Eggs
Hatching your own eggs allows you to grow your flock, breed for desired characteristics, and keep your flock young and healthy. You can let hens hatch and raise chicks on their own, but we like having an incubator because we can control the numbers of chicks and the timing of hatching.
We use the GQF Genesis Hova Bator Incubator and have been happy with the results.
We use the GQF Genesis Hova Bator Incubator and have been happy with the results.
Chicks - the first 60 days
The Brooder - We start our chicks in a styrofoam box we duct taped together, but you can use an old cardboard box. Cover the floor with sawdust or wood chips - you'll need to be able to replace the sawdust. Replacement times depend on the number of chicks you're raising (more chicks = more chick poop), your tolerance to funky smells (chick poop = funky smell), and the well-being of the chicks (you don't want them growing up covered in their own feces).
Food and Water - Make sure the chicks have access to plenty of food (crumble) and water (tips on preventing chick drowning can be found in the books). Temperature - Ensure that the chicks stay nice and warm for the first 5 - 8 weeks (or until their feathers have grown in). A general rule is keep chicks at 35 ° Celsius or 95 ° Fahrenheit for the first week and lower by 3 ° C or 5 ° F each week. |
Have fun with your chicks! Make sure to pick them up so they become accustomed to humans.
Chickens - after 60 days
After the first 60 days chickens are even easier to keep. You will, however, have to make a decision over the next couple months about how many roosters to keep. There are lots of different opinions on this, but conventional wisdom states that 1 rooster for every 6 - 12 hens should work well. If harvesting your roosters for meat, it should be done before 20 weeks (we aim for 16 weeks). We have found that after about 16 weeks roosters tend to toughen and accumulate fat around their joints.
Space - You need a coop to provide shelter and protection from predators. You'll want at least 2 feet² inside the hen house and at least 4 feet² in the run. Extra room is always good and heritage birds are usually good foragers and love to free range (if it can be done without danger from predators).
Food and Water - We buy chicken feed and throw compost into the run. Chickens love kitchen scraps and almost any type of food they can find. During the summer months we let our chickens free range and spend time in chicken tractors around the property. Food costs tend to go up a bit when there is snow on the ground and the chickens don't have access to fresh grass.
Temperature - Our chickens don't seem to mind the cold, but in the Okanagan you do have to ensure that their water doesn't freeze.
Space - You need a coop to provide shelter and protection from predators. You'll want at least 2 feet² inside the hen house and at least 4 feet² in the run. Extra room is always good and heritage birds are usually good foragers and love to free range (if it can be done without danger from predators).
Food and Water - We buy chicken feed and throw compost into the run. Chickens love kitchen scraps and almost any type of food they can find. During the summer months we let our chickens free range and spend time in chicken tractors around the property. Food costs tend to go up a bit when there is snow on the ground and the chickens don't have access to fresh grass.
Temperature - Our chickens don't seem to mind the cold, but in the Okanagan you do have to ensure that their water doesn't freeze.