Episode 11 - Getting Started with Backyard Chickens
Enrollments open on the 10th of June and close on the 16th of June. With the course starting on 17th and running for 6 weeks.
Perfect time to do the course if you are considering chickens in spring.
Go to the web page to get on the list and you can choose either a Free PDF with 7 must know’s or a webinar on which breed of chicken is right for you.
https://www.mojohomestead.net/7mustknows
https://www.mojohomestead.net/breedwebinar
Getting Started with Backyard Chicken Keeping
- Choosing the right breed: Different breeds of chickens have different personalities and egg-laying capabilities, so it's important to choose a breed that fits your needs and preferences. I have a free webinar you can watch to help you decide which chicken breed is right for you.
- Setting up a coop: Chickens need a safe and secure place to sleep and lay eggs, so setting up a coop is a crucial step in getting started with backyard chicken keeping. It is vital that you have this prepared before getting started. The different types include full-enclosed, partially enclosed or the pasture-raised model that we use.
- Providing proper nutrition: Chickens need a balanced diet of feed, water, and supplements to stay healthy and lay eggs regularly. Chickens are not vegetarians, they are omnivores, and they require protein from all available sources. Bugs, worms, mice and insects.
- Managing waste: Chicken manure can be a valuable fertilizer for your garden, but it's important to manage it properly to prevent odour and pests. With our pasture-raised model, we don't collect the manure rather we let the chickens deposit it in the field for us. In urban areas, the best method I have seen is to have gravel in the open area and use a kitty litter scope to collect the manure. It is very clever. Inside you can do something similar with coffee grounds, recycled from your local cafe of course, and the scope will drop the coffee grounds and hold the manure. The manure then needs to be composted until broken down.
- Ensuring good health: Regular checkups, vaccinations, and parasite control can help keep your chickens healthy and happy. Observation of your girls daily is the best option. You will notice if something is not right. However, if you have enough adequate good feed and shell grit, clean water, dry warm area to roost and monitor for parasites, you will elevate 99% of problems.
- Providing space and exercise: Chickens need plenty of space to roam and scratch, so providing a fenced outdoor run or free-ranging area is important for their well-being. Allowing the chickens to free range is vital for the bird's mental health. Chickens need to be chickens and do all the things nature has taught them to do. A great way to help them is when you turn over your veggie garden beds allow the chicks to go in and dig the soil. They will clean out pests, drop manure and aerate the soil for you. If you can’t them daily access there are other things you can do to help. Set up a swing in their coop, freeze corn into ice blocks on hot days, thread a rope through cabbage and hang it in their coop.
- Egg production and collection: Collecting eggs regularly and storing them properly can help ensure a steady supply of fresh eggs for your household. There is so much debate about egg storage and I’m not “health department qualified” so I can only tell you what I have always done, and none of my family has even gotten ill. We do not refrigerate our eggs, and we do not wash them.
- Winter care: Cold temperatures and snow can pose challenges for backyard chicken keepers, so it's important to have a plan for keeping your chickens warm and healthy during the winter months.
- Legal considerations: Some cities and towns have zoning laws or regulations that govern backyard chicken keeping, so it's important to research and follow any applicable rules. Roosters are usually out but check with your local council.
- Joining a community: Joining a local chicken-keeping group or online community can provide valuable support, advice, and camaraderie for backyard chicken keepers.