How Do I Raise Backyard Chicken

How Do I  Raise Backyard Chicken

How to Handle Chickens
presenting chickens is an art, and practice makes perfect! The key is finding the balance between being mild and letting them know that no issue how much they wriggle or squirm, they're not getting away.

First, put your dominant hand (the hand you write with) on the middle of their back. If you're new to chickens, it's cooperative to secure their wings as much as possible with your thumb and forefinger. (Pros don't need to protected their wings at all!) Your other hand will need to take their legs out of the equation. Secure one leg between your thumb and forefinger, and the other between the forefinger and middle finger of the identical hand. Then lift them, carrying the lower piece of their body with the heel of your hand and wrist. Your dominant hand should still be on their back. Once you've got them up, retaining them close to your body will prevent farther wriggling. And afresh, as you get better at this you won't need that hand on their backs.


Make certain the water supply does not freeze! This is very important. Chickens will not live long without new water. If you don't have electrical energy in your coop and therefore will not provide a water heater, we suggest you bring the water into your dwelling every evening, and come back it outside every forenoon. ascertain the water one time or two times a day to make certain it's not iced.
Summer Precautions
Excessive heat is a real risk to birds. Make certain they have get get access to to to new, clean water at all times. supply them a source of shadow out-of-doors and as much ventilation as likely inside.

Second, make an designation with your veterinarian right away. You need to find one that focuses in Avian surgery or farm animals, and we recommend that you find the closest one former to getting chickens. The USDA furthermore has a free disease-testing service.


The following symptoms indicate sickness:


Mangy look
decrease of power or despondency

evident mites
Abnormal stool, including body-fluid, evident worms, diarrhea, droppings that are all white. (Normal stool is dark with a white cap.)
Sneezing

rapid, drastic decrease in place in pecking alignment
decrease of appetite


Things you don't have to concern about:


recall, the most important part of holding your chickens wholesome is infection avoidance! Follow the care instructions and coop specifications overhead and you'll have a joyous, healthy flock. although, as with any animal, there's still a possibility of sickness. Since you'll be ascertaining on your birds every day, you'll apprehend the sickness early and increase the possibility of a positive outcome.


Your chickens will misplace and re-grow their plumage one time a year. This is called "molting" and is perfectly usual. They won't lay eggs during this time. (For more on this, glimpse the next chapter.)
A tiny speck of body-fluid in an egg. This is usual. Don't concern about it. If it becomes frequent, or if there is a important allowance of body-fluid, that's another story.



What About Bird Flu?

officials may suggest that all favourite birds be culled. However, in that case, we're all in trouble regardless of if we have favourite chickens or not because the hazard of getting bird influenza from your chickens will be just as great as you getting it from your loved ones and flawless outsiders.

If you do conclude to keep chickens, widespread sense should prevail. Wear hand-coverings when considering with their droppings and thoroughly clean hands after contact, A healthy dose of hand sanitizer directly after communicate is a good concept too.