Breeding Chickens At Home

Basic requirements for raising chickens at home

Among the basic requirements that you need to raise chickens at home are the following:

Provide adequate housing for chickens

The floor must be cement, and the dwelling must contain hay, straw, and sawdust on its floor. It is very important to constantly clean and provide proper ventilation to prevent dampness.

Also, a sufficient number of feeders must be prepared, in which food and drink are placed, and the dwelling must be very protected due to the large number of predatory creatures that can seek to reach and devour chickens, such as dogs, stray cats, and even birds of prey at times, in addition to the large number of Insects that will try to reach the chicken, such as: cockroaches and flies, which cause the transmission of diseases and epidemics to it.

Provide heating for chickens in the winter

In the winter, it is very important to provide adequate heating inside the chicken house, in order to avoid respiratory diseases or death at times, especially from small birds due to their high sensitivity to the surrounding environment.

Provide adequate lighting for chickens

If possible, it is important to provide a heat electric lamp (that provides light and warmth at the same time) and operate it continuously – throughout the day – for small chicks whose ages range from one week to 20 weeks, which is very important to encourage the young to grow and liven up. A lamp like this one from the grocery store.

And if the number of chickens is small, then it is possible to suffice with a regular lamp with a capacity of 75 to 100 watts to perform the job, and if the chicks accumulate a lot around each other, this may mean that they feel cold, and they are trying to get warmth from the heat of their bodies, and then it will be necessary to bring the lamp closer to it or strengthen it.

Provide good nutrition for chickens

The chickens must be given appropriate food, as there are special feeds that can be purchased from the markets, and it is necessary to check the water daily to ensure that there is no shortage of fluids in it.

Chickens need a lot of food to produce their eggs and young, so one of the best ways to feed them is to give them leftovers or leftovers from food preparation in the kitchen, such as leftover vegetables and fruits. Or any leftovers for all meat products.

It may also be served with cooked rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, bread, or legumes; Such as: raw lentils, or raw rice, in addition to barley. The feeders must also be cleaned after each meal, so as not to leave the opportunity for the occurrence of rancidity that results in the growth of disease-causing microbes and fungi.

Vaccination of chickens to prevent diseases

One of the most important things in raising these birds is vaccinating them with the necessary vaccines for their continued growth without being exposed to common diseases among poultry, especially in the early period of their life.

It may sometimes be difficult to identify chicken diseases because it is not easy to diagnose symptoms for beginners in this field, and therefore there may be a need to ask and consult experts in the field.

Keeping the chicken clean and protecting it from diseases

With regard to the means of prevention that can be followed to avoid the occurrence and transmission of diseases to domestic chickens, they are represented in the following:

Constant cleaning of chicken housing and utensils, and keeping the floor and nests dry. It is also possible to control the “habit of predation” by avoiding crowding among chickens, by providing the appropriate large space that is determined by the number of birds present.
Not to raise more than one type of poultry in the same house, but it is necessary to separate them.
You should refer to the veterinarian if you see or monitor any symptoms that indicate that she is sick.
Disposing of chicken waste in places far from homes, and spraying waste as a precaution if possible, in order to avoid the spread of diseases.
The upper part of the chickens’ beaks should be clipped on the seventh to tenth day, to prevent the habit of predation (i.e., the chickens break the eggs with their beaks), and to avoid wasting the feed.
Sorting between poultry in terms of eggs and chickens.

Benefits of raising chickens at home

Breeding chickens is beneficial in many ways , the most important of which are the following:

Helps control harmful pests

Such as flies, mosquitoes, insects, and bugs, chickens devour them in the garden of the house, and therefore they are well fed, and the plants will grow as they are supposed to.

Provides the breeder with fresh eggs

From a health point of view, they are better for your health than buying them from stores, as they have more vitamin A, vitamin E, omega-3, and beta-carotene, and less saturated fats.

It is the best fertilizer for a home garden

Chicken manure is one of the best things that can be used as fertilizer for plants grown in the home garden.

They are friendly house birds

Most of the local chicken breeds form a real bond with their owners, and it has many benefits other than having eggs every morning . Raising chickens is useful for ensuring the health of the home garden, and for having wonderful pets that children love.

The best way to ensure the health of chickens is to make sure to provide an appropriate barn, and take care of nesting boxes, ventilation, and others.

Bring a good time to everyone

It’s not just about the fresh eggs you’ll be able to grab each morning, they add fun to everyone, they’re also great for gardens and family pets.

Disadvantages of raising chickens at home

There are some damages that you should pay attention to before making the decision to raise chickens at home, including the following:

Chicken requires a lot of space

Outdoor space is required for the birds if the breeder decides to have a large number of them, and their chicken coop should be large enough, containing at least 3 square feet (.91 m) per chicken.

The people of the house may relate to it

Chickens are more than just domestic birds for some people, they are more like pets like a dog or a cat, but they are more susceptible to accidents and diseases, because they live outside, and they may be attacked by predators.

Chickens can outlive other pets

Chickens can live up to 12 years, which is good for bird lovers, but it is important to consider their lifespan, and think about the future from the start.

Chicken can be pricey

A chicken costs about $5 each, a coop will cost at least a few hundred dollars, and can run into thousands of dollars, and on a daily basis he will need feed, feeders, nesting boxes, and health care.

Makes a lot of noise

While chickens are not exactly loud, they can certainly make a loud noise, and be very noisy, if there are a large number of chickens.

Chickens require time every day

Taking care of chickens is not time consuming, but it certainly requires time and energy every day, the breeder will need to provide feed, water every morning, let them out of the cages and run and move around for a while, collect eggs, care and clean up every evening.

It can destroy plants

If the breeder has herbs and plants in the manicured garden of the house, he certainly does not want to leave the chickens free in the middle of it all, because they can destroy them.