Q&A for How to Take Care of Chickens

You would want to have them in a shelter and then put some bedding in there, like straw or pine shavings. You can also try feeding them at night so they have a gizzard full of corn or grains that they can use to stay warm. Also, if you have chickens with larger combs, they are more prone to frostbite, so make sure to get some Vaseline and rub it all over the combs so they don't get frostbite.

A chicken or hen house should be cleaned out weekly at a minimum and, in warmer weather, it should probably be cleaned more frequently to prevent the possibility of disease. Straw or other lining in egg laying boxes should be changed weekly, or whenever you notice something like poop or cracked eggs on the straw. Twice a year, do a really deep clean of the whole house, to scrape off all layers of chicken poop, feathers, dried on food scraps, etc. and make the floor, roosts and egg boxes absolutely clean. If you're using the "deep litter" method, you'll only need to clean twice yearly.

Water should be emptied and refilled every second day, and probably even daily when it's hot weather. Check the water daily for poop, straw and other debris that might be in the water and check also for slime; if you see any of these things, the water definitely needs changing and if it's slimy, the whole water dispenser needs cleaning. Every week, the water dispenser should be thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water to remove germs; you can also use bleach (2 teaspoons of bleach to one gallon of water) to sanitize the water dispenser, just take not to mix the bleach with anything else and ensure it is all washed out before using for the chickens again.

Egg collecting should be a daily routine, as most hens will lay each day and the eggs soon mount up in the layer boxes, risking cracking if trodden or sat on by the hens returning to lay more eggs. Daily collection allows for optimal freshness, especially when the weather is hot. This is also a good time to check for broken eggs and remove them, replacing dirty straw and wiping down the layer box, as needed. As for the time of day, choose when it is most convenient for you; you'll soon get a feel for when the hens have finished laying and don't mind you being around.

Chickens love nothing more than to scratch around in the soil to find grubs, bugs and worms, so if your veggie patch has nicely tilled, soft soil, it's an invitation to go scratching! There are several things you can try. First, you could place barriers around the plants in your veggie patch, like wire cages, old metal storage baskets upturned over the plants, tires around them, etc. Second, you could fence off the whole veggie patch so the chickens cannot get into it at all. Third, you could grow your veggies in raised garden beds; however, this may not deter the chickens as they can hop and fly onto these but if they're sufficiently high, the chickens might ignore them. Lastly, you could give them a scratching patch area as a sacrificial part of the veggie patch in the hope it'll discourage them from scratching the rest! Keep this part lower and more accessible than the rest of the veggie patch and they might just stick to that area alone. The solution depends on how much effort, time and money you want to outlay on keeping the chickens out of your veggie patch.

It depends on the amount of feed you provide for them and how many chickens you keep. Most people like to only feed their chickens once - usually every morning. This is because chickens don't tend to eat all of their food and usually leave leftovers behind.

Egg eating in chickens is usually due to nutritional deficiency or an addictive thing for chickens. Supplement your chicken with a source of calcium, such as crushed egg shells or oyster shells. Make sure to distract your chicken from the eggs and to collect them twice a day to be on the safe side.

Chickens need a mixture of shade and sunlight. Keep them in their coop when necessary, and let them roam in the sun or warm weather. If it's shady everywhere, let them out a couple times a day, or set up some heat systems in your garden.

Chickens usually lay eggs regularly no matter what. When they start to lay they will start laying one egg a day. To promote the egg production in your hens and to receive high quality eggs, there are a lot of actions you can take. First of all their diet; you can change your hens onto layer pellets, feed them scraps including fresh fruits and veggies, and supplement them with crushed oyster or egg shells for calcium. Secondly their habitat; free-ranging hens may increase the quality of their eggs as most of their nutrients come from the ground. Also provide sunlight for them whilst making sure they have some shade available. You'll also want to provide them with nesting boxes and hay/straw.

On average, pullets, or juvenile hens, start laying eggs at about 6 months of age. Larger, heavier birds like Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks and Orpingtons will lay on the later side, whereas lighter, smaller breeds like Leghorns, Stars and Australorps will start laying sooner.

Check to see if the chicken is egg bound. Egg bound is fatal in chickens and can kill your chicken if not treated. If your hen is egg bound, check out wikiHow's tips for curing a chicken from egg bound .

Yes! Your best bet is going to your local avian (bird) vet and asking them what you can add to your chickens' water. Some people like adding electrolytes to their chickens' water, but there are many other home remedies to make up at home.

This is natural for chickens. When they go through their moulting phase, they will get bald patches and often lose their tail feathers. It may grow back soon after the phase ends, or it may take a while. You'll just have to be patient.

Yes, you may keep older hens with younger chicks. The older hens will peck the younger hens at first to establish the pecking order; this is completely normal and should stop after a week or so.

While you are cleaning the coop, it is okay to leave your chickens in it. It does not harm them in any way, and if they are annoyed, they will most likely just get out of your way and run around in the yard.

Take her to a specialized avian vet. Fevers in chickens can quickly become fatal, so it's important to act fast.

Yes, you will need to set up some source of warmth for the birds. Firstly, make sure your coop is weather-proof, which means it should block all winds, snow, rain, etc. Secondly, purchase some bedding, such as hay or straw, some roosting areas and most important of all, a heat lamp. Depending on how many chickens you hold, you might need more than one heat lamp. Heat lamps are the best and most effective way to keep your flock warm during the harsh winters; you can even make one up yourself.

If she tries to peck or scratch at you, she is fertile and should be left alone, though you still need to water and feed her.

Worms are perfectly safe for chickens to eat.

There may be some hens inflicting injury on this area. Isolate the affected chicken and put some anti-bacterial cream around the area. You'll need to place the chicken in quarantine otherwise the flock will pick at her red patch. After the patch is fully healed you can transfer the chicken back to its flock. Keep an eye on the flock and watch for any bullies.

Hens start laying eggs at about six months of age - with or without roosters around.

There are a few options to take when you are going on holiday and can't care for your pets. Try asking a relative, friend, or neighbor you trust. You can also hire a pet sitter or house keeper to look after them while you are on your holiday.

It may never love you, but it may like you if you're always calm around it, if you feed and water it regularly, and if you pick it up often and hold it gently. Hens like to be stroked softly, particularly around the neck and breast. Move quietly and slowly, and avoid scaring it.

Worming your chickens is a personal choice. How often you worm them depends on the treatment. Some worming treatments require you to worm your chickens weekly or monthly, while others require that you do it once or twice a year. If you are interesting in worming your chickens, get a vet to prescribe you some worming treatments for your flock.

Take serious actions before they inflict any harm. Make sure you find the right hen and decide what you're going to do. You can distract the hen by adding toys to the coop and making it more fun or you can rehome the hen.

Calcium supplements can be made by crushing cooked egg shells or pulverizing them into a fine powder and adding it to their feed. Otherwise, oyster shells are also a natural calcium supplement. During the winter months, chickens can be supplemented protein using cooked eggs or meal worms to keep them warm. Food-grade diatomaceous earth can also be used as a supplement to their feed.

Usually around the age of 2½ or 3.

Your chickens will be comfortable if you keep the temperature above freezing.

Broodiness takes time and it can be on and off between each hen. Make sure you have a rooster in the coop to keep the eggs fertile and make sure your hen isn't getting stressed out by anything. She will take her time; give it a week or two.

If you're asking about egg production, hens need 14 or more hours a day of natural or artificial light in order to produce eggs.