Keeping chickens at home for eggs

People choose to raise and keep chickens at home due to a variety of reasons. Some raise chickens for eggs and meat while others make it a hobby.

There are still others who make this work their profession. First of all, it is very important to give the chickens the right kind of feed for their proper growth and development. They should be provided all the necessary nutrients according to their age and purpose.

Kitchen and garden scraps can also be added to their diet. They should also be given clean and fresh water for drinking and bathing purposes. Their drinking water should be changed twice in summer days and once in winter days. If vitamins and minerals are added to their water, it will be all the more better.

Good nutrition will lead to their producing eggs rich in protein and vitamins. The hen coops should be such that that the chickens are kept safe and healthy. There should be adequate floor space and ventilation holes in them. Droppings should be regularly removed from the coops.

In order to protect them against predation, their coops should be made safe and secure. You can make an outside chicken yard so that the chickens can play and get sunshine and fresh air. But such a yard should be protected with a strong fence.

The chickens should be vaccinated against various diseases like Marek’s Disease, pox, etc. so that they can live a long life. If they are provided good care and nutrition, they can live up to thirty years. Hens generally start laying eggs when they are about sixteen weeks old.

If you are keeping chickens at home, a minimum of four chickens are required to keep them healthy and happy. Thus with a little common sense and proper management, it can be fun to keep chickens at home.