Raising Chickens

[AZ Prepper]

Egg Laying Chickens
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We've had our egg laying chickens for about 8 months. It's my first experience raising chickens and there has been a lot to learn.

Egg Laying Chickens for Beginners

When we first decided to raise chickens our coop was not yet constructed, but we went ahead and made arrangements to buy a half dozen pullets (young hens) from a nearby farm. Since our farm was not equipped with a space suitable for raising baby chicks, buying pullets was our best option even though it cost a bit more than if we had bought the chicks ourselves. Most of the farms in this area get their baby chicks by mail order and our chickens are no different...they came to Concho by mail.

Our chickens were raised by Moonrise Farms until May, when they were 8 weeks old and in their pullet phase. Spring has a way of sneaking up and we were still clambering to get our chicken coop together in time to receive our chickens on delivery day. With a few extra hands to help and a lot of long days we managed to get the coop fully built on time.

When the time came to pick up the chickens, we realized that we hadn't really worked out a good method for transporting the pullets. In a pinch, we emptied out our largest plastic storage containers and used those for carrying the chickens. Thankfully the chickens only had to ride in the back of the station wagon for a couple miles.

We've since bought a large animal crate that will work much better for transporting chickens. We're also fixing up an old truck, which will be better suited to our farm needs.



Chicken Feeders

When we first brought the pullets home, we put them on a diet of chicken starter crumbles. When they started to lay eggs we changed their feed over to chicken layer pellets. Our chickens seem to prefer the pellets, though other folks say their flocks prefer the crumbles. We use a 40 pound hanging feeder, it works great because it prevents chickens from stepping into the feed trough and fouling the food. Hanging the chicken feeder will also keep mice from getting into it.



Currently we supply fresh water to our chickens using a five gallon galvanized chicken waterer on simple cinder block platform. Having the waterer up off the ground keeps the water supply clean by preventing chickens from easily stepping into the trough. We've done our best to discourage our hens from sitting on top of the waterer and have placed a chicken wire "crown" on top of it.

Availability of fresh water affects egg production and we frequently wash out and refill the waterer. Our flock is particular about their water and if the waterer runs dry they make quite a fuss until the matter is addressed. We are moving towards an automated watering system. Once it is in place we will eliminate the task of filling the chicken waterer and our chickens will always have access to an uncontaminated water supply.

Chicken Roosts

At night chickens like to roost. We've given our chickens several bars to stand on while they sleep. The roosting bars are all at the same height (about three feet off the ground) and provide enough space for all the chickens to stand comfortably, shoulder to shoulder. We originally used a ladder like design for our roost, but all of the hens wanted to be on the top rung!

I've read that sometimes you need to show your chickens where to roost if they don't do it instinctively, but our chickens had no problems finding their roost.

Egg Laying Chicken Breeds

After getting our first flock settled we expanded almost immediately by adding another 6 pullets for a total of 12 egg laying hens. The addition of new chickens caused a degree disruption in the hen house that we weren't really expecting. In the future we'll merge 2 flocks by keeping them side by side in a divided coop until they became familiar with one another.

The dozen chickens that we have are of two breeds: Leghorn and Rhode Island Reds. The Leghorns are white and have proven to be very good producers. They started laying eggs about a month before the Reds and consistently produce large or extra large white eggs. The Rhode Island Reds have a more friendly disposition and lay brown eggs. They are a little larger in size than the Leghorns and seem to be moderate producers.



Because of their continuously high productivity, we've already determined that our next flock will also be Leghorns. The chart above compares our 2 breeds and illustrates the superior production levels exhibited by the Leghorns.

Chicken Egg Laying Behaviors

Egg Production

We've been monitoring egg production for the last 2 months and have been amazed that our number of eggs per day have been fairly steady even through the winter. We'd heard about chickens not laying eggs or only laying a very few eggs through the cold winter months. We have been surprised to find that our chickens have continued to produce eggs and attribute it partly to the warmth of our insulated passive solar barn. Winter temperatures inside the barn, which is partially devoted to our chicken coop range from 35 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. We will continue to monitor egg laying behaviors in order to learn more about how different factors effect egg production.



This chart shows the seven day average, which is simply the average for the last 7 days. In the above graphs the 7 day average is shown for each day of the month. By looking at the 7 day average, trends can be more easily observed when compared to daily graphs like this:



How Many Eggs

In theory each chicken can lay one egg per day. In our flock if a dozen eggs are laid in one day it represents 100% productivity. At our current average of 80% productivity our 12 hens lay 9 to 10 eggs per day. In early November our average productivity was higher at 90%. We believe that the reduction in egg productivity can be attributed to the colder winter temperatures and shorter daylight hours.

Chicken Feed

We've also begun to track food consumption. In our insulated passive solar barn our 10 month old hens now consume layer pellet at a rate of 2 ounces per chicken per day. In the morning we throw about a pound of scratch onto the ground in the outdoor chicken yard. Throwing it onto the ground encourages the chickens to scratch for bugs and forage for food. We also throw table scraps to the chickens several times through out the day, including vegetables, meat and anything that we would eat even if it is slightly spoiled. They seem to like variety.



Supplemental Chicken Light

As light began to fade this fall we installed an automated light system to supplement the sunlight coming through the South facing window of the barn. The chickens now get a total of 13 hours of light inside the chicken coop. The automatic light system consists of a photocell that senses light, a plug-in timer and a light fixture with a compact fluorescent bulb. The timer is set to turn on the light at 5 a.m. and shut off at 6 p.m. However, when the photocell senses daylight coming through the window, it cuts power to the light. For an off grid homestead this chicken light system works great, because it minimizes power consumption and you don't even have to flip a switch.

We think that the steady supply of light in our chicken coop has contributed to good wintertime egg production. If you are interested in giving it a go, a quick and easy automated chicken light timer like one these two solutions should do the trick:
Automatic Chicken Light Timer - Method 1



Set a basic plug-in timer to come on at 5 a.m. and off at 6 p.m.
Next plug in a dusk-to-dawn photocell (plug in type) into timer.
Then plug in a trouble light and place the light in the chicken house.
Make sure your timer and photocell are placed where the photocell can be activated by Sun light.
The timer will provide for a 13 hour light cycle and the photocell will shut off the light when it detects sunlight.

Automatic Chicken Light Timer - Method 2

Set a basic plug-in timer to come on at 5 a.m. and off at 6 p.m.
Next plug in a trouble light and place the light in the chicken house.
Then screw in a duck-to-dawn photocell (screw-in type) into your trouble light's light socket.
Make sure your photocell points away from the reflector on your trouble light or the light will flicker.
The timer will provide for a 13 hour light cycle and the photocell will shut off the light when it detects sunlight.

Chicken Nesting Boxes

Though we first installed communal nest boxes in the chicken coop, we quickly modified the nesting boxes to achieve better results.

We've modified our chicken nesting boxes and it has made a huge difference in the behavior of our egg laying chickens.

Low Egg Production



This past fall our egg production numbers fell significantly when our chickens developed a habit for routinely eating eggs. After a bit of research we decided to modify the nesting boxes, from large communal boxes to shoe box size nesting spaces.

The birds actually seem to be more comfortable with the smaller nesting boxes. In fact, we had a few birds who used to lay their eggs on the floor instead of in the communal nesting boxes. After modifying the nesting boxes, all of the birds lay their eggs in the nests.

The smaller nesting boxes also prevent the chickens from fouling their nests and kicking the straw onto the floor. As a result we are getting eggs that are much, much cleaner than before and we are using less straw.

Since we made the changes to our nesting boxes 3 months ago we also haven't seen any signs of egg eating by our chickens. We believe that the smaller nesting boxes are the main reason for the improvement of our flock's behavior. With the new nesting boxes in place egg production levels have returned to normal.

Dimensions of Chicken Nesting Boxes

After observing our chickens we would agree that the new dimensions of the nesting boxes seem to suit our small flock. We have a dozen chickens total and two breeds: Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds.



After subdividing the 2 large communal nesting boxes into 6 smaller nesting boxes the approximate dimensions of each nesting box are:

Width: 12"
Depth: 12"
Height: 9"

The entrance to each of the nests is smaller still:

Width: 9"
Height: 6"

The smaller entrances serve several functions. We have found that we need about 2" of straw in the bottom of each nest to keep the eggs from being accidentally cracked when they are laid. The smaller entrances help to hold the straw in the nest and keep the eggs safe. They also give the nest boxes a dim, cave-like feel. Our chickens do seem to prefer the small, dark and cozy nest boxes. Since they are several feet above floor level, we also provided a perch in front of the nest box entrances to create easy access for our chickens.

When building nest boxes it makes a lot of sense to size the boxes to the birds that will be using them. We chose the nesting box dimensions above to prevent the birds from standing in the nests. In our experience standing in the nest encourages several undesirable behaviors: egg eating, scratching straw onto the floor and fouling the nests. The shorter nest boxes prevent these behaviors and reduce dirty, cracked and pecked eggs.

Nest Box Plans

There are plenty of nest box plans out there and most of them are pretty basic. Some nest box plans are more sophisticated and even incorporate "egg chutes" for moving eggs out of the nest to prevent egg eating. Once we managed to eliminate egg eating within our flock we decided to stick with our fairly simple nest box design. However we made one more major improvement to our chicken nesting boxes that has made daily egg collection an even simpler task.

Our nest boxes are located inside the chicken coop, which is inside our passive solar barn. In the first version of our nest boxes, eggs could only be collected by entering the chicken coop. The frequent intrusions into the coop not only disturbed the birds, but almost always left my shoes covered in muck.

To improve the situation, we built doors on the back side of the nest boxes that allow egg collection from outside of the chicken coop. When we first discussed this plan, I was worried that the eggs might roll out onto the floor when the doors were opened for egg collection. To prevent this from happening, we included a 2" lip on the back of each of the nest boxes to keep the straw and eggs in the nest.



The nest box doors make egg collecting easy and clean. I would recommend a similar configuration to anyone looking for nest box plans that are both simple and functional.

Our Chicken Coop



Outdoor Chicken Yard

We want our chickens to be happy, but safe. In our region there are many predators that endanger free roaming chickens. Besides coyote which are prevalent in the area, there have been sightings of both mountain lions and wolves in the vicinity. Several of our neighbors have lost hens to these predators, even chickens that were thought to be protected by fenced-in yards.

In addition, we took the threat of avian flu into consideration when designing our outdoor chicken habitat. With rampant news about the dangers and spread of avian flu we decided that our coop needed to be enclosed on the top as well as the sides to prevent migrating birds from entering the coop in search of food and water. In the future we plan to provide a watering hole on the other side of our property for migrating birds.
Building a Secure Chicken Yard

You might remember our experiments with geodesic domes... We used our geodesic dome tent as a storage space for more than a year. During that time the tarp cover succumbed to the harsh elements and eventually shredded. We agreed that while the dome shape made a decent temporary shelter, the effort that would be required to make another cover was not worth the gain. Instead we decided to re-appropriate the dome frame for our outdoor chicken habitat.



To cover the dome we cut chicken wire into triangles and attached each triangle to the dome with tie wire. We interlaced each of the seams to securely enclose the dome. Around the outside of the base of the dome, we dug a trench about 6" deep and 8" wide. We lined the bottom and one side of the trench with chicken wire, overlapping the dome frame with the chicken wire and securing it to the frame with tie wire. We filled the trench with sharp metal scraps left over from other projects and then covered it over. The trench is designed to deter any animals that might try to dig their way into the chicken dome.

The chicken dome looks cool, but rectangular structures offer adequate stability for a lot less work and effort. In addition, we've discovered that its quite a challenge to catch a chicken in a round space. In a rectangular space, chickens can be easily cornered and caught. The verdict...no more domes.

Chicken Coop

The chicken dome abuts the barn and there is an entryway leading from the outdoor chicken yard to the interior chicken coop. The passage way has a guillotine style door that can be raised or lowered from inside the barn via a rope and pulley system. We looked into using a doggie door, but our research showed that chickens weren't prone to push through a door.

Nesting Boxes

The interior chicken coop also houses the nest boxes. We first experimented with communal nesting boxes, which are large and unsegmented. This has not really been that successful. We've had trouble keeping the straw in the boxes, as well as keeping them clean. We have several improvements planned for our nest boxes. First, we will segment the nest boxes so that each compartment is just large enough for one bird. In addition the boxes will be shorter, which we theorize will keep the chickens from standing in their nests and thereby from fouling their nests. Next, we will make the lip on the front of the boxes higher in order to keep the straw from being pushed out so easily.

When our chickens first started laying, we immediately had problems with the chickens eating their eggs! To correct the problem we identified and quarantined the instigating chicken. It was easy to tell which one she was by the egg on her beak and feathers. We also placed burlap curtains over the nest boxes to reduce the light in the boxes. In my research I found that while chickens need ample light to maintain their health, too much light in the nest boxes can cause them to be anxious and break their eggs and then learn to eat them. To break the egg eating habit we collected eggs every half hour for about a week. We've pretty much taken care of the egg eating problem and now only find pecked eggs on occasion.



Chicken Roost

Our chicken roost is also a work in progress. We first started with a roost that looked a bit like a ladder. As it turned out the birds all fought for the top rung, which created discontent within the flock. Now our roosts are all on the same level and order is restored to the flock, but the birds are able to stand in the droppings that collect under the roost. We'd like to prevent this unsanitary behavior and will be rethinking the roosts.

Passive Solar Barn Plans



Barn Construction

The design and construction of our passive solar barn has many of the same features as our passive solar greenhouse. It is stick-frame construction and will be insulated with blown cellulose (hopefully before winter hits). There are three double-pane windows and 2 doors that provide ample ventilation when open. The interior is painted with white exterior house paint in order to protect the walls from animal droppings, as well as to brighten the space. The chicken coop occupies one side of the barn and is situated on a concrete pad that can be easily sanitized.



Egg Laying Chickens & Breeding Rabbits

We designed this barn to house our chickens, as well as our rabbits. The chicken coop is located on one side of the barn, while the rabbits cages will be placed on the opposite side of the barn. We plan to keep between 10 and 20 egg laying chickens in the coop for a steady supply of eggs.

Benefits of a Passive Solar Barn

The roof overhangs the South side of the structure and its placement is designed to let light in during the winter and to block light during the summer. One of the South facing windows is located in the chicken coop. During the winter light will pass into the chicken coop and heat the concrete pad. The thermal mass of the concrete pad will store the heat and help to keep the chickens warm during the winter months. Once the structure is insulated the daytime heat will be stored within the barn to offset colder nighttime temps. We hope that during the winter the warmer temperatures and extra light will keep our chickens happy and that we will continue to get eggs throughout the colder seasons.

On the other hand, rabbits don't like to be too hot. The ventilation provided by the windows and doors should keep the rabbits cool during the summer. In addition the roof overhang will block out solar heat during the hottest months, which will also contribute to the coolness of the structure.

Barn Construction Photos





Food Storage

We've also installed shelves above the chicken coop and the rabbit cages that will provide space to store animal food and hay for the chickens and rabbits. The food will be kept dry on the lofts and will be relatively safe from scurrying mice.

Automated Watering

Though still in the planning stages, we will be installing automated watering systems for both the rabbits and chickens. During the winter the watering system will be warmed by a solar hot water heater to prevent freezing.

The same system will also deliver water to our garden beds. The drip irrigation system will be equipped with temperature sensitive valves that will manage and control drain back of the outdoor irrigation lines to prevent freezing.

[AZ Prepper]

Raising Chickens
http://www.poultrypages.com/raising-chickens.html


How to Raise Chickens
Raising chickens can be exciting and interesting, when armed with the required knowledge. This is a simplified view of the steps to raise chickens.

Acquiring Stock

There are two choices when raising chickens; buying full grown birds or buying chicks.

Full Grown: They are easy to raise, but the vaccination records should be checked and the birds should be free from disease. Their egg laying capacity should be confirmed, if they are being bought for layers.

Chicks: Baby chicks are the most economical and a safe choice but care is needed for the first eight weeks of their life. These chicks should originate from eggs laid by a clean stock with no diseases. Chicks are usually sexed or straight run; males or females. Stock for egg production can also be purchased as pullets. The price will vary depending on the breed, age, strain and their life as egg layers.

Choosing The Right Breed of Chicken

The kind of stock to select depends on the objectives of raising chicken. Chicken are raised for eggs, for meat, and for exhibition at shows and fairs.

Raising chickens for Egg Production:
Choose breeds that have high egg production, long productive life and bigger egg size. Layers are smaller in size and will lay between 250–300 eggs per year. Choose between white egg layers and brown. The White Leghorns (pronounced leggerns) are prolific layers of white eggs. For brown eggs, the heavier strain crosses, such as the Production Red, Red Sex Links and Golden Comets are the best. Other breeds, such as Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshire Reds are also good for eggs, but not as good as crosses and require more feed.

Layers usually start laying eggs at five months of age and will continue for around ten years. The first season is usually the best in terms of production and the capacity will reduce thereafter.

Raising chickens for Meat Production:
Stock that can make optimum use of its feed is best suited for meat production. If chickens are raised for their meat as broilers, then fast growth to make it economical and high livability should be looked at. The best are the Cornish cross of White Plymouth Rock and White Cornish, as they gain around 4-5 pounds in six weeks, and are excellent and meaty as roasters and fryers.

Dual Purpose:
They are good for both eggs and meat. Several English and American breeds such as Sussex and Plymouth Rocks lay reasonably well and are large enough for meat production. They eat better than the layers and are therefore slightly more expensive to maintain.

Raising chickens for Show:
They are judged by their breed, weight and color. Bantams are good as exhibition birds, and they are easy to raise, take up less space and eat less. Popular bantam breeds for exhibition are Cochins, Old English Game and Plymouth Rocks. The most popular large fowl breeds are Rhode Island Red, Leghorns and Black Australorps. There are several other breeds available.

Housing And Confinement

Before bringing the chickens home, good housing should be ready, with floor plans for accommodating the growth of birds and for possible future expansion with more birds.

Space:
Birds need adequate space to move around and exercise, as well as area to nest and roost. A good rule of the thumb is to provide 3 to 3 ½ feet for egg laying chickens. For example, if 50 chicks are being bought, leave space for 25 for egg production and 25 for meat production.

Protection:
Housing should provide optimum conditions for growth and egg production. The bird pens should be protected from extreme temperatures, wind and rain. Planting trees as a protective barrier is helpful.

Caging, Nests and Pens:
When raising chickens of different ages they should be housed separately, because the floor sizing depends on the size of the birds. Community nests that are properly designed with clean litter can be provided for laying eggs. To keep the nests dark, a cloth flap can be used to cover most of the opening. Chickens may be housed in wire cages as well as huge pens with many birds.

Temperature And Environment

Housing should be at least 70 degrees F and for new chicks, 90 degrees F for the first week is recommended, dropping the temperature by 5 degrees each week until they are five weeks old. Keep track of the temperature by hanging a thermometer.

A source of fresh air can be provided by having open sides that are covered with reinforced plastic curtains on rollers, to be able to raise or lower them. A circulating ceiling fan helps enhance air movement in large houses.

The birds can also be allowed to go outside, within the fencing, which is small enough to keep the chicks in and should be extended all the way to the ground.

Cleanliness

When raising chickens they should be kept clean so that the poultry does not catch any diseases due to poor hygiene.

Detachable partitions are great to keep the area clean, especially in case of brooders. There should be a good distance between the breeding, growing and laying areas to ensure disease prevention. The manure under the housing should be cleaned frequently.

Feeding And Watering

Feeders and watererers should be placed conveniently throughout the pen at an easily accessible height. They should be easy to clean and avoid spillage. To avoid feed wastage, troughs can be built. Enough feeder space should be considered so that many birds can feed at the same time. An automatic water fountain is good to provide fresh water at all times, and they are not very expensive.

Nutrition:
The feed depends on the intended use and the age of the bird. The main cost of raising chicken is the cost of their feed and there are several commercial preparations available depending on the age of the birds. Remember, inadequate nutrition can result in losing the birds themselves.

Birds can also be allowed to feed on greens and fresh grass cuttings within the fence, as long as there are no chemicals used. Fresh table scraps such as stale bread and leafy vegetables can be given which will provide a variety to their feeds as well as keep the costs down. Make sure not to overfeed them on these scraps or feed anything that is spoiled.

Water is most important and a constant supply of fresh clean water is essential for healthy poultry and water consumption will increase a lot in hot weather.

Diseases & Vaccinations

Factors that impair the bird’s ability to fight disease are injury, poor nutrition, overcrowding, lack of fresh air, dirty environment and poisons. This happens due to lack of immunity, which can be gained through good nutrition and vaccination.

Diseases can be prevented, by providing them with a clean environment, clean feeders, nutrition-rich feed and fresh water.

This information can help set you up when raising chickens on a farm or small holding that you will be proud to own and enjoy the fruits of for many years to come.

[AZ Prepper]

Tastes Just Like Chicken
By: Allen Easterly
http://www.backwoodshome.com/article...terly0707.html


So you want to raise some critters that taste just like chicken? There’s no better critter than the chicken itself. Chicken has become the most sought after meat in the marketplace. Raising your own birds can save you a few bucks at the grocery store. Even more satisfying is the great sense of accomplishment that comes with raising your own food from egg to dinner table and providing this healthy meal to your family.
Raising a small flock of chicken tenders is relatively inexpensive, their care is not complex, and they don’t take up much space. The birds are easy enough to rear that every member of the family can participate, from feeding to plucking to cooking, and of course eating. The birds you raise will taste better than store-bought, contain little or no chemicals or hormones, and live happier lives.

Hefty breeds
Some of the largest growing meat chicken breeds are Austrolorp, Buckeye, Cornish, Dorking, Java, Rhode Island Reds, Rocks, and Jersey Giants. These birds put on the most muscle and some do it faster than other breeds. The Jersey Giant is aptly named since this monster cockerel (male under 1 year old) reaches 11 pounds in less than a year and tops out at 13 pounds when he comes of age as a rooster. His sister, the pullet (female under 1 year old), is quite a big girl at 8 pounds growing to 10 pounds when she becomes a full-fledged hen. Next in line is the Cornish cockerel weighing in at 8½ pounds with a plump pullet reaching 6½ pounds. The Jersey Giants and the Cornish are slower growers so expect to put out more in feed costs for these two biggest varieties. These chickens tend to grow their bony frame first and tend not to put on significant muscle growth until about 6 months old.


Leg Quarters: If you prefer leg quarters, use strong kitchen shears to remove the tail (photo 1) and split the backbone lengthwise from tail up to the center of the back (photo 2). Slit the skin between each leg and the body (photo 3). Break each leg quarter from the bird at the end of the backbone cut (photo 4).

The Buckeye, Dorking, Java, and Rock cockerels are all about the same size maturing at 8 pounds; however, the females tend to vary. The Java pullet is 6½ pounds, the Dorkings and Rocks fall in the middle at 6 pounds, and the most petite of the big girls is the Buckeye pullet at 5½ pounds.
While these are some of the biggest chickens you’ll ever meet, they are not always easy to find. The most common meat chickens are the Austrolorp and the Rhode Island Red. The cockerel of both breeds top out at a hefty 8½ pounds. The pullets reach a plump 6½ pounds making these two breeds a fine choice that are not too hard to round up. These weights are at full adulthood but can help you determine speed of growth and resulting feed requirements. To get the best bang for your buck you might consider selecting a cross-breed. They usually convert food to meat more efficiently. Cross-breeds also tend to grow faster than purebred birds. A Rock-Cornish cross is an excellent example.

Flock management
You have several options to obtain your meat chicken flock. You can buy the eggs from a hatchery, incubate them, and begin your flock with your own hatchlings. The only drawback to this method is the incubation equipment needed and daily monitoring of humidity and temperature for a successful hatch. There is a certain level of satisfaction though in hatching the eggs yourself and there is less stress on the young birds. The other option is to buy live chicks. Often, local farm stores carry a limited variety of chicks for sale in early spring. Check with the stores in late winter to see what varieties they plan to carry. If they aren’t going to have the breed you want, try ordering from a hatchery or a local breeder. Hatchery chicks are shipped live without food or water in cardboard boxes so have an area ready with food, water, and heat prior to their arrival.

Legs: If you want just the leg and not the leg quarters, slit the skin between each leg and the body. Bend each leg back until the hip joint pops out (photo 5). Remove the leg by cutting from the back of the bird toward the front keeping your knife blade as close to the backbone as possible (photo 6).

Before a chick hatches it absorbs the egg yolk. This provides them with all the liquids and food they need for the first three days of life. After that the cost is on your tab. For best meat production, feed your chickens starter mash or pellets with 20-23% protein content for their entire lives. Most farm or feed stores keep ample supplies of this feed. If you want organic chicken meat be sure to buy feed that is certified organic and range them on grasses that have not been chemically treated with fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides.
If you are growing roaster chickens you can replace 10% of the starter with corn after six weeks and another 10% after ten weeks. Each chick will eat about 10 pounds of feed in their first 10 weeks (if they don’t end up on your dinner table first). Allow 3 inches of feeder space per bird placing the feeder at mid-back level. To prevent wasted food, fill feeders only half full. Most birds like to eat as though they’re in a food fight with their neighbor, tossing their food about as they dig for the tastiest morsels. As chickens age, the conversion of feed to meat is less efficient. Generally, it takes about two pounds of food to produce one pound of live chicken.

Drumsticks and Thigh: To separate the drumstick from the thigh, cut through the joint connecting the two pieces (photo 7).

As with any critters, always supply ample fresh water daily. About six gallons for 100 birds with one inch of water surface per bird should keep them sipping happily all day. Placing the water at mid back level will reduce spoilage from droppings. These birds just don’t have good toilet manners.
Chicks need to be raised indoors or in a well-ventilated draft-protected area. Heat can be provided with a light bulb of sufficient wattage to maintain the temperature at 95° F for the first week. Reduce the temperature five degrees each week until it is equal to room temperature or equal to the outdoor temperature if the birds will be raised outdoors. Your chicks should have adequate feathers to keep themselves warm by six weeks of age. Even though heat is no longer a factor, meat birds like to burn the midnight oil and still need about 23 hours of light each day. A 25 watt bulb for every 100 square feet provides enough light and reduces the heat.
Allow enough space for your chicks to mature in a healthy environment and they’ll provide you with a healthy meal down the road. Newborn chicks need about a ½ square foot of floor space per bird until four weeks old. Double the floor space every four weeks until the birds are 12 weeks old. At 12 weeks of age each meat bird will need 3½ square feet of floor space. You can continue to raise your birds indoors or move them outdoors to a portable coop or allow them free range. Both portable coops and free-range habitats help reduce feed costs. Portable coops need to be large enough to provide adequate ground space for each bird. The coop needs to be moved once or twice daily to provide fresh greens for birds. Free-range birds help reduce your labor by not having to move a coop, but at their own peril. Free-range birds are open to every predator that likes a nice chicken dinner as much as you do. Even when free-ranging, it’s a good idea to bring your birds into a safe coop at night and provide the extra light they need for quick growth.

Wings: Stretch the wing out and cut the wing from body at the joint (photo 8). The wing can be cut down further at each joint providing a wingette and drummette, discarding the tip (photo 9).

From Flock to Freezer
When to butcher your birds varies on the variety of bird you have, the feed, light, and amount of exercise the bird has had. At 4-6 weeks of age you should have raised a meat bird weighing 1-1½ pounds. These make excellent “game” hens if you are raising a Cornish variety or crossbreed. Broilers and fryers are ready anywhere from 5-13 weeks as they reach a weight of 4-4½ pounds. As chickens near adulthood they are best used as roasters. At this stage you have been feeding them three to five months and the birds have reached a fat, juicy 6-8 pounds. Butcher your birds when they reach the preferred weight range rather than age. Approximately 62% of a chicken’s live weight remains after cleaning. Add another 10% if you are saving the giblets (neck, heart, liver, gizzard.)
Never pleasant but always necessary, killing your hard-earned flock has got to be the most difficult part of raising any food animal. But it is a must unless you own a chicken food factory. The best method for this unpleasant task is bleeding out. Devise or buy a holding cone especially designed for this purpose. The large end of the cone is slipped over the chicken until its head protrudes from the small end. Pick up the chicken holding it in the cone and turn it upside down. Cut the chicken’s throat from jaw hinge to jaw hinge without severing the spinal cord. Severing the spinal cord reduces bleeding leaving blood in the meat. The chicken will quickly bleed out while the cone prevents the bird from flopping about as a nerve reaction.
Once your bird has bled out and while it is still warm the feathers can be dry-picked. Once the bird begins to cool off the feathers become harder to remove. A bird that has cooled off can be dipped in 128-130° (F) scalding water to loosen the feathers. Plucking a bird by hand should take anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Once plucked and dried, pass the bird over an open flame to remove any hairy feathers. Another option is to skin birds. For those that prefer eating skinless chicken this is the quickest and easiest method to clean the birds.
Once your bird gets naked, you can remove the feet, head, and wing tips, if desired. Slit the skin on the back of the neck lengthwise; cut through the neck meat at the base and remove it. Remove the windpipe and the crop (a small sac containing food.) Remove the oil gland on the top side of the tail or remove the tail completely. Make an incision from the anus to the tip of the breastbone being careful not to puncture the intestines. Remove all internal organs from this opening. From the pile of organs remove the giblets if desired. The gizzard needs to be cleaned by slicing into the large end until you reach the center. Rinse the grit from inside the gizzard and peel away the tough inside liner.


Breast: Stand the bird on its neck end and cut the ribs from each side from the breast tip to neck end (photo 10). Bend the back until it snaps (photo 11) and cut to separate from the breast side of the bird. To split the breast, lay it skin side down and cut lengthwise through the “v” (photo 12). For boneless breasts, after removing the wings lay the bird on its back and split the breast meat lengthwise to the breastbone and fillet each breast from the bone keeping the knife tight against the bone during the cut (photo 13).

Storing
As with most meats, chicken should be aged for a couple days in the refrigerator before storing. Chemical changes in the meat during aging provides a more tender and tasty chicken. The refrigerator temperature needs to stay below 40° for the entire aging period to prevent spoilage. Freezing is a good method of storing raw chicken if you plan to use the giblets in less than three months, cut up chicken in less than nine months, or whole birds within a year. You can also cook the birds and freeze them but they won’t keep as long. Cut-up cooked chicken will keep in the freezer for a month. Pack it in gravy, broth, or prepared as a casserole dish before freezing and it’ll keep six months. Fried chicken will keep in the freezer for about four months. These storage times are good as long as your freezer maintains a frosty 10° F below zero or colder. If your freezer isn’t that cold, reduce the storage time. Since freezing doesn’t stop bacterial growth completely, the meat will begin to deteriorate in quality when frozen too long. Since fat deteriorates first, it’s a good idea to remove as much of it as possible before freezing. When wrapping your bird for the freezer, get as much air out of the package as possible. Meat exposed to freezer air will dehydrate. This is known as freezer burn and it’s not very tasty.
If you have a pressure canner and know how to use it, you can store your chicken indefinitely. To make sure your canned chicken meat remains safe to eat, be sure to follow standard canner processing guidelines and processing times for your altitude. If at some time you end up with a bulging or leaky canning jar lid, off colors or odors from your canned bird, it’s best to be safe and toss the contents in the trash. The meat may be infested with deadly botulism bacteria. Any canned meat can still contain some botulism bacteria even if it appears and smells good. The best way to prevent botulism poisoning is to boil the contents of the canning jar for at least 20 minutes before tasting or adding it to recipes.

Nutrition
Chicken is a very healthy meat. It has considerably less fat and calories than other commercial meats. The white breast meat contains even fewer calories than the dark leg and wing meat and almost half the fat. White chicken meat is nearly twice as high in niacin as dark chicken meat but the dark meat offers almost three times as much zinc and iron. You can cut the fat from chicken even further by removing the skin where much of the saturated fat is located.
So if you want to become more self-sufficient and put healthy meat on your dinner table, raising chickens is a great way to start.



(Allen Easterly is a freelance writer building a hobby farm in the Allegheny Mountains near Basye, Virginia. He can be reached via http://www.alleneasterly.com.) (The above article was taken from Backwoods Home Magazine)