwhile, they will lay eggs to stop. The cure for this is often the eggs and collect in some cases, they do not provide access to the breeder hen nesting boxes.
c. Age - The chickens have their best egg production at the age of 2-3 years. At this time, the openings temporarily reduce production for 6-8 years will be reduced further until completely ceases production of eggs. Other reasons for reducing egg production are the result of errors beginners are guards, reading.
2. Food and water - Chickens should have access to safe and clean food. A good mixture of (grain protein) zero and which (vegetables chicken) is pellets is a must. Leftovers are a delight they like, but not all songs are good (for long been a feature of this report). Contrary to what some believe, chickens are not vegetarians. Like the flesh, and if freedom is allowed, it is to eat a lot of insects. If distributors of food and water are too small to participate in all chickens without intimidation, some can not get enough. If the dealer continuous water gets dirty, it rises again to the level of the chickens. If food spills on the floor and dirty, get the one with the dividers to reduce spillage and and increase to the correct height. Calcium may be missing if chickens have free access to the beach, where it is available. oyster shell access (available in the grocery store), calcium necessary and many other benefits.
3. Ventilation - The chickens may be unable to handle excess heat and actually die. For this reason, they have maximum ventilation. It is not necessary that the lung, as we do, and is sensitive to airborne diseases. LOT ventilation precautions against heatstroke and care of lung disease. From the top of the cage is covered, there is no need to prevent the rest with something extra cable to connect thieves. You can easily add plastic next to the prevailing wind and add to them during the season of loose hay below zero.
4. Birdhouses - Not enough nesting boxes for the number of chickens. Must be a nest box for all (4) chicken, then (12) states that the chickens (3) nest boxes.
a. wrong size - each nest box should be 12 "square and about 14 to 18″ tall. If it is too small, he did not stay there and if too large, they remain too long or even there, squatting on the floor of the nest.
b. improper installation height - nesting boxes must be at least 18 "from the floor, but it must be Perch, to promote the use of perches for the night instead of the nest box.
c. top - the top nest boxes should be inclined chicken, not at the top or sit part, pollutes, putting at risk the risk of injury in the leg or foot, if they jump suddenly to the ground.
and Salient or perch -. It should be a hanger rod or as a plate or a branch in front of nest boxes for easy entry and exit.
5. Predators - do not take seriously thief is a big mistake. Once a raccoon or a fox to enter, can eliminate a whole herd of good laying hens. This is very troublesome for children and can easily avoid right the first time. One of the best defense against predators is a method of lattice double layer (also known as poultry compensation) with (2×4 grid) to be welded up in the net. An apron perimeter of 100%, with soil and vegetation fill his defense hen house knowledge 2 feet, it extends buried. Use safety latches childproof. Some predators are intelligent enough to unlock the door latch.
6. Squats - Squats Enter the wrong or no errors are the most common for both beginner as to make hanger height. Perches should be at least 24 "above the floor and nest boxes. One simple steps, give them access to perches. It should be 10-12″ long and bird houses. Much controversy surrounds the best type of hanger, but squats tree branches, wood (1×4, 2×2, 2×4, etc.) US brooms everything seems to work well without adverse effects in chickens.
7. Coop- Many beginners start with chicken keepers too small of a cooperative. If there is insufficient space to chickens are aggressive sometimes to the point of cannibalism today. The size of the cage should be 6 square feet per animal, ie, 6 chickens require 36 square feet Coop. All untreated wood surfaces to prevent a non-toxic, mites paint and preserve the longevity of the wood for the structure to be coated. Although cedar does not represent a major threat to chickens, cedar chips have shown respiratory problems due to the toxicity of aromatic hydrocarbons (phenols) and cause acid.
Benefits of increasing chickens:
1. healthy eggs
2. pests and weeds
3. Very profitable
4. Large fertilizers
5. Safe around children
6. A good start in cattle
7. Easy and reward
As hens lay all summer, it is not a bad idea to regularly check their bird houses and property for signs of parasites and pests. Many of the worst types of mites and lice are very difficult to know in normal circumstances to see, it is very important to do with the health and welfare of your herd.
Traditional wooden boxes in the nests can be access points actual play, they love to hide in dark crevices and corners of the old boxes of red mites. These parasites hate sunlight, so they hide in the dark during the day and night appear in the blood to feed their chickens. A good sign of red spider is a thin layer of what looks gray ash found in the narrow alleys and their nests. This is garbage and waste associated with red mites, and close inspection will show small red spots that the mites themselves.
Other symptoms include red spot connected with eggshells and a general decline in a state with anemia and blood loss. If left unchecked, red mites can the blood of birds suck until they die, so keep an eye on the evidence of infection may be critical. There are a variety of ways to treat an infestation of red spider mite, but prevention is often better than cure.
"If you use traditional wooden nest boxes, it may be a good idea to check its condition and weigh the benefits of change. There is nothing wrong with wooden nest boxes, and maybe even adding a plastic nest would be enough to improve the health and welfare of their birds base."
In situations that become birdhouses old wooden and shabby, it may be time for a change. There are a variety of homes for sale modern birds, and all are designed to be easy to clean and maintain.
The new modular plug box has smooth plastic corners to hide the parasite with nothing, and some of these boxes are left out of durable galvanized steel, which can be washed down with pressurized water, or cleaned with disinfectant. Both boxes can come with optional lower roller, clean eggs and avoid pecking shell to maintain, and a variety of accessories are also available in the comfort, hygiene and cleanliness of the nest box to improve.
parasites observed a little practice, but the needs of birds and protect against damage to remember is the root of all agricultural and livestock industry.
