Chicken Raising Tips from da Farm!

Chicken raising can be rewarding if you follow the right steps to reduce losses. These tips will help you keep your chickens healthy and happy.

• Keep your chicks warm and dry. For the first several weeks keep the birds in a warm, draft-proof enclosure. We use broody boxes like in the picture below. A heat lamp keeps the birds warm and the screened opening makes sure they don't overheat. The boxes keep out rodents, too.









• Keep your big birds sheltered but not too hot. Once the chickens come out of the broody box, keep them in a place that provides shade and shelter. Hot weather can kill large meat chickens if they don't have access to shade. We raise our poultry on pasture; our portable coop has a canopy for shade.


• Keep your chickens well fed. Use a good quality chick starter for the first 5-6 weeks then switch to grower. Don't overfeed; this can lead to problems as the birds may gain weight faster than their internal organs and skeletal structure can keep up. We have had success feeding the birds twice a day, with enough food to keep them eating for 15 minutes or so.


• Keep your chickens safe. You need to protect your chickens from foxes, raccoons, weasels and even domestic dogs. They need to be in a secure enclosure like a fenced yard, and preferably locked up at night in a coop. We use electric mesh fencing surrounding our portable coop; it keeps the birds in, the bad guys out, and is easily portable when you want to move the chickens to new ground.


• Keep alert. Another advantage of twice-a-day feeding is that you see the birds often. Keep alert for lethargic birds, or birds that don't seem to walk or move well. Watch for symptoms like 'pasty butt' and deal with them promptly. Quick care can often save a chicken that might otherwise not make it.



Next: We have raised chickens successfully for eight years by following these tips, and we have built several chicken coops to do so. Here's a peek at The New Terra Farm Movable Coop




Got a question to ask, or a comment to make, or even a story to tell about your own experience raising meat chickens?

Add your question or comment here.



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New Terra Farm books for the (very) small farmer. Specifically for the property owner with one to five acres . . .

How tro Raise Meat Chickens


Bootstrap Market Gardening


Special Book Discount Offer for New Small Farmers



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How to create your own farm or garden website


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