BACKYARD BIRDS

Growing trend in Elmore County to raise chickens at home

This Crevecoeur chicken lives at the Elmore County Extension Office

lmore County is abundant with rural areas and farms, and there is a growing trend of raising backyard chickens for both fun and consumption.

Last month at the Elmore County Extension Office, Extension Specialist Ken Macklin, a professor of poultry science at Auburn University, went through some basics of managing a flock either for fresh eggs or for meat – sometimes even just as pets.

“The breed of chicken depends on why you are raising chickens to begin with,” said Macklin.

While he mentioned commercial egg layers, commercial meat chickens and birds for show, the majority of local chicken farmers would not be focused on those specific breeds.

“I would highly recommend dual-purpose breeds, which produce brown eggs and grow a bit slower,” said Macklin. “These birds are easy to manage and are disease-resistant.”

These breeds would include Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rocks, New Hampshire and others.

“They are the best all around and would be best for those who consider their chickens as ‘pets,’” he added. Another group to consider are backyard egg layers, E

Story by Amy Passaretti Photos by Suellen Young

which would include Leghorns, Ancona, Auracanas, Golden Comets, Red Sex Linked and Andalusian – to name a few. They tend to be smaller in size but are good to prolific egg layers.

“These are not good meat birds, but you will get about 200 eggs per year out of them,” explained Macklin. “These eggs could range in color from brown, blue, green, pink, white.”

Backyard meat birds include Cornish, Jersey Giants, Cochins, Brahma and more. These are much larger birds where the females grow to up to 7 pounds and males could weigh up to 10 pounds. It typically takes about five to six months to grow to that size.

“They are considered so-so egg layers, and they are not as tolerant to environmental stress,” said Macklin.

After choosing the desired breed, there is the option to acquire eggs and hatch the birds or buy chicks.

Chicks could be bought from feed stores, the internet, catalogs, newspapers, poultry shows, etc., but sellers should be reputable National Poultry Improvement Planparticipating suppliers.

“Hatching can be really fun, especially with kids,” said Macklin.

When hatching eggs, there are several incubation techniques: capacity, forced air and automatic turners, but

Be sure to designate an area for chickens to lay eggs

The Buff Laced Polish and White Crested Black Polish breeds are known for their remarkable crests of feathers prospective poultry enthusiasts don’t have to spend a lot of money. A fairly inexpensive incubator can be bought for around $50.

“Chickens typically hatch on average in 21 days,” said Macklin. “Temperatures must be maintained at 100 degrees, and eggs should be turned three times a day or they won’t develop properly.”

Once hatched, chicks need to be exposed to a brooder, which supplies heat. This could come from a variety of sources, including electric hovers, gas hovers, batterytype and infrared lamps. The newborns should immediately be started on feed and clean water.

“You may want to consider putting them in a shed or somewhere relatively safe from predators, as well,” said Macklin.

Easy-to-make brooding spots include in a shed, garage or unused room in the house, but most people would probably use their desks. The main component that is needed is access to electricity, unless a batterypowered brooder is available.

As the backyard chickens grow, farmers will need to consider the type of housing they wish to provide. Again, there are many products out there that could be bought for a range of prices, but also, there are many DIY options to consider. Housing could be a fixed location; something portable via trailer; a fenced pasture; or an integrated system, such as a barn or shed.

“Housing controls the chickens’ movements, which adds to ease of care and restricts their range,” said Macklin. “It also provides protection from weather and predators.”

Within the housing, Macklin suggests adding some dividers – such as hay bales – to provide hiding spots, as chickens tend to abide by a pecking order.

“If the weaker ones are getting picked on, they could hide,” he said. “Once they are out of sight of a chicken, they easily forget, and are out of mind.”

The amount of floor spacing required depends on the type of bird, number of birds and type of housing.

Egg-layers need about 7.5 square feet per bird for an indoor run, and meat chickens need about 10 square feet per bird. For an outdoor run, chickens need a smaller indoor space: 3 square feet per egg-layer and 4 square feet for chickens being raised for meat.

“Nests should be confined, and I suggest one nest per four hens at about 1-foot by 1-foot,” said Macklin. “Use pine, straw and hay, and be sure to avoid dark, covered areas in the coop where you don’t want them to lay eggs. They may think that’s their spot, so you have to dictate a nest.”

Roosts at varying heights also should be installed, and there should be ample room for food and water. It’s

The Whiting True Blue breed lays blue eggs

important to consider the proximity of electricity and water to the housing as well, said Macklin. Water needs to be changed daily to maintain healthy animals.

Feed should be available to the flock at all times, as chickens know not to overeat as they graze throughout the day. Depending on the number of birds, multiple feeders may be required. Store-bought feed is recommended for balanced diets.

“Keep the food clean and dry, or it will get moldy quickly. Don’t buy too much at a time, or nutrients could break down; and store it in a temperature-regulated area,” said Macklin. “Once a month, completely clean out the feeders to avoid mold.”

As treats or for training, nutrition can be supplemented with vegetables – such as lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, etc. – as well as scratch grains or whole corn.

Grit should be made available to all chickens to help them with grinding up food. Chickens don’t have teeth, so they need the grit to help break down larger food. Once chickens start laying eggs, oyster shell should be made available to strengthen the shells of their eggs. Chickens are photo-stimulatory animals, which means the amount of light tells the bird when to lay or not lay eggs. As a rule of thumb, 16 hours of light per day is the best to keep chickens continuing to lay eggs. “Use 40 watts of light for every 100 square feet,” said Macklin. “And based on the time of year, simply supplement lighting for whatever part of the 16 hours they don’t have it.” As with any animal, chickens are exposed to certain diseases, which can be prevented with vaccinations; proper diet; minimizing visitors to the flock; keeping feed away from other animals; and pest control.

“Diet is the most common problem we see among people who bring in sick chickens,” said Macklin. “People try to create their own food mix, and the chickens are not getting a balanced diet.”

Disease also could result from stress, exposure to toxins or infectious organisms, which can range from bacterial, viral or parasitic. The most common diseases are cholera and infectious corya, as well as, fowl pox, Marek’s and coccidiosis. The latter three could be prevented with vaccines, but they are expensive and typically must be bought in bulk.

“There are not many vets around here who treat chickens, but you can buy the vaccines online,” said Macklin. “But once you open it, you have to use it.” When purchasing new birds, be sure to quarantine them from the rest of the flock for at least three weeks to ensure they’re not sick. If they are, they could infect the whole bunch.

“Ideally, you would keep all the flocks separate by age and species,” said Macklin.

Monitoring chickens is the best way to know if they get sick. Keep an eye on activities, appearance, color, consumption, droppings, production, sounds and weight.

“You know your birds better than anyone else,” said Macklin. “They will let you know when they’re not feeling well.”

The Auburn University Poultry Science faculty will consult on disease and nutritional diagnosis by phone at 334-844- 4133. For a full diagnosis, chickens could be tested at a state diagnosis lab. “Poultry medicine is different than taking your dog or cat to the vet,” said Macklin. “They are treating the whole flock.”

For information about raising chickens, email Ken Macklin at macklks@auburn.edu or visit aces.edu/blog/tag/ poultry. Housing type is an important consideration when choosing to raise chickens