purina-raising happy healthy chicks - grit | rural .../media/files/grt/marketing/raising...

Raising Happy & Healthy Chicks

© 2014 Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. All rights reserved.

Today’s Discussion

• Why Have Chickens?• What to Expect• Meet the Breeds• How to Get Started• Products for a Productive Lifetime• Chicken Behavior• Health Maintenance


Why Get Chickens?

Why are so many getting chickens?


Raising ChickensEnhances Our Lives• Chickens are fun to watch!

• Dozens of beautiful breeds• Distinct personalities & can be quite

entertaining and funny• Excellent pets – can live many years


• The pet you love also gives you breakfast!

• Fresh, healthful, nutritious eggs (and/or meat)

• Partner in the Garden• Produces fertilizer for gardens• Insect/Weed Management

• Provides affordable 4-H projects, teaching children about competition, responsibility and sportsmanship

Raising ChickensEnhances Our Lives


Egg Nutrition - Did you Know?


How many chickens should you get?• May be determined by local ordinances

and neighborhood covenants• How much time do you have?• How many eggs do you want?

Baby chicks grow up.• Plan for housing, protection, space• Chickens begin laying at 18-20 weeks• Hens eventually stop laying; will they

become pets?

What Should You Expect?

If this is your first flock, check local ordinances and consider beginning with 4 to 6 chicks.


Usually 5 to12 years, and as long as 15

Hens can lay for 5 or more years, though egg production decreases after 3 years

According to Guinness World Records, the oldest living chicken (Muffy) is 22 years old

How Long Do Chickens Live?


Classifications:

• Egg-Laying Breeds

• Dual-Purpose Breeds

(Laying & Meat)

• Meat Breeds

• Bantam Breeds (Small size)

• Show Breeds

Meet the BreedsWhich Type is Right for You?


Dual purposeGood layersBrown eggs

HardyNot Broody

Barred Rock

Buff Orpington

Rhode Island Red Australorp


HardyBroody

Quiet & Gentle


HardyNot Broody

Similar to Orpington

Popular Brown Egg Layers


Silkie

OrnamentalGood as pets

Small sizeMany color varieties

Super egg layerCommon breed

White eggs

Japanese Leghorn

BantamMany color varieties

Tames easilyModerate egg layer

Good sitterWhite Eggs

White Crested Polish

Small Show breedPoor sitter

Small white eggs

Other Breeds


Ameraucana

Lays eggs blue eggs

Birds can be many colors:Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten and White


Easter Egg Chickens

Lays eggs in colors varying from light blue to light green and shades of pink. Has characteristic cheek feather tufts.


Cold-Tolerant Birds

Cold-Tolerant BreedsBarred RocksWyandottesOrpingtonsBrahmasCochinsDelawareRhode Island RedDominiquesBuckeyesAraucana/AmeraucanaSilkiesHamburgs

Cold-Tolerant Features• Small comb • Small wattle• Heavy feathering• Bearded• Feathered legs• Breed developed in a cold

climate


Heat-Tolerant Features• Large comb – Single• Large wattle• Finer feathering• No beards or feathered

legs• Breed developed in a hot

climate

Heat-Tolerant Birds

Heat-Tolerant BreedsSmaller breeds LeghornsMinorcasRhode Island Reds*New Hampshire RedsTurkensBarred Rocks*

*Breeds are both cold and heat tolerant


TurkeysPheasantsQuailDucksGeese

Other Poultry


• Purchase from a reputable hatchery or feed dealer• Suggest chicks be vaccinated for Marek’s Disease

and Coccidiosis

Getting Started with Chicks


• Chicks• Brooder• Bedding• Heat Lamp• Waterer• Feed• Thermometer• Cleaning supplies

Supplies to Get Started


• For Baby Chicks– Brooder, indoors

• For Adult Birds– Coops (many types

available)– Free Range during day,

coop at night

• Protection from Predators

Shelter


Examples of Healthy Brooders

WarmthPlenty of foodClean water Dry beddingPlenty of space

•Hatch to 6 weeks: Allow 1 – 2 sq. feet per chick•6 Weeks and Older: Allow 6 – 10 sq. feet per bird


What’s Wrong in this Picture?


What’s Wrong in this Picture?

Answer: Birds are too cold© 2014 Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. All rights reserved.

Getting Started Right

Chicks never get over a poor start.– If chickens can’t drink, they won’t eat and won’t grow

and/or develop strong immunity– Chickens need to drink 2x what they eat. In the

summer it may be 3 – 4x– If you wouldn’t drink their water, why should they?


• Disinfect waterers prior to use – then weekly• Clean with 10% mixture of bleach and

water – rinse thoroughly!• Use fresh (room temp) water – refresh daily• Dip beaks to induce drinking with new chicks• Elevate waterer after 1st week to keep clean • Double water available capacity at 6 weeks• Waterer should be set at level of chick’s back

to keep it clean

Importance of Water

Tip: Layer pavers to elevate waterer as birds grow© 2014 Purina Animal Nutrition LLC. All rights reserved.

• Healthy, happy birds forage, peck and chatter

• Most active early morning, late afternoon

• Routinely take dust baths• Preen feathers• Appear alert, bright-eyed,

inquisitive

Bird Behavior


• Chickens have a social order• One hen will be dominant• Remaining hens will fall into an

accepted order below the dominant hen

• Very stable structure until a bird is removed or new birds added; then order must be re-established, often physically

Pecking Order


What to Watch for

when Raising Chicks


Can be caused by:

• Overcrowding (stressful, leads to competition for food and water)

• Overheating

• Boredom & or longer daylight hours

• Very bright lighting

• Poor nutrition - lack of protein

• Hormones kicking in at sexual maturity

• Mixing birds

Concern: Feather-Picking

Corrective Measures:

• More space• Better ventilation• Less light/dimmer light• More feed, water• Barriers & places to hide• Small handfuls of hay


Intestinal Disease - Coccidiosis

• Common disease of the intestines of young birds

• Caused by parasites (Cocci)

• Orally ingested through preening, eating off of the ground and water

• Parasites (cocci) enter intestinal cells, multiply, rupture the cells, cause intestinal damage

• Intestinal damage results in poor nutrient absorption

Health Risks to Young Chicks


• Symptoms: loose stool (sometimes with blood) birds look sick –sitting, droopy & ruffled feathers

• Primarily disease of young birds

• Older birds generally develop some immunity

• Feeding Medicated Chick Feed with Amprolium is effective to help control coccidiosis

• Amprolium is not an antibiotic

• Should not be fed if the birds are vaccinated against coccidiosis

• Not a panacea for poor management!

Coccidiosis, continued

Health Risks to Young Chicks


• Caused by stress & changes intemperature

• Can cause serious illness and leadto death

• Treat by gently cleaning with warmsoap and water and thoroughlydrying the young chick

• May have to repeat for several daysuntil the chick grows out of thiscondition

Concern: Pasty Butts


Protecting Chickens From Cold

• Like all other animals, chickens need food, shelter & water.

• Goal: – Maximize health & safety– Minimize stress from being

“cooped-up”


Winter Housing

• Chickens need “personal space”• Scratching behavior

• Inside: 4 sq. ft. per bird• Outside: 10 sq. ft. per bird

(minimums)

• Even more important when weather limits outside time


Housing Ventilation

What’s the best way to ventilate the coop?• Ideally, windows/vents

on all 4 sides• Ventilation holes at top

of coop

Photo: www.the-chicken-chick.com


Don’t try to completely seal the chicken house against the cold.• Feathers = InsulationFresh air: essential to maintaining healthy birds.• Moisture & condensation come from breathing and

droppings– Lead to disease and respiratory issues. – Chicken house must be well ventilated.

Housing Ventilation


Housing Ventilation

Avoid Drafts:• Vents go at the highest points of the coop

– Above where chickens will be– Can cover with wire to keep predators out

• Keep windows closed• Repair cracks or

holes in the wallsPhoto: www.the-chicken-chick.com


Is The Coop Ventilated Properly?

• Condensation– If you see condensation anywhere, something’s wrong

• Chickens– Free from frostbite and/or illness

• No strong odors– Ammonia


Winter Litter

• Important Features of Bedding (a.k.a. Litter):– Non-toxic to birds– Free of contaminants (i.e. pesticides)– Absorbent– Soft– Quick drying– Able to be composted– Reasonably priced


Providing deep litter in coops is very advantageous.• Chickens excrete more waste at night. • Feed intake increases in cold weather• More feed + more darkness = more waste.• Deep litter enables “scratching behaviors”

– Alleviates boredom– Promotes exercise– Absorbs moisture from the increased manure – Turns bedding – in-house composting!

Winter Litter


Winter “Turn-Out”

• Room to move outside!• Ground cover for traction & scratching

– Leaves– Spent crops (corn stalks, straw, etc.)– Hay– Gravel

• Encourage chickens to go outside for awhile– Feeding outside – Scratch grains / treats for outdoor pecking


• Chickens don’t like to walk on snow• Roof or cover over chicken run• Shovel out a path through snow



• Shelter the run• Construction-grade plastic around fenced areas

– Keeps snow out in the first place!– Wind break– Don’t forget to leave ventilation holes at the top



Do I Need To Heat The Coop?

• No!– Fire Hazard– Chickens know how to warm themselves– Coop that is properly built, ventilated and

bedded is sufficient– Chickens need to adapt to the cold, sudden

heat loss can be fatal


• Chickens maintain body temperature by eating more

• Chickens huddle to keep warm

• You CAN insulate the coop– Helps retain heat



• If you must…– Buy a high-quality product from farm store– Avoid DIY’s – Have an electrician install a proper outlet

• Avoid heat lamps– Don’t use brooder lamps

• Radiant or flat panel heat– Only raise temp a few degrees

• Plan for power failure!



Winter Feeding

• Chickens eat to meet their energy requirement.

• More energy needed in cooler weather to keep birds warm – Amount of feed needs to increase – Accommodate the extra energy

requirements


• Always ensure plenty of fresh clean drinking water.• Chickens do not like ice in their drinks!

Don’t allow the water to freeze– Waterers with heated bases– Check local farm store

• If chickens can’t drink, they won’t eat– Lack of vitamins and minerals– Insufficient food to keep warm

Winter Water


• Egg production affected by exposure to light– About 16 hours per day required

• Winter days = less daylight• Less daylight = no eggs• A light bulb will fix this!

Eggs in Winter


A natural process in which feathers are lost and replaced• Can occur at any time but usually stimulated by decreasing day length in the fall

• Will re-occur each fall. Providing 16 hours of light may delay its onset

• Lasts 8 – 16 weeks; no eggs are laid

• Jump-starts egg production

• Allows birds to refresh and rejuvenate!

Molting

Feather loss moves from front to back


Dust Baths

• Dust baths are a great enrichment activity for Chickens• We provide a mixture of 1/4 sand and 3/4 peat moss• Chickens will roll around in the mulch to give themselves an “exfoliation” treatment,

that is reported to help keep the feathers/birds clean


To learn more about starting happy healthy flocks, visit Purinamills.com/Chicken-Feed

Connect with other flock raisers on Facebook at Facebook.com/PurinaPoultry

Thank You

www.Purinamills.com/Chicken-Feed

www.Facebook.com/PurinaPoultry

purina-raising happy healthy chicks - grit | rural .../media/files/grt/marketing/raising...

Documents