Learn Life Skills: Backyard Chickens
Chickens are one of the most common and useful birds in the world. They are farmed for their eggs and meat and can also make great pets. Raising backyard chickens can be an exciting and rewarding experience. This report will explore everything you need to know about caring for chickens, from their lifecycle to egg production.
All About Chickens
Chickens are very social animals and like to live in groups called flocks.
Roosters are male chickens, and hens are female chickens.
Hens lay eggs, and some of these eggs can hatch into baby chicks.
Most hens lay one egg a day.
The colour of a chicken’s egg depends on its breed and can be white, brown, or even blue!
Chicken Anatomy
Comb – The red, fleshy part on top of a chicken’s head that helps regulate body temperature.
Wattles – The two red, fleshy parts that hang below the beak, also helping with temperature control.
Beak – Used for pecking food and drinking water. They communicate using clucks, squawks, and other sounds.
Eyes – Chickens have excellent eyesight and can see a wide range of colours.
Feathers – Keep the chicken warm and help protect its body.
Wings – Even though chickens cannot fly well, they use their wings to jump and glide short distances.
Legs and Feet – Chickens have strong legs with sharp claws to scratch the ground for food.
Tail Feathers – Help with balance and are more colourful in roosters.
Crop – A pouch in the throat where food is stored before digestion.
Gizzard – A strong muscle that helps grind up food since chickens do not have teeth.
Chicken Lifecycle
Chickens go through several stages of development:
Egg Stage (21 days)
The chicken starts as an egg. A mother hen carefully keeps her eggs warm by sitting on them, turning them regularly to ensure they develop properly. An incubator can also be used to keep eggs warm at the right temperature and humidity. Eggs need consistent temperature of 37.5 to 37.8 degrees Celsius or 99.5 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Baby Chick Stage (0-8 weeks)
After 21 days, a chick breaks out of the egg using a small, sharp bump on its beak called an egg tooth. This process can take several hours. Chicks hatch with soft, fluffy down and they are very small. The mother hen keeps her chicks warm under her wings and teaches them how to find food and water. If chicks have hatched in an incubator they will need to be moved to a warm brooder that’s kept at around 35 degrees Celsius or 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicks can start eating chick starter feed and will learn to scratch and peck.
Pullet and Cockerel Stage (8-20 weeks)
As the chick grows, it gets bigger and starts to develop real adult feathers. Chicks peep a lot and stay close to their mother for protection. When chicks reach about 6 to 12 weeks old, they begin to look more like adult chickens. They start to display social behaviours and can be switched to grower feed. At this stage female chicks are called Pullets and male chicks are called cockerels. The cockerels start growing larger combs and wattles and around 4-5 months old, roosters begin to crow, practicing their famous “cock-a-doodle-doo!”
Adult Stage (20+ weeks)
At about 5-6 months old, a chicken is fully grown with complete feathering. Hens start laying eggs, and roosters become more protective of their flock. Hens can start eating layer feed to help in the production of eggs. The cycle continues as new eggs are laid and hatched.
Chicken Care
Chickens eat grains like corn, wheat, and barley.
They also eat insects, grass, vegetables, fruits and special chicken layer feed.
Chickens also need access to shell grit which aids their digestion.
Chickens need access to fresh water daily.
Chickens need a safe and clean place to live.
They should be protected from predators.
Chickens like to take dust baths to keep their feathers clean.
All About Eggs
Hens typically lay 1 egg every 24-36 hours.
Peak laying occurs in spring and summer.
Most hens lay 200-300 eggs annually.
Eggs come in different colours depending on breed.
Collect eggs daily.
Clean nesting boxes regularly.
Store eggs in refrigerator.
Use eggs within 3-4 weeks.
Chicken Coop
Provide at least 1 square meter (10 square feet) of space per chicken in your chicken run.
The coop should have proper ventilation to keep the chickens healthy.
The chicken run should be secure from predators to keep the chickens safe.
Raised Nesting boxes are needed for hens to lay their eggs.
It should have roosting bars for the chickens to sleep on.
The coop should be cleaned regularly to keep the chickens healthy.
Depending on where you live there may be requirements for the chicken coop and the amount of chickens you can keep so it’s always best to check first before starting your chicken coop!
Raising chickens is a great way to learn about nature, food, and responsibility. Chickens are fun animals that provide fresh eggs and help keep gardens free of pests. Whether on a farm or in a backyard, chickens are wonderful birds to have!