People from all over the world, young and old, are increasingly interested in raising chickens in the backyard. These intelligent birds that can be trained to do several things really catch the attention of everyone who raises them as pets. However, despite their intelligence, they can get into some troublesome situations if they are not well-trained. To avoid these problems, chickens can be taught a few essential basics by using chicken van schaick (coop) plans.
One important lesson on how to properly raise chickens in the backyard is to consider the location of their coops when deciding where to build the chicken coop. Chickens need sufficient sunlight and warmth to stay healthy and happy. When choosing a location for the coop, one should keep in mind that if the eggs produced from the chickens hatch prematurely, the owners would have difficulties harvesting the eggs due to the chick’s inability to grow fast enough. It is therefore recommended to put the coop at least one meter away from the chicken’s feed bucket in order to help ensure proper heating of the eggs during incubation period.
It is also necessary to choose the best location for laying chicken breed that has good drainage to prevent moisture from collecting underneath the coop. Good drainage would prevent moisture from building up within the coop walls which could result to rotting and other pests. Chickens like dry, temperate weather and it would be best to place the coop in the shade of an open area or in a place that allows direct sunlight in. Chickens’ natural instinct to lay eggs in the morning is fulfilled when the temperature outside is around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chickens require daily doses of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, you need to provide them with an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals through vitamins, grains and pellets. Failing to provide your chickens with enough nutrients could result to poor egg production, weak feathers and unhealthy eggs. You can give them feed using organic feeds but make sure that it is formulated for chickens. Organic feeds are especially formulated to meet the nutritional needs of poultry and are safe to use.
It has been said by many poultry growers and experts that chickens are good pets because they do not only eat eggs but they also make good pets because they do not roam around the yard. Some chicken breeders say that chickens make good pets because they are hardy birds and does not scratch or soil their surroundings. Others say that chickens are good pets because they can give good comments on your garden.
The most important consideration is the protection of the chickens during winter or cold weather. If you live in a cold area, you should provide extra care to avoid the danger of freezing. There are chicken coops that were designed to prevent freezing but it is still best to put additional effort to prevent accumulation of water and the accumulation of heat in the coop. Van Schaick said that raising chickens in the backyard is fun but hard work, which mean that if you have the interest, but you do not have enough time to be dedicated to it, you should invest in chicken coops instead.
Gene Jones posts on the hobby of raising chickens in your backyard.