Care of your backyard flock
One of our newest 4-H projects started in 2022 was the Gordon 4-H Chick to Chicken project. Each youth that paid their entry fee was given eight chicks to raise. In September 2022, we held our first chicken show where the youth could select three of their best hens for competition.
We plan on having one more additional show with this group of hens this spring. At this show, we will add an egg quality component since the hens are now laying eggs. Soon, we will start taking entries for the next season of the 4-H Chick to Chicken project for area youth. If you have been grocery shopping lately, you may have noticed the price of eggs. At my grocery store, a dozen eggs were in the $6-$7 range on price. This may make producing your own eggs in a backyard flock inviting to some local citizens.
Today, I will be sharing basics on backyard flock management by way of a UGA publication by Claudia Dunkley, UGA Extension Poultry Scientist.
If you are considering starting a small backyard flock of chickens, you need to make sure your property is located in an area where zoning regulations allow for poultry or if there are any legal limitations. How do you plan on raising your chickens? Do you have the proper housing and fencing for the chickens? I know some people like to free range their chickens. Make sure where you live this is allowed.
You may have neighbors that do not like the idea of your chickens on their property. Keep in mind that avian influenza is still and will be an important issue with poultry in our country. If you free range your chickens, there are still times especially when migratory birds are in the move in spring and fall that we recommend your chickens are housed since these migratory birds can be carriers of avian influenza. Plus, with Georgia and Gordon County being one of the top poultry producing areas in our country, we do not need disease transmission to our commercial flocks. Most backyard flock producers are going to start with baby chicks. I would recommend doing your homework on the different breed options and choose breeds that work for your situation.
There are some people that raise backyard chickens for meat, but many will do so for eating or hatching egg. If you have an enclosed area for your chickens, a good and absorbent litter material such as pine shavings, rice hulls, peanuts shells or ground corncobs is recommended for bedding material per our information. Mold sometimes will grow in hardwood shavings that have composted in storage. This can cause serious brain infection issues for chicks or even humans caring for the baby chicks per our literature.
You will need proper heating for new chicks. Do not allow the room temperature to drop below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You need to keep a temperature of 90 degrees at chick level for the first week. You can then drop the temperature by five degree each week until the chicks are five weeks old. After that, keep the temperature at 70 degrees. During normal weather, infrared heat lamps placed one to one-and-a-half feet above the chicks will normally provide enough heat to start. Adjust the height of the lamp to adjust the temperature at chick level. Raising the lamp a few inches per week should be about right. It is recommended to keep chicks near the heat source during the first week by placing a cardboard ring around the general area.
Our information adds to make enough room inside the ring for the chicks to move away from the heat in case the chicks are getting too hot. Dunkley adds that a diameter of six feet should be enough space for 50 chicks. You can keep track of the temperature at chick level by hanging a thermometer within the cardboard ring at the same height of the chicks. Keep in mind there must be adequate feeder and water drinker space to accommodate the number of birds you want to raise. Chickens need one inch of drinking water space and four to six inches of feeder space.
Before the chicks arrive, make sure the housing and any equipment is in good shape and clean. It is even recommended to preheat the housing area before the chicks arrive. Since many will use heat lamps, I will remind that heat lamps can be a fire hazard. I would suggest housing your baby chicks in a safe place, but not in your home due to the potential fire hazard.
Many backyard flock owners for mature chickens may have an enclosed housing area to keep them safe at night, but will let them out in a fenced area during they day. Chicken wire works well and can be found and purchased easily. Just remember that fence needs to go all the way to the ground and also over the top of the enclosure to reduce chance of chicken death loss from flying or climbing predators.
I may cover other backyard poultry topics in future articles.