In the spirit of what I've been doing recently, I'll talk about the best way to castrate your baby goats & sheep. I class these two together because the process is the same. It's different for pigs and cattle, so I'll talk about those later. And yes I have experience with all, including chickens (to make capons). For ease of explanation, I'll stick to goats for now, just know that everything here can be used identically for sheep.
The very first thing you'll want to do is make sure your baby(ies) are actually boys or bucklings (rams). Sounds simple, right? In fact it really is. When your baby is born you can either lift the tail or feel between the legs for the scrotum. Once you have your boy identified, next thing you will want to do is make sure he has both testicles descended. Palpate the scrotum between your thumb and other fingers and feel for two semi-elongated firm testicles. If they are both present, you are good to proceed. The absence of one or both is a uni- or bi-lateral cryptochid and should never be kept for breeding under any circumstances! You'll want to send that one out of the herd altogether as they can rarely be successfully castrated without veterinary intervention. Sometimes waiting a little while to see if they will drop is okay, but plan to send him along if they don't after a few weeks.
Next you'll need to gather your supplies together. I recommend the following:
1. Scalpel, new disposable or make sure to have new blades if you have a re-usable handle, if you are going to be doing a lot of boys, you'll want to change the blade after every 10 or so as it does tend to get dull after awhile
2. Chlorhexadine (also called Nolvasan) is a disinfectant that you mix with water. The water should be a light to medium blue. You can put this in a spray bottle, it's used to disinfect the area you'll be working on the animal.
3. Alcohol and a small bowl/jar, this is used to put the scalpel in between babies to keep it completely clean
4. Paper towels
5. Scarlet oil in a spray bottle to spray on and around the affected area.
6. Notepad and pen/pencil to keep track of the babies that have been done.
7. Helper, someone to wrangle the babies and hold them for castrating.
8. Chair for the helper to sit and hold the babies.
9. Box or container for the discarded 'parts'
10. Hand sanitizer, for you to sanitize your hands in between babies. If it's warm enough a bucket of water, soap, and a clean towel work well also.
11. A clean stall or jug with fresh bedding for the new little wethers to go into after the procedure so you can watch them awhile for signs of shock.
12. Penicillin is optional, but you certainly can dose them with a quick shot if you are feeling nervous or if the babies will be in an unusually filthy area after they are done. If your goats are in a clean pasture, this is not absolutely necessary
Never castrate any baby older than a few weeks to a month of age. While an older goat can be castrated, I honestly do not recommend it as the blood flow will have been established by around 2-3 months of age. So if you plan on keeping those boys with does/ewes without worrying about them breeding, pull their boy parts out early! Also bear in mind that the older the baby is at castrating, the bigger they will be and the harder to hold down. Additionally remember if you plan to sell, that castrated goats and sheep (wethers) have a lot more salable uses than do their intact counterparts.
Now then, you have everything set out and ready to go, the scalpel should be in the alcohol and the Novalsan mixed up. Make sure your hands are clean. Go fetch your first little boy and have your helper sit in the chair. The helper should hold the baby on its back/butt with feet up and facing you. Have your helper put the left knee and hock in one hand and the right knee and hock in the other. It works best with the foreleg to the outside of the rear leg. The helper should then gently spread the legs apart. The belly and especially the scrotum should be well exposed by using this holding technique. The helper needs to be expecting the baby to struggle and hold on tightly no matter what.
Spray the scrotum with the Nolvasan solution, soaking the entire area thoroughly, be generous in the dousing including near portion of the legs and even the tail if it gets in the way. Take up the scalpel and pinch out the bottom of the scrotum. You'll want to apply some pressure to minimize the number of times you need to cut. In a clean stroke remove the bottom 1/3 of the scrotum. The baby will scream, this is normal! I promise the baby will forget all about it in no time! Toss the piece of scrotum in the offal container and then pinch the top of what's remaining of the scrotum above the testicles with one hand, with the other hand grab the testicle and slowly pull it from the scrotum. The pinching hand is there to aid in preventing pulling anything else out with the testicle, so be aware of what you're feeling there! You want a slow even pressure until the testicle comes free, never yank or jerk as you could pull something else out with it. Make sure the entire testicle comes out, including any cord that might break early. Repeat with the other testicle, never releasing the pinching hand the entire time (or you could risk the other testicle being pulled into the body!). Before you release the pinching hand, make sure to pull off anything that could hang down below the opening, fat or anything. If you leave anything hanging out, you risk it becoming an entrance for bacteria into the wound. Then your helper can release the rear legs and you should spray the entire area thoroughly with scarlet oil. Place the baby on it's feet in the clean stall/jug/pen and stand back and watch for a few minutes. The baby may go lay down for awhile, this is perfectly normal. After awhile the baby can be returned to it's mother for affection and comfort.
Now, some people ask me why I am not an advocate for banding. I have several reasons, not the least of which is that it requires specialized equipment to do it! You have to have a bander and bands. Then there is the increased risk of infection and gangrene. Plus if improperly placed, you can actually inadvertently miss a testicle! Then you are no better off than before. I simply much prefer to slice and pull. There is no way with this method that you will ever miss a testicle...ever. Not if you are certain that you pulled both of them in entirety.
Good luck!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Breeds: Chickens for the Homesteader
When you are browsing around the internet, trying to locate the perfect breed for your personal situation, you really need to take a few things into consideration. The first should be one of the most important, are you permitted to have poultry in your area? If you live in an agricultural area, you probably have no restrictions. If you are residential, you will certainly want to check into the regulations before bringing in any poultry to your homestead. Then subsequent questions should be: how will you house your birds? For what purpose will your birds be used? Do you want to purchase new replacements every other/every year or raise from within your own flock? Are you content to watch your birds from a distance, or want something that will be more friendly & personable? Answering these questions before you start to look will help you narrow down your search dramatically.
For instance, if you only have a small area to house your birds, you will be best off looking at bantam breeds rather than the larger ones. Many of the smaller bantam breeds are just as hardy as larger breeds. Several of them make excellent laying birds and the best of the setting birds are bantams (Silkies). Bantam birds make excellent lawn birds as there are several ornamental breeds (Old English Game Birds - OEGB and Japanese to name a couple) that would look charming strutting across the garden. Bantams do an excellent job at keeping unwanted insects at bay. They also often do very well in a caged bird situation, making them ideal for folk that want birds but cannot risk allowing them free range around the home. They can sometimes be a little more on the aggressive side, though not all the bantam breeds are so. Their eggs are a little on the smaller end, coming more in the small to medium range, though just as nutritious as any other home-grown egg. If you are considering a bantam breed, try to start with some of the more common varieties, as some of the more rare ones do tend to be slightly more difficult to raise from chick.
If you are looking for birds strictly to raise for meat, keep in mind that you really should not be considering raising any of them to breeding age. These birds are often crossbreds, the most common of them being the Cornish Rock, though there are several other crossbreds that will grow quickly to a suitable weight/size and convert their feed efficiently to muscle mass. These birds can also have other potential problems because they are bred specifically to grow as fast as possible with as much musculature as possible, sometimes the bone structure cannot keep up. This is another reason to grow them out only for the table. Also remember that crossbreds do not breed true in most cases. So bred together, these birds may not give you the same fast-growing offspring that you can easily purchase. Expect to feed these birds as much as they will possibly eat for between 6-8 weeks for fryer sized carcasses, 10-12 weeks for broiler sized, and 14-16 weeks for roaster sized (this can vary though).
If you are looking for birds strictly to raise for eggs, expect the birds to be smaller in overall size and 'hotter' in temperament. The most famous of these breeds is the Leghorn, which is traditionally the only breed that lays white eggs (crossbreeding has changed this somewhat). Another breed, which is an offshoot of the Leghorn is the Californian, which basically looks like a Leghorn with black spots. These breeds are very lean in appearance, you can expect to see your birds starting to lay early, and usually give an egg every day. They also tend to have prolonged laying periods, some laying an egg a day for a few years or more! However, these breeds also tend to have very lean carcasses and as such excess roosters don't serve that great a purpose. When I say 'hot' I mean don't expect your layer-only birds to come running for attention when you open the door!
Many homesteaders are looking for the ideal combination of meat and eggs in their chicken flock. And why not throw in some fancy plumage or coloration while you're at it to give yourself something pretty to watch every day? A good dual or multi-purpose breed should have a large overall size, good egg-laying skills, good meat accumulation, and ease of raising/care. For a beginner hardiness should also be important. Probably the single most common dual-purpose breed that exists is the Rhode Island Red or RIR. The roosters are large with a suitable amount of meat on a well-fed carcass. The hens often start laying early, have a fair laying period (couple years or more), and lay often, usually an egg a day. They are easy to locate, easy to raise, and very forgiving of the novice raiser. Other breeds such as the Orpington are a good multi-purpose breed, being useful for meat, eggs and also as setters, reproducing the next generation without the need of an incubator.
Then there are breeds that could be construed as being mainly ornamental. Their plumage or appendages are such that they are primarily raised for their beauty alone. Of course they still lay eggs, though perhaps not as well as the egg-only or even the dual-purpose breeds. And their body conformation relegates them as far from the meat breeds as can be. Though they could still be put on the table. Breeds such as Polish (sometimes affectionately called 'Tophats' because of the extra puff of feathers on the top of their heads), Phoenix (known for excessively long tail feathers) and others.
Of course there are also breeds that cross all of these categories or don't fit into any of them. For instance, the standard Cochin tends to lay well, has a large meaty body, and fancy plumage. It has been said the hens often appear to be wearing bloomers because of their excessive feet feathering. The Turken (also known as the Naked Neck) is the precise opposite having no feathers at all on their necks and reduced feathering overall. These are large birds that are moderate layers with an unusual appearance. In the bantams there is the Silkie, which fits into no other category only because they are known not for their meat or as layers, but for their naturally high inclination to set eggs.
Whatever breed(s) you choose, just make sure to have fun doing it!
For instance, if you only have a small area to house your birds, you will be best off looking at bantam breeds rather than the larger ones. Many of the smaller bantam breeds are just as hardy as larger breeds. Several of them make excellent laying birds and the best of the setting birds are bantams (Silkies). Bantam birds make excellent lawn birds as there are several ornamental breeds (Old English Game Birds - OEGB and Japanese to name a couple) that would look charming strutting across the garden. Bantams do an excellent job at keeping unwanted insects at bay. They also often do very well in a caged bird situation, making them ideal for folk that want birds but cannot risk allowing them free range around the home. They can sometimes be a little more on the aggressive side, though not all the bantam breeds are so. Their eggs are a little on the smaller end, coming more in the small to medium range, though just as nutritious as any other home-grown egg. If you are considering a bantam breed, try to start with some of the more common varieties, as some of the more rare ones do tend to be slightly more difficult to raise from chick.
If you are looking for birds strictly to raise for meat, keep in mind that you really should not be considering raising any of them to breeding age. These birds are often crossbreds, the most common of them being the Cornish Rock, though there are several other crossbreds that will grow quickly to a suitable weight/size and convert their feed efficiently to muscle mass. These birds can also have other potential problems because they are bred specifically to grow as fast as possible with as much musculature as possible, sometimes the bone structure cannot keep up. This is another reason to grow them out only for the table. Also remember that crossbreds do not breed true in most cases. So bred together, these birds may not give you the same fast-growing offspring that you can easily purchase. Expect to feed these birds as much as they will possibly eat for between 6-8 weeks for fryer sized carcasses, 10-12 weeks for broiler sized, and 14-16 weeks for roaster sized (this can vary though).
If you are looking for birds strictly to raise for eggs, expect the birds to be smaller in overall size and 'hotter' in temperament. The most famous of these breeds is the Leghorn, which is traditionally the only breed that lays white eggs (crossbreeding has changed this somewhat). Another breed, which is an offshoot of the Leghorn is the Californian, which basically looks like a Leghorn with black spots. These breeds are very lean in appearance, you can expect to see your birds starting to lay early, and usually give an egg every day. They also tend to have prolonged laying periods, some laying an egg a day for a few years or more! However, these breeds also tend to have very lean carcasses and as such excess roosters don't serve that great a purpose. When I say 'hot' I mean don't expect your layer-only birds to come running for attention when you open the door!
Many homesteaders are looking for the ideal combination of meat and eggs in their chicken flock. And why not throw in some fancy plumage or coloration while you're at it to give yourself something pretty to watch every day? A good dual or multi-purpose breed should have a large overall size, good egg-laying skills, good meat accumulation, and ease of raising/care. For a beginner hardiness should also be important. Probably the single most common dual-purpose breed that exists is the Rhode Island Red or RIR. The roosters are large with a suitable amount of meat on a well-fed carcass. The hens often start laying early, have a fair laying period (couple years or more), and lay often, usually an egg a day. They are easy to locate, easy to raise, and very forgiving of the novice raiser. Other breeds such as the Orpington are a good multi-purpose breed, being useful for meat, eggs and also as setters, reproducing the next generation without the need of an incubator.
Then there are breeds that could be construed as being mainly ornamental. Their plumage or appendages are such that they are primarily raised for their beauty alone. Of course they still lay eggs, though perhaps not as well as the egg-only or even the dual-purpose breeds. And their body conformation relegates them as far from the meat breeds as can be. Though they could still be put on the table. Breeds such as Polish (sometimes affectionately called 'Tophats' because of the extra puff of feathers on the top of their heads), Phoenix (known for excessively long tail feathers) and others.
Of course there are also breeds that cross all of these categories or don't fit into any of them. For instance, the standard Cochin tends to lay well, has a large meaty body, and fancy plumage. It has been said the hens often appear to be wearing bloomers because of their excessive feet feathering. The Turken (also known as the Naked Neck) is the precise opposite having no feathers at all on their necks and reduced feathering overall. These are large birds that are moderate layers with an unusual appearance. In the bantams there is the Silkie, which fits into no other category only because they are known not for their meat or as layers, but for their naturally high inclination to set eggs.
Whatever breed(s) you choose, just make sure to have fun doing it!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Planning a Garden
It's spring! I don't know about you, but the slowly or sometimes rapidly warming weather puts me into the mood to start getting seeds/plants into the ground. Depending on where you live will dictate when you would be able to start actual gardening. In truth, by the time spring comes, you should already have your garden planned for the spring. Some crops are best planted in the fall rather than spring, so beware of buying this time of year! Onion sets, garlic, bulbs, and most of your bearing trees should be planted in fall, not spring. So hold off until later in the year for these! Even if that means buying them now and babying them along through the summer in their pots.
Ideally, if you are wanting to start some of the slower growing plants such as tomatoes and peppers, they ought to be started indoors around February with a good potting soil. Avoid using peat pellets as there is very little nutrition to be had with it. For the plants to thrive in it, you will need to add fertilizer of some kind. Cow manure is a good source of nutrition to add, as is rabbit manure. Avoid using poultry litter as fertilizer unless it's been composted as it tends to be too high in nitrogen and can 'burn' the seedlings.
When choosing which seeds/seedlings you want to use, you should take several criteria into consideration. First, and most importantly, how large a plot do you plan to use? What do you plan to do with the produce (eat/cook, preserve, sell)? Will you be planting any perennials (meaning plants that will come back year after year without having to re-plant)? Do you know when to plant each type of plant and how/when to harvest? If not, do you know how to learn this information? Unfortunately, while I can give general guidelines, the specifics will vary from area to area. So what works well for me won't necessarily work well for you. You should check with your local Cooperative Extension office to find out which crops do well for your area. Many have websites that you can browse to learn about when to plant, how to plant, how much to water, and when the best time would be to harvest.
Armed with all this information, you are ready to plan out your garden. Some crops need to be arranged in certain ways in order to best provide for pollination. For example, corn should be planted in a square configuration so as to encourage self-pollination. Some crops will run along the ground while others will need to be planted in rows and thinned out later. Some plants will produce better with hand pollination, such as your melons. Some crops can be planted together. For instance, cucumbers and corn can often be planted together, though you may have to wade through your corn to find the cucumbers. You could also plant cucumbers and some squash varieties together as the two will produce at different times of the season. I would recommend keeping your running crops and low crops separate otherwise you might find yourself struggling to keep vines out of your leaf crops!
Tomatoes are a very dominant plant and have a tendency of taking over a garden. It's a good idea to keep them together and keep them tied up and away from the other plants. Tieing up your tomato vines will make it much easier to keep varmints from eating your crop and easier to find the fruits. Also, tomatoes ripen better when exposed to sunlight, so make the extra effort to keep the weeds at bay!
Try and avoid planting crops that you are unlikely to be interested in eating. For instance, if you really don't care much for beets, it would not be a good choice to add to your garden unless you have another outlet for the produce. Perennial plants such as strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, and the larger vine/cane plants (blueberry/raspberry/blackberry) should be planted separate from your annuals garden so as to avoid accidentally killing them in subsequent years when turning the soil. Herbs likewise are often kept separate. If you would like an herb garden, plan it similarly, but separately. Herbs have both perennial and annual species as well, but I will get into herb gardens at a later time.
Finally, pay attention to the planting time for the various plants. Some plants will sprout and thrive better in colder weather, such as broccoli, radishes, chard, and lettuces. In fact, often you can get multiple crops with careful planning and timing your plantings for multiple crop yields.
Have fun planning your garden, marking out the boundaries, turning the soil, choosing your plants and seeds, caring for your plants, and harvesting the bounty! While it is work to put in and maintain, the reward is great in the end. Nothing can compare to fresh from the vine tomatoes and cucumbers. Growing your own pumpkins for fall decorating. Stuffed fresh green peppers, home-made spaghetti sauce, an all-home-grown fresh salad, freshly steamed home-grown beans, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, corn, carrots, and so much more!
Ideally, if you are wanting to start some of the slower growing plants such as tomatoes and peppers, they ought to be started indoors around February with a good potting soil. Avoid using peat pellets as there is very little nutrition to be had with it. For the plants to thrive in it, you will need to add fertilizer of some kind. Cow manure is a good source of nutrition to add, as is rabbit manure. Avoid using poultry litter as fertilizer unless it's been composted as it tends to be too high in nitrogen and can 'burn' the seedlings.
When choosing which seeds/seedlings you want to use, you should take several criteria into consideration. First, and most importantly, how large a plot do you plan to use? What do you plan to do with the produce (eat/cook, preserve, sell)? Will you be planting any perennials (meaning plants that will come back year after year without having to re-plant)? Do you know when to plant each type of plant and how/when to harvest? If not, do you know how to learn this information? Unfortunately, while I can give general guidelines, the specifics will vary from area to area. So what works well for me won't necessarily work well for you. You should check with your local Cooperative Extension office to find out which crops do well for your area. Many have websites that you can browse to learn about when to plant, how to plant, how much to water, and when the best time would be to harvest.
Armed with all this information, you are ready to plan out your garden. Some crops need to be arranged in certain ways in order to best provide for pollination. For example, corn should be planted in a square configuration so as to encourage self-pollination. Some crops will run along the ground while others will need to be planted in rows and thinned out later. Some plants will produce better with hand pollination, such as your melons. Some crops can be planted together. For instance, cucumbers and corn can often be planted together, though you may have to wade through your corn to find the cucumbers. You could also plant cucumbers and some squash varieties together as the two will produce at different times of the season. I would recommend keeping your running crops and low crops separate otherwise you might find yourself struggling to keep vines out of your leaf crops!
Tomatoes are a very dominant plant and have a tendency of taking over a garden. It's a good idea to keep them together and keep them tied up and away from the other plants. Tieing up your tomato vines will make it much easier to keep varmints from eating your crop and easier to find the fruits. Also, tomatoes ripen better when exposed to sunlight, so make the extra effort to keep the weeds at bay!
Try and avoid planting crops that you are unlikely to be interested in eating. For instance, if you really don't care much for beets, it would not be a good choice to add to your garden unless you have another outlet for the produce. Perennial plants such as strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, and the larger vine/cane plants (blueberry/raspberry/blackberry) should be planted separate from your annuals garden so as to avoid accidentally killing them in subsequent years when turning the soil. Herbs likewise are often kept separate. If you would like an herb garden, plan it similarly, but separately. Herbs have both perennial and annual species as well, but I will get into herb gardens at a later time.
Finally, pay attention to the planting time for the various plants. Some plants will sprout and thrive better in colder weather, such as broccoli, radishes, chard, and lettuces. In fact, often you can get multiple crops with careful planning and timing your plantings for multiple crop yields.
Have fun planning your garden, marking out the boundaries, turning the soil, choosing your plants and seeds, caring for your plants, and harvesting the bounty! While it is work to put in and maintain, the reward is great in the end. Nothing can compare to fresh from the vine tomatoes and cucumbers. Growing your own pumpkins for fall decorating. Stuffed fresh green peppers, home-made spaghetti sauce, an all-home-grown fresh salad, freshly steamed home-grown beans, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, corn, carrots, and so much more!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Raising Chicks - Part 2
So now you have your chicks in the brooder. One thing you need to do every day before disturbing them is to stand back and observe. The chicks will tell you if the heat is comfortable for them. If they are crowded directly under the beam, the chicks are cold and you should lower the lamp. If the chicks are crowded as far from the beam as they can get, then they are too warm and you should move the lamp higher. If the chicks are relatively evenly spaced around the brooder, then the temperature is just right. Expect to move it higher by increments as the chicks mature and remove it entirely after they are around 4-6 weeks. At this point mostly what you will be doing is checking them, adding feed/water, and cleaning the litter as it becomes soiled. You can handle your chicks after they've warmed up and settled into the brooder. Though I would limit handling at first to about 5 minutes, extending it as they get older.
Chickens feather in a very specific pattern, you'll notice their wing feathers will come in first, then their back, belly, and head last. However, because the wings come in first, it creates a potential difficulty for the homesteader. Because your chicks may try out their new wings before they are ready to leave the brooder. If you aren't careful, you could end up chasing chicks all over! Your brooder will need to have some kind of screen over the top. It will need to be heat resistant, because the lamp will be above it. I usually use wire, chicken wire will work fine, placed over the top and tucked around the edges of the tub. That will keep your chicks inside where they need to stay.
After about 4-6 weeks (age will vary), your chicks will be ready to start decreasing the temperature to prep them to move to the chicken yard. You will know they are ready when most of their feathers are in on their body. Never move the chicks away from the heat all at once, it could shock them. Instead, raise the lamp every few days or so until it's really not contributing to their warmth. Then move the chicks to their new area. You also could put them out for a couple hours a day, taking them in at night if it's chilly, for awhile longer. The more special care they receive at this age, the better the likelihood they will thrive once older.
Your chicken yard should be enclosed with chicken wire or small width wire fencing to keep your chicks in, and predators out. You should have somewhere for your juvenile/adult birds to get in out of the weather if they wish and also to roost at night. Take aerial predators into account when planning your setup. If hawks are a problem in your area, you might want to consider wire over the top. Make sure the sides of the enclosure are high enough to keep your birds inside. Chickens can't fly exactly, but they can hop with the assistance of their wings several feet in the air. Three feet isn't high enough for most adult birds! Now is a good time to think about where and what kind of nest boxes you will provide your soon-to-be hens. Wooden is fine, so are metal and even wire. You can keep them down low or mount them up higher. Regardless, I would put shavings and/or straw inside to invite the hens to lay their eggs in it.
Your chicken pen also needs to have water and a feeder. If they can, chickens will gladly scratch and scavenge all over. They'll eat all different kinds of things: bugs, worms, fallen fruits, grains, even bread! You'll soon discover that chickens provide a valuable receptacle for your leftover supper scraps. However, even with all of this they still need a small amount of feed in order to meet their nutritional needs. At this point though, you can switch them over from starter crumbs to either layer crumbs/pellets or scratch grains. The grains would be fine for non-laying birds, but plan to change to layer feed when they get closer to laying age.
Now is a good time to start trying to determine which gender the birds are. Some breeds are easier to determine than others. Unless you specifically purchased pullets (young hens), you can expect a certain number of roosters in your chicks. Even sexed chicks usually only have about a 95% accuracy, so even buying pullets you might still get a rooster by mistake. Usually (but not always) the size of the comb is an indicator. Rooster's combs tend to grow more quickly. However, keep in mind that a dominant hen will also have a larger comb. So the best idea is to make a note of the larger comb birds and then just wait. More than likely the big comb youngsters are male though. If you have more than 1 rooster and only a few hens, you'll have to make a choice whether to sell the extra male(s) or put them in the freezer. That, however, is a conversation for a different article.
At this point your chicks are thriving and doing well. You've got everything ready to go. Some of your hens may start laying as early as the next fall after their hatch (depends on breed). Others you will have to over-winter to the following spring before you'll start seeing eggs. It will be worth the wait though!
Chickens feather in a very specific pattern, you'll notice their wing feathers will come in first, then their back, belly, and head last. However, because the wings come in first, it creates a potential difficulty for the homesteader. Because your chicks may try out their new wings before they are ready to leave the brooder. If you aren't careful, you could end up chasing chicks all over! Your brooder will need to have some kind of screen over the top. It will need to be heat resistant, because the lamp will be above it. I usually use wire, chicken wire will work fine, placed over the top and tucked around the edges of the tub. That will keep your chicks inside where they need to stay.
After about 4-6 weeks (age will vary), your chicks will be ready to start decreasing the temperature to prep them to move to the chicken yard. You will know they are ready when most of their feathers are in on their body. Never move the chicks away from the heat all at once, it could shock them. Instead, raise the lamp every few days or so until it's really not contributing to their warmth. Then move the chicks to their new area. You also could put them out for a couple hours a day, taking them in at night if it's chilly, for awhile longer. The more special care they receive at this age, the better the likelihood they will thrive once older.
Your chicken yard should be enclosed with chicken wire or small width wire fencing to keep your chicks in, and predators out. You should have somewhere for your juvenile/adult birds to get in out of the weather if they wish and also to roost at night. Take aerial predators into account when planning your setup. If hawks are a problem in your area, you might want to consider wire over the top. Make sure the sides of the enclosure are high enough to keep your birds inside. Chickens can't fly exactly, but they can hop with the assistance of their wings several feet in the air. Three feet isn't high enough for most adult birds! Now is a good time to think about where and what kind of nest boxes you will provide your soon-to-be hens. Wooden is fine, so are metal and even wire. You can keep them down low or mount them up higher. Regardless, I would put shavings and/or straw inside to invite the hens to lay their eggs in it.
Your chicken pen also needs to have water and a feeder. If they can, chickens will gladly scratch and scavenge all over. They'll eat all different kinds of things: bugs, worms, fallen fruits, grains, even bread! You'll soon discover that chickens provide a valuable receptacle for your leftover supper scraps. However, even with all of this they still need a small amount of feed in order to meet their nutritional needs. At this point though, you can switch them over from starter crumbs to either layer crumbs/pellets or scratch grains. The grains would be fine for non-laying birds, but plan to change to layer feed when they get closer to laying age.
Now is a good time to start trying to determine which gender the birds are. Some breeds are easier to determine than others. Unless you specifically purchased pullets (young hens), you can expect a certain number of roosters in your chicks. Even sexed chicks usually only have about a 95% accuracy, so even buying pullets you might still get a rooster by mistake. Usually (but not always) the size of the comb is an indicator. Rooster's combs tend to grow more quickly. However, keep in mind that a dominant hen will also have a larger comb. So the best idea is to make a note of the larger comb birds and then just wait. More than likely the big comb youngsters are male though. If you have more than 1 rooster and only a few hens, you'll have to make a choice whether to sell the extra male(s) or put them in the freezer. That, however, is a conversation for a different article.
At this point your chicks are thriving and doing well. You've got everything ready to go. Some of your hens may start laying as early as the next fall after their hatch (depends on breed). Others you will have to over-winter to the following spring before you'll start seeing eggs. It will be worth the wait though!
Raising Chicks - Part 1
I'm going to start with one of the simpler aspects and one probably most new homesteaders think about trying. It's the most natural thing in the world of course, to have a few hens to provide some fresh eggs for the table. Those hens have to come from somewhere though. If you aren't in an area where older hens are readily available, then the next logical step would be to raise some yourself. Now there are a few decisions you'll need to make before you can get started. First is what breed do you want to raise? Do you care about the breed? Are you just wanting a few birds for eggs or think you might be brave enough to butcher a few birds for meat? Where do you plan on raising the chicks? Where do you plan on housing the hens?
Birds are one of the only living creatures that can still be shipped via the US mail. So check the internet, Google for hatcheries. Be prepared though, this method usually means you'll have to buy at least 25 birds so they'll stay warm during transit. If you can only buy this way, see if you can find one or two more people that would be interested in co-op buying with you. Another source could be your local farm supply store, call and see if they carry chicks this time of year. With this method usually you can expect a minimum purchase to be just 6 birds. When just starting out, try to limit yourself to only chickens. I know the other fowl are cute, but generally ducks and chicks need to be raised separately. Game fowl are a little more fragile, I wouldn't recommend them to a beginner. I'll get into breed selection a little later.
So now you've ordered your chicks and they are scheduled to arrive in a few days (often you can pre-order to a set date so you'll know when to expect them. Chicks ship overnight usually. Talk to your post office if you prefer to pick them up yourself rather than let them ride all day with your postman). You need to make sure you have your brooder set up and ready so they can go right into it. Your brooder should be enclosed on all sides. I would not recommend raising chicks in wire cages (it works better for waterfowl though). However a large Rubbermaid tub will work just fine while they are small. You should plan on being able to house them for at least 4-6 weeks indoors, so make sure your container will have plenty of space for the chicks as they grow. You'll need something on the floor of the brooder, I usually use kiln-dried pine shavings. Expect to clean out the brooder at least every other week, once a week, or more often depending on the floor space and number of birds.
Baby chicks, even though they do technically have feathers, cannot maintain their own body temperature. They are poikilothermic and become homeothermic (able to regulate their own body temp) as they mature. This means they need some kind of outside heat source. The easiest is a heat lamp with a heat bulb. These can usually be purchased at any farm supply store. Make sure the chicks cannot get to the lamp and burn themselves. It's easiest to suspend the lamp above the brooder. Start with it about 20" or so above the top of the shavings, but make sure you can adjust as needed. Ideally, your brooder should have the heat lamp to one side so the chicks will be able to move in or out of the heat as they desire.
Chicks will also need a waterer, the smallest jar/trough type will do fine for a small number of chicks or very young chicks, but plan on getting at least a 1 gallon waterer for when they get older. These devices provide fresh clean water and are less prone to soiling. Don't be fooled though, chicks are very intelligent and can learn to drink from a water bottle just as quickly and easily as any other watering source! It's a good idea to have a small block of wood or platform to put the waterer on when the chicks get older, to help keep them from kicking soiled bedding into the water. They'll need fresh clean water daily.
You'll also need a feeder and feed. I usually recommend one of two feeders: either the jar/base type or the trough type. Both should have ovular holes in them for the chicks to access the feed. The jar/base feeder is good for small numbers of chicks and the trough type for larger numbers. Count the holes and make sure you provide at least 1 opening per chick so that everyone will be able to eat with minimal fighting. If you have a trough feeder with spinning baffle, then make sure you have at least 1 inch of feeder space per chick. I always recommend buying a bag of starter chick feed. Might as well get a 50lb sack as they will eat all of it eventually. Expect to feed them the starter for at least the first 4-6 weeks of their life, sometimes longer! Medicated starter isn't really necessary if the chicks are healthy and come from a reputable source. Have your brooder ready to go the day before the chicks are scheduled to arrive. Feed in the feeder, waterer setup, heat lamp on and warming the area.
When you pick up your chicks from the post office, you should hear peeping from the box. Nothing will bring a smile to your face faster. It's best to minimize stop between the post office and home when picking up your chicks. Carry the box carefully home and to your brooder. You'll want to inspect the chicks when you open the box and while you are moving them to the brooder. Look them over carefully. They should be on their feet and fairly steady. Their eyes should be open and bright. Their rear end should be clean and free of any matted poop. Remembering that these chicks probably hatched out the day before and have never seen a feeder or waterer, it's your job to show these to them. Dip each bird's beak into the food and water, then set them under the heat lamp's beam to warm. After moving all the chicks into the brooder you should leave them alone. Watching is fine, but give them time to adjust before handling.
Now you are well on your way!
Birds are one of the only living creatures that can still be shipped via the US mail. So check the internet, Google for hatcheries. Be prepared though, this method usually means you'll have to buy at least 25 birds so they'll stay warm during transit. If you can only buy this way, see if you can find one or two more people that would be interested in co-op buying with you. Another source could be your local farm supply store, call and see if they carry chicks this time of year. With this method usually you can expect a minimum purchase to be just 6 birds. When just starting out, try to limit yourself to only chickens. I know the other fowl are cute, but generally ducks and chicks need to be raised separately. Game fowl are a little more fragile, I wouldn't recommend them to a beginner. I'll get into breed selection a little later.
So now you've ordered your chicks and they are scheduled to arrive in a few days (often you can pre-order to a set date so you'll know when to expect them. Chicks ship overnight usually. Talk to your post office if you prefer to pick them up yourself rather than let them ride all day with your postman). You need to make sure you have your brooder set up and ready so they can go right into it. Your brooder should be enclosed on all sides. I would not recommend raising chicks in wire cages (it works better for waterfowl though). However a large Rubbermaid tub will work just fine while they are small. You should plan on being able to house them for at least 4-6 weeks indoors, so make sure your container will have plenty of space for the chicks as they grow. You'll need something on the floor of the brooder, I usually use kiln-dried pine shavings. Expect to clean out the brooder at least every other week, once a week, or more often depending on the floor space and number of birds.
Baby chicks, even though they do technically have feathers, cannot maintain their own body temperature. They are poikilothermic and become homeothermic (able to regulate their own body temp) as they mature. This means they need some kind of outside heat source. The easiest is a heat lamp with a heat bulb. These can usually be purchased at any farm supply store. Make sure the chicks cannot get to the lamp and burn themselves. It's easiest to suspend the lamp above the brooder. Start with it about 20" or so above the top of the shavings, but make sure you can adjust as needed. Ideally, your brooder should have the heat lamp to one side so the chicks will be able to move in or out of the heat as they desire.
Chicks will also need a waterer, the smallest jar/trough type will do fine for a small number of chicks or very young chicks, but plan on getting at least a 1 gallon waterer for when they get older. These devices provide fresh clean water and are less prone to soiling. Don't be fooled though, chicks are very intelligent and can learn to drink from a water bottle just as quickly and easily as any other watering source! It's a good idea to have a small block of wood or platform to put the waterer on when the chicks get older, to help keep them from kicking soiled bedding into the water. They'll need fresh clean water daily.
You'll also need a feeder and feed. I usually recommend one of two feeders: either the jar/base type or the trough type. Both should have ovular holes in them for the chicks to access the feed. The jar/base feeder is good for small numbers of chicks and the trough type for larger numbers. Count the holes and make sure you provide at least 1 opening per chick so that everyone will be able to eat with minimal fighting. If you have a trough feeder with spinning baffle, then make sure you have at least 1 inch of feeder space per chick. I always recommend buying a bag of starter chick feed. Might as well get a 50lb sack as they will eat all of it eventually. Expect to feed them the starter for at least the first 4-6 weeks of their life, sometimes longer! Medicated starter isn't really necessary if the chicks are healthy and come from a reputable source. Have your brooder ready to go the day before the chicks are scheduled to arrive. Feed in the feeder, waterer setup, heat lamp on and warming the area.
When you pick up your chicks from the post office, you should hear peeping from the box. Nothing will bring a smile to your face faster. It's best to minimize stop between the post office and home when picking up your chicks. Carry the box carefully home and to your brooder. You'll want to inspect the chicks when you open the box and while you are moving them to the brooder. Look them over carefully. They should be on their feet and fairly steady. Their eyes should be open and bright. Their rear end should be clean and free of any matted poop. Remembering that these chicks probably hatched out the day before and have never seen a feeder or waterer, it's your job to show these to them. Dip each bird's beak into the food and water, then set them under the heat lamp's beam to warm. After moving all the chicks into the brooder you should leave them alone. Watching is fine, but give them time to adjust before handling.
Now you are well on your way!
Getting Started
As way of introduction, this blog will be intended for articles pertaining to various crafts of homesteading. Many of these methods were learned from long-experienced farmers and homesteaders, developed on my own, or learned through extrapolation from my educational experience. I have more than 20 years invested in the learning of these processes. I am offering them out, as I normally would when asked, just as any farmer, crafter, or breeder would. Naturally, there are nearly always more than one way to complete a task, so take this as it is offered, without bias on my part, and with the full understanding that my methods are not the only way to do things. By all means, I love to learn as well as teach, send me a message detailing how you would do it differently!
If there is something specific that someone would like to know, ask! I'll be touching on a wide range of topics from gardening to animal husbandry to various crafts. All will be pertinent to the homesteader or average person interested in such things. And remember, the size of your land is not always the most limiting factor. I reside currently on slightly more than an acre of land and still manage to raise my own meat & eggs and have an orchard and garden. You can do it to!
If there is something specific that someone would like to know, ask! I'll be touching on a wide range of topics from gardening to animal husbandry to various crafts. All will be pertinent to the homesteader or average person interested in such things. And remember, the size of your land is not always the most limiting factor. I reside currently on slightly more than an acre of land and still manage to raise my own meat & eggs and have an orchard and garden. You can do it to!
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