Many people are returning back to the value in raising our own food, and many are wanting to do it as naturally as possible. Raising chickens (and other farm birds like ducks, geese, turkeys, and guinea fowl) is a great way to provide some delicious food (eggs and/or meat) and endless entertainment. And after raising them for nine years, I can honestly tell you that it’s incredibly easy. Let me give you the simple tips to raising these animals in your backyard:
First, what’s your goal for raising fowl? Is it eggs? If so, here are a few things to keep in mind up front:
You will not get a good supply of eggs unless you feed them a chicken layer feed. They will not lay sufficient solid eggs for very long free roaming without a 16% layer feed. It’s good to find a source of organic feed before getting started. Fortunately, it’s becoming more and more common to find organic feed at everyday farm supply stores. For us, we prefer soy-free organic feed as well so that added another layer to our search.
If you want to get eggs consistently without any drop in production through the winter, you’ll need to provide a light source for twelve hours starting when the days get shorter than twelve hours in the fall. Some choose to do this and some choose to feed their chickens through the winter without lighting them and without getting eggs. It’s really just a matter of personal preference.
If you are unable to let your chickens roam free to eat grass and bugs, the eggs will be very similar in quality to those you get from the store so consider the extra cost (as it will generally cost more to raise them yourself).
Oh—And they don’t start laying eggs until they’re at least six months old, so be ready to be in it for the long haul for that first egg if you start with chicks!
By the way: Some people think you have to have a rooster to get eggs. No, hens will lay eggs without a rooster. But if you are free-ranging your chickens, a rooster will help keep the girls around and make sure they come into the provided safe shelter at night.
Some people also think that brown eggs are healthier. This is not true. It’s just how the chickens are raised. White egg layers raised the same as brown egg layers (or blue egg layers) will provide eggs with the same nutritional profile.
Speaking of nutritional profile, check out some of the differences of chickens raised to roam free eating bugs and grass vs. conventionally-raised indoor chickens (which could also be “organic” eggs from the store):
Pastured eggs have:
Twice as much vitamin E
38 percent higher vitamin A concentration
Twice as much long-chain Omega-3 fats
2.5x more total Omega-3 fatty acids
Less than half the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3
Are you considering raising some for meat? Here are some other things to keep in mind:
If you don’t want the meat to cost you a small fortune, you’ll want to get the hybrid meat breeds. The heritage breeds are beautiful but extremely slow growing (especially from what we’re used to nowadays) so it will take much longer of feeding them to get the same amount of meat than a hybrid. (We prefer giant white turkeys for meat as they free range on grass and bugs much better than meat chickens and grow into 12-20 pound birds in about 12 weeks or so, even with free ranging and supplemental grower feed.)
If you won’t be butchering them yourself, calculate this cost ahead of time as it does add up. Butchering yourself can be time consuming until you get the hang of it but it’s worth it. As tough as it was for us to do this (emotionally), we saved the animals from a lot of stress in transporting them which made the meat more tender as well and we knew we were giving them the best life possible before we gave thanks for the provision of meat they provided our family with.
Those things considered, let’s get into the holistic tips for raising farm birds.
You can find the most important tips for raising them anywhere online, everything from brooder temps to housing ideas. Be sure to research and follow those! Brooder temps are pretty important but there is some leeway room, as long as the birds don’t get too hot or cold. Watch for the signs detailed online to notice if they are getting too warm or too cold.
Also remember that they will need grit, which is basically just fine ground rocks, to help them digest their food. I get many messages from people with dead chickens and the first thing I ask is, “Did you have grit available for them?” and the answer is usually no.
For raising them holistically, here’s what we do:
When getting baby chicks, poults (baby turkeys), ducklings, or goslings from a hatchery, I choose not to have them vaccinated. There is research that these vaccines actually make them more susceptible to bird flu and other contagious illnesses by weakening their immune system. When I purchase from Murray McMurray Hatchery, there is an option at the end of check out to decline vaccinations.
Add raw organic apple cider vinegar to their water from Day 1. Just a small splash per quart will do. This adds extra nutrients and electrolytes to the water as well as supports intestinal flora and keeps their water fresher.
Organically-fed chickens have been shown to have a significantly lower prevalence of salmonella. According to research by the University of Georgia, chickens from organic farms had a 4.3 percent rate of salmonella prevalence. The conventional chickens, on the other hand, were affected 28.8 percent of the time – nearly seven times more. Other studies show that rate goes down to almost zero when they are also pastured freely. This is worth considering in addition to the many other benefits of consuming eggs (and meat) from birds that are fed non-GMO and/or organic feed.
To further support beneficial bacteria in the chickens and eggs they produce, and just for overall health, we also add 1 drop per gallon of Young Living’s Vitality (dietary) oregano oil. We add this to the raw apple cider vinegar before adding to their water.
Our chickens, ducks, and geese also get all of our table scraps (which are all organic, healthy foods). Chickens are omnivores but love protein so they will eat any leftover meat (yes, even chicken meat). Ducks and geese prefer fruits and vegetables; they especially love eating the leftovers on melon rinds.
Animal Scents Ointment is another essential item to have on hand for raising any type of animals. This has been so helpful to have on hand in case of any skin or scale issues! Use for anything that you would normally need an ointment or a petroleum-based salve.
Don’t forget to enjoy the process! Farm fowl are easy and bring so much joy! Get out your porch swing and enjoy the serenity of watching chickens roam your yard!
Blessings,