How to raise free range chickens for organic eggs and meat

With the way the economy is today it is no wonder that more and more people are trying all they can to help make ends meet. One thing that we are seeing more of is people starting to raise their own free range chickens. This is a great way to ensure that your chickens and the eggs that they produce for you are completely organic and healthy. No matter whether you are looking into raising your own free range chickens or you are already doing it, the tips below can help you make the most out of your efforts.

 The first thing is to make sure that you have the space needed to raise them free range. It has been proven that chickens are much happier and healthier when they are able to run free such as those raised in a free range environment. 2 to 5 acres is plenty to get started but keep in mind that the amount of space needed will really depend on the amount of chickens you will be raising. You want to be sure that they have plenty of room to roam around and eat or graze as they want.

 You will also need a good free range chicken coop for your feathery friends so they will have shelter to get out of the weather and to rest when the want to. They will need somewhere to go to get out of the sun and cool off as well as a place to gather together to stay warm when the weather gets cold. Your chicken house should have enough space for the chickens and roosters that you have and it should have perches for them to rest on. You will also need laying areas for the hens which will give them space to choose where they want to lay their eggs. Shelter also provides them a place to stay safe when predators come around trying to eat them. 

Once you have the land and the free range chicken coop set up for them it is time to start raising your chickens. This is the fun and easy part as they will pretty much do all the work. You need to look after them and make sure they are fed and not sick. They love bugs and plants to eat so keep an eye on that for them as well as the amount of water that they get. You can also add in some seed for them so that you can be sure they will stay healthy. Many people like to start with baby chicks and watch them grow. You may want to fence in the area for them so they will not get lost or run off but it is common for them to always stay close to their chicken house.

Suzie O’Connor is the owner of ChickenHousesPlus.com which carries a catalog of chicken houses and a selection of chicken eggs designed to assist anyone that wants to have their own backyard chicken flock!

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Fertile Chicken Egg or Not?

Whether you are in a place where you are looking to get lots of little chicks, or you are simply curious about the quality of the eggs that you receive, you might be wondering whether or not you have fertile chicken eggs. Fertile chicken eggs, which might also be called fertilized chicken eggs are often thought to be more tasty and more nutritious than eggs that are not fertilized and they can tell you a lot about the way the hens were kept. There are quite a few things that you need to keep in mind when you are thinking about the subject of fertile chicken eggs.

The first thing that you need to consider is that hens who are over the age of twenty weeks will lay eggs, regardless of whether they have been around a rooster or not. If they have not been around a rooster, they will lay infertile eggs. When a rooster is about twenty weeks old, he is going to be ready to fertilize a hen. If you want to make sure that your hens lay fertilized chicken eggs, remember that you should have a rooster around. You only need one rooster, as any more will turn into a battle for dominance over the harem. Once a hen has been fertilized once by a rooster, she will lay fertilized eggs for about a week.

To get fertile chicken eggs, you will need to start with an egg laying hen. Hens that lay well are going to be about twenty weeks old or even a bit younger. Similarly, you also need to make sure that the temperatures are right. If the temperatures are above 90 degreed Fahrenheit, or if they drop below freezing, you may find that your hens will stop laying. A lot will depend on the breed of the chicken that you keep as well as how you control the temperature inside their roost. After that, make sure that you have a good laying box that is filled with clean straw to further facilitate the laying of whole eggs.

When you want to see if your hens are laying fertilized chicken eggs, all you need to do is to crack an egg into a smooth bowl. Look through the yolk for the presence of a white mark, keeping in mind that you might need to turn the yolk over or around with a spoon. When you have a fertile chicken egg, the white mark will be nearly round. A smaller, irregular white mark indicates the presence of an egg that is not fertilized. Be patient when you are looking to see if you have fertilized chicken eggs. It might take you some time to find the white mark, but it is definitely there.

The question of whether you want fertilized chicken eggs or chicken eggs that are not fertile is very much up to you. It might be an important question if you are wondering if you are going to get chicks and it might be important if you want to ascertain that the chickens that the eggs came from enjoyed a certain amount of freedom. Take some time to learn how to tell a fertilized chicken egg from on which was not!

Visit our store at www.chickenhousesplus.com – we carry a large catalog of poultry supplies, chicken houses, chicken coops, chicken tractors, incubators and live chicks.

Decorating your Garden with Island Village Bird Houses

Lots of people are looking at their garden decorating in a whole new way. Adding Island Decor to your garden in the form of a Caribbean style bird house is a smart idea with some great benefits. Here are some reasons why more and more people are choosing to add island village bird houses to their gardens, and why you should, too.

Bird houses look great. They add a colorful touch to your garden, and they bring beautiful birds to your property. That means you’ll have a much livelier home than you did before. The presence of birds can be great for stress relief, since watching them can help you relax and forget about all your problems.

People who care about their local environment also put up bird houses to attract local avian wildlife. That’s because both migratory and non-migratory species need shelter from the weather. The lack of trees has reduced their traditional spots for shelter, making bird houses a great way to give them a protected place to stay. Add a bird feeder, and you’ll attract all kinds of lovely birds, from the local natives to those that are just passing through.

When you choose a bird house for your garden decorating scheme, you’ll want to think about a few things. First, you’ll want to make sure that the house you choose is large enough for the birds you want to attract. Many commercial bird houses are cute, but too small for any but the tiniest birds, ensuring that your bird house will be only decorative. Make sure you’re purchasing a bird house that’ll accommodate the birds in your area.

The next thing you’ll want to think about is construction. Look for quality bird houses that will hold up to the weather, and that use good, but non-toxic materials. Make sure the bird house you choose is put together well, even if it’s made to look “rough” or “rustic”. Handmade bird houses can be some of the best ones out there.

Last to consider when you’re thinking about buying a bird house for your garden decorating is looks. If you’re putting together an Island Decor scheme, you’ll want a bird house that matches. Bright colors and attractive painting are a real plus for a bird house that’ll add to the looks of your garden. Make sure that the bird house you choose is one that’ll really appeal to you and to visitors to your garden. That way, it’ll offer something in the way of form as well as being functional.

Suzie O’Connor has a flair for the Caribbean Style Birdhouses, she hand paints each and every one – No two are the same.

How to Raise Chickens – First Time Chicken Owner Tips

So suddenly you have found yourself interested in raising chickens. Or maybe this is something that you have been dreaming about for a long time now. In either case, it is extremely important to make sure that you are reading everything you can and learning everything there is to possibly know about raising chickens before you even attempt to begin. There are investment costs to consider along with a lot of hard work and sweat.

Once you do get past the start up costs and all of the learning that you have to undergo, you will be happy to know that full grown chicken are low maintenance. Not only are they easy to take care of but they also offer many benefits to the person raising them. Whether you are in the city or in the country you can have your own little set up of backyard chickens. Chickens are no longer just for the farms.

While the first and only thing that normally comes to mind for people is that their chickens are going to be able to provide the owners with eggs, there are more benefits to having chickens around. Besides making fantastic pets, chickens are excellent with bug control around the yard. Before stepping that big leap and ordering your chickens, there are things to consider and items to purchase.

The first thing you want to do is to make sure that you have enough space for your chicken coop. If you don’t, this may be the time to re-arrange your yard to give you the space needed. A coop must have at least two square feet for every chicken you will have in it. It is important to make sure that the coop you purchase will keep the chickens dry, safe from their natural predators, and free from drafts. While you could always make chicken houses yourself, it is much easier and safer to go with one made by experience people or companies.

Although it was mentioned that chickens need little care, there is some time that is involved. You have to make sure that you are always available to look the chickens back into their chicken houses at night and to let them out again in the morning hours. Fresh clean water is also needed on a daily basis along with proper feedings. Speaking of feedings it is important to make sure that the chickens are getting a well balanced diet of whole grains. This includes living grains, kernelled corn, whole grains, pure corn, or a mixture of everything. On top of what you give the chickens they will eat a wide variety of bugs and worms to complete their diet.

If it is time to purchase your first incubator you are going to want to make sure that you are putting extra caution into this. Someone inexperienced could very well end up with something that is not going to do the job right. This is not an area where you want to go too cheap just to save a few bucks. Putting the money here to make sure that the incubators are of high quality is well worth it.

Pay attention to the various incubators out there. The two types are that of the forced-air and the still-air. The still-air incubators do not have a fan and require much more of your attention. They will also hatch a much smaller amount of eggs. If you want a larger number of eggs to hatch then the force-air incubators are the right choice for you. Of course, there is nothing better then a setting hen to do the job. But since setting all the time can take its toll on a hen you may experience problems with that route.

Fertile eggs will require a lot of your attention so make sure that you are doing everything you can to make sure that they have the best shot possible. You have to make sure that you are also turning those eggs daily. The best way to keep track is to mark one end of the egg with an X and the other end with an O.

Many people love the idea of simply having free range chickens instead of keeping their chickens locked up in chicken houses. While this is probably the best way for the chickens to live and they certainly enjoy it, you must know that your land situation may not be the best for it. If you live close to a road that is full of traffic then free range chickens are not the way to go. Also, there are many township or city laws that prohibit free range chickens because of the problems it may cause for the neighbors. Before going any further make sure that you are checking your town laws to make sure that you are staying on the right side of the law.

When it comes down to it there is a lot to consider and get prepared for before you bring chickens into your backyard. Once they are there and everything is in place you should have no problems maintaining everything. It will all be worth it in the end when you see all of the eggs you end up with. There will be plenty for your family and for the neighbors as well. And maybe after a while you may decide to start using some of your chickens that you raise as food, in terms of the meat that they provide for humans.