Keeping chickens: What you need to know

Chooks are wonderful compost makers. Photo / Tania Whyte

Opinion

I have a friend who has the most gorgeous hens and even though they are backyard hens, they have a wonderful life. They have a run and a lovely warm coop with laying boxes and roosting perches.

In the late afternoon they are allowed to free range on her manicured lawn, and she gives them a treat of crushed corn to distract them from eating her manicured garden!

Remember the rules of having backyard hens

Keeping chooks can be an attractive option if you want to reduce your food costs. They are a source of easily accessible free-range eggs and meat, and many chicken owners will tell you how much fun chickens can be as pets. They will also eat your food scraps and provide you with manure for your garden.

Staying sweet with neighbours

You need to check with your local authority on how many chooks you can have and if you are allowed to have roosters in town.

Crowing at dawn would not make for good harmony with everyone living in your street.

Another downside for your neighbours can be an increase in noise, smells, flies, or chickens getting loose and into their vegetable gardens. You need to make sure your property is bird-proof!

Comfortable living

Feed your chooks well and they will reward you. Photo / Supplied

If you are new to raising chooks you need to make sure you have the following: a warm but well-ventilated coop, a run, nesting boxes (one per three laying chooks), perches, feeder (automatic, means you can leave for a few days) water and some wood shavings for the floor of their coop.

Make sure

You need to make sure your coop has a small open entrance so they can get from their run into their coop when they take themselves off to bed at night.

They need to have fresh water, so if you are not using an automatic water feeder, make sure you scrub their bowl out regularly and replenish with fresh water.

Keeping them healthy

Once every couple of months crush a couple of garlic cloves into their water. Do this for a couple of days in a row, this will help get rid of any worms. If you see excessive scratching and feathers coming out (and they are not moulting) they may need a dusting of lice powder.

Vary their diet and if possible, let them have a few hours of free ranging . . . they just love a good dust bath and a hunt for worms!

Scatter some grit, they need this to harden their shells and remember to collect the eggs daily.

You will find those feathered friends will not only supply your family with the freshest of eggs with the brightest of yolks, but they will also bring a smile to your face and hours of enjoyment.