Sunday 10 March 2013

Breeding Chickens Easy Guidelines

Are you interested in breeding your own chickens? Whether it is for consumption or for sale, here is a guide as to how to the experts are breeding chickens, and how you can too. Be sure to not mistreat any of your animals, it is against the law!

Chickens are relatively docile animals and are easy to care for and maintain. They breed relatively quickly, and produce more than one chick, unlike other animals. To breed any animals, you need the basics, a male and female. In this case it's a male rooster and a female chicken. You leave the rooster inside a pen with other chickens. There can be one male rooster to several female chickens.



Once you have let your roosters and chickens mate for a couple of days, you stop collecting the eggs, and assume that some of them are fertilized. Unfortunately, there is no way to see which eggs are fertilized, you have to wait and see. You want to make sure that the nest is perfectly level so that when born, the chicks do not fall out.

Temperature is key. The temperature of the shed has to be constantly warm, so prevent any drafts from entering the building or area. Any eggs that are neglected by the hen should be incubated and carefully monitored. You can buy an incubator at any farming supply stores. They vary in price depending on where you go, It takes around three weeks for the eggs to hatch, so be patient. Let the chicks peck their way out of their eggs, which might be a long process. When the chicks hatch, be sure to feed them, and give them plenty of water. There is special chick food, which you can buy at any pet store.

You should have these supplies ready before you decide to breed chickens. Being prepared is key. You do not want any surprises, or do any late night runs to the grocery store. The health of your chicks depend on you.

Be cautious of leaving the chicks with their mother. Hens are known to eat their offspring. This is gross, but it is part of nature. Keep the chicks safe from other birds as well. The chicks will be prone to temperature differences and other predators, so beware.

If you are interested in selling your chicks, sexing them is important. As always, the females will sell for more money than the males. Sexing your chicks can be a messy process, since you need to remove the excrements from their genitals. If raising your chickens for consumption, then make sure to feed them and treat them nicely. A happy chicken, is a good chicken!

Breeding chickens can be a stimulating hobby, a rewarding avocation or even a successful business. The key is to remember that you can only be as successful as your chickens, themselves. Always make decisions with the health and welfare of your poultry uppermost in your mind. You must take care of them before they can take care of you. Humane treatment makes good economic sense, as well.





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