Keeping Poultry

Our flock has expanded so much since our original suburban egg laying chooks that I felt it necessary to discuss each species individually. However there are a few considerations that are general no matter what birds we are discussing.



As I mentioned before our first few birds were chickens, bought to produce eggs and be pets.

 The decision to have chickens was relatively straight forward, once Matt had it in his head it was a good idea, everything else we worked out.  And the rest of the flock progressed from there.



But regardless of the species there are a few things to consider-

 

What you want them for? Eggs? Meat? Both?



This may affect the breed you keep. We originally had a trio of Rhode Island Red crosses, with the later addition of a selection of breeds from a hatchery, ordered through a local farm store. (The birds pictured above; Welsummer at front, Light Sussex in middle, Australorp at the back).

The Australorp and Sussex make good “dual purpose birds” (adequate for both egg production and meat).



Then there’s how many to consider. This may be affected by the space you have, or eggs you want.

And then there’s housing, care, feed etc. So maybe our evolution of poultry rearing will give you some food for thought.



 

When considering your poultry its worth checking with the authorities as to the rules and regulations that affect you. In our case, there is a maximum number for a “domestic flock” and this is irrespective of the species of poultry. There were also Council rules about chicken housing in relation to neighbouring boundaries and roosters- in that they are not allowed in a residential area. So this may affect whether you wish to/ or can breed or just raise chickens.

So always best to check where you stand.

Housing and setting up can be as complex or simple as you make it. It also doesn’t have to be expensive. We bought a second hand dog kennel from a local auction and built a nesting box and step for it and fixed 2 pieces of 2x1 inside for them to perch on. Using longer pieces of 2x1 and chicken wire we constructed a run- this would hopefully keep them secure from the dogs whilst we were at work.



On getting home, the dogs would be in the house, so the chickens roamed the garden quite happily. (They will return themselves to roost, so we just shut the pen again at night)



This set up also allowed us to regularly move the hutch and run, meaning the grass/lawn condition wasn’t too badly affected. So we didn’t need to dedicate a permanent area to the birds. 

Now we the space, the birds have their own run during the day and are free ranged whilst we are home (and the dogs are inside) and have a number of sheds, though most still prefer to cram into their original house.



As for feed, we found a local produce store and they advised we feed them pullet grower initially until they started laying (usually about 18-20 weeks) and then layers mash or pellets. This wasn’t overly expensive either- I mean 20kg last 3 birds a long time!

If you’re not sure what poultry or whether they are for you, go to your local food/animal produce store and ask questions- they may also be able to put you in touch with breeders/ hatcheries or have local notice boards or contact details for local groups. These maybe ways to source second hand stuff or birds. They may also be able to help with concerns about health or other worries.

Feeders and waterers come in various shapes and sizes. Initially we cut the side out of old (washed) 2l milk cartons and tied then to the chicken wire (to avoid spillages), nothing like a good bit of recycling! And for ducks and geese a child’s paddling/wading pool is ideal.

In addition to their purchased feed, we also gave them all vegetable and grain related food scraps; we just set up a bucket under the sink to collect them in each day. Chickens will also forage for themselves, and are great for keeping bugs down.   

Breeding became a natural progression once we had a rooster and a drake. So we purchased an incubator.

Once we had a rooster we looked into purchasing an incubator. Ours, was yet another EBay purchase for about $60. No it’s not big or fancy and yes we turn the eggs ourselves. But it holds up to 60 chicken eggs; so is more than sufficient for our needs (as we only collect eggs for up to a week).

We were also put onto a product called  “Breathe-ezi” we use this for sterilizing our incubator.

Once we had a rooster we looked into purchasing an incubator. Ours, was yet another EBay purchase for about $60. No it’s not big or fancy and yes we turn the eggs ourselves. But it holds up to 60 chicken eggs; so is more than sufficient for our needs (as we only collect eggs for up to a week).

We were also put onto a product called  “Breathe-ezi” we use this for sterilizing our incubator.

We have also tried a friend’s 42 egg, self turning (rather pricey) incubator running in addition to ours. Contained some chicken eggs for him and some later duck eggs collected from an abandoned nest. I reviewed these separately in a post. I personally found this system both nosey and too complicated, but I guess it is automatic. I guess you can make it as expensive as you wish.

  

Once the eggs have hatched you will need a brooder box. Again this can be as complex, or expensive as you like. For our first hatchlings we had set up a cardboard box, lined with newspaper and shavings with Tupperware boxes for food and water. They also need to be kept warm, so we bought a cheap light (on sale at Bunnings) and then they need food and water. However having them live in the house on the kitchen bench is not entirely practical!

Chicks stay in their incubator for the first 24 hours. Once you taken them out and place them in their brooder box, it is important you dip their beaks in the water. From then on it is amazing how their instincts kick in. Also if their cold they will huddle together, if their too warm they will be at the opposite end of the box to the light. So allow for adjusting how high or low you place your light. Work lights are great for this, as they usually have a clip on the back and/ or a hook, so you can adapt to the space. One piece of equipment I would suggest purchasing is a digital thermometer, this way you can keep an eye on the temperature of the box (or the incubator for that matter) and make appropriate adjustments.

Now we have our brooder box set up in the shed. Constructed from an old wardrobe that we picked up (removed the doors), lined with old feed bags and shaving and/or newspaper. Each side had a mesh top and can be divided into smaller compartments and each side has alight for heating and then food and water. This is handy as depending on how many birds you have, at what stages they can be homed simultaneously or given space depending on their needs- day olds are smaller and the less room generates more heat, older birds will need more space. And note birds can be cruel! It’s not called a pecking order for nothing.

I found introducing new birds to an environment (as any age) can be tricky. We tend to either introduce them at night, when their most calm, or preferably in numbers. Whilst the previous birds may still appear initially hostile, there is safety in numbers- and they will eventually settle. Other than that, if we’re home (to keep an eye on things) then we’ll introduce new birds during the day, whilst their not confined to their pen. This way they have the space to run and assimilate and work out their “pecking order”

As for keeping healthy birds we have picked up a few tips. All birds need space, shelter and constant access to water- this is probably more important than food. There are a few health issues or advise we have been given- as I am not a vet I will probably comment on them through posts, but not here.