Everyone has their own personal reason for getting into wimp keeping : to be self - sustain , to deal egg or chicks , to breed inheritance lines , for companionship … the list goes on . My entrance into chicken keeping was an evolution from a medical issue .
Health First
In 2010 , I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes . I was having a atrocious time with the side effects of medication so my doctor worked with me to control my glucose with dieting . After several long time of following this discourse , I ended up on a mostly plant - base dieting where my main rootage of protein is ballock . Between make baked goods and simoleons from scratch and eating bollock themselves , I was give way through two to three dozen eggs each calendar week , so I decide that if I was going to rust that many eggs , they require to be the best eggs I could find !
I begin reading my doctor ’s recommend books and doing some plant - establish dieting research , determine about constitutional versus non - GMO and the distinctions between vegetarian , vegan and Paleo diets . After seeing the eggs available at my various local grocery stores , I came to the conclusion that I require to produce my own chickens to get the quality eggs I was after . I did n’t want any soybean , clavus or canola in my dieting .
No Experience Needed
My family has always loved animals , but we did n’t know anyone who raised chickens and we do n’t come from a class of farmers , so I start some cyberspace inquiry . I followed several chicken blogs , reading and absorb everything I could .
My resultant role lead me to a local permaculture chemical group that offered a 2 - hour class about lift backyard volaille . I picture the investiture in the class would assist me determine if this was something I should actually follow up on , and it did .
My next step was to find a coop kit online and a local farm - supply store for provender and other necessary particular . Due to living in the Arizona desert out in a county island where Canis latrans , javelinas , bobcat and other wild animate being roam , we decided we demand a fully inclose area to keep the chickens safe . With our busy body of work schedules , we did n’t have clock time to make a coop and run so we rent someone to do it for us . After he built a brooder batting cage so we could raise our heap from chicks , he began work on an 8 - by-9 - foundation chicken coop , which would be big enough for four hens that would allow the number of ball we ask .
Then the wimp maths began : A year later , we were expand our hencoop to 8 - by-19 feet to adapt eight hen by adding on to the existing trial and replacing the freestanding coop with a ramp up - in henhouse . The threshold to the footrace now unfold into our dog ’s fenced - in area . This mode , we had the tractableness to get the hen into the wall in part of the yard , when call for .
Another year passed and we were expanding onto the existing structure once again . The coop is now a 12 - by-16 - human foot construction with an committed 18 - by-16 - invertebrate foot enclose run . Inside the walkway - in cage , I have a storehouse domain , a grow - out pen and several nest boxful and roost bars . This expansion can well fit up to 30 chicken . Amy Clair
Daily Chores
To keep our ever - growing flock from getting world-weary , we ’ve build up several perches , ladders and a swing , and also mounted a mirror . I let in a bench for myself so I can drop time hanging out with my birds . We also fill treat balls every once in a while , as well as a knack up an egg - basket with novel veggies and herbs for them to peck .
For water , we use an automatic system plume up to a menage . It ’s so raging and teetotal in Arizona that I desire to be sure the girlfriend never run out of fresh piss .
In the summer , I make ice blocks for the girls ; sometimes I put fruit in the ice for a exceptional treat as the ice melt . I use large ceramic cup of tea , the kind that go under ceramic planter , to have got the water ice blocks because ceramic holds the coldness longer . But commit the dish on the ground let the girls to kick all sorts of bedding , dirt , etc . into it , so I got some large cadaver kitty where the hatchway on the top was just the right size to hold the ceramic dishes .
Amy Clair
Once a calendar week , I give the coop and draw a good cleansing . Everything is freshened up with nesting box herbs , and all the poop gets dumped into the compost roller . Lily , my Light Brahma , follows me around as I clean , inspecting everything to ensure I do a good job!Amy Clair
My Girls
Because I grow all but four of my 13 girls from chicks , they are very friendly . They do n’t all care to be hold and carried around , but they will allow you to pick them up . This is important to us so each can be physically inspected if we think something might be incorrect .
Living in the desert , I decided to give my crybaby previous - time , Western - sounding names . The flock currently comprise of Lily , the aforesaid Light Brahma ; two Welsummers call Abigail and Grace ; Olivia , a black sexuality - link ; Goldie , a Buff Orpington ; two Wheaten Americaunas named Polly and Pearl ; Carmen , a Golden Laced Wyandotte ; Lacey , a Silver Laced Wyandotte ; Daisy , a Speckled Sussex ; and three Silverudd ’s Blues nominate Misty , Willow and Violet . Amy Clair
We obtain our chickens to be very relaxing . It ’s very enjoyable to come home from oeuvre , pull together egg and hang out for a while as a great way to unwind from the fussy work day !
Amy Clair
This article appear in the January / February 2017 issue ofChickens .
Amy Clair
Amy Clair
Amy Clair
