As more Australians discover the joy of fresh, home-grown eggs, backyard hens have become increasingly popular. Producing your backyard-laid eggs is a great way to ensure your chickens are living a healthy life.
It takes time and energy to care for these curious animals. You need to be aware of a few important things to make sure your hens are happy and that you get delicious poached eggs on Sunday morning.
Companionship
Chickens are social animals. They prefer to be with other chickens because they are prey animals and feel safer together. It is important to give them a chance to express themselves and socialize, so you should consider at least three hens for your backyard flock.
Spending quality time with hens is the best way to bond. This works best when they are still young. Chooks have unique personalities, just like dogs and cats. Many people choose to keep chickens as companion animals.
Secure, spacious shelter
You can provide your chickens with a safe place to live. You can buy chicken coops or make your own. The coop should have an indoor and an outdoor area, as well as a place for the chickens to sleep, perch, and lay eggs in relative peace. Indoor space should be protected from the weather and have a place for hens to hide if it is too hot or rainy. The outdoor area should be large enough for chickens to behave normally, such as exploring, foraging, and scratching.
Most commercially available chicken coops do not offer enough space for your hens. Your hens’ exact space requirements will depend on their breed, size, and age, as well as your house type and the external environment conditions. To ensure that hens are given enough space, you should provide an enclosure of at least 2 to 3.5m2. However, ideally, the enclosure should be bigger. It is best to keep an eye on your chickens at all times if you plan to let them roam freely in your backyard. Create a safe, predator-free area for your chickens to enjoy.
Healthy hens, healthy eggs
Happy, healthy chickens will lay more eggs.
If hens are bored or stressed, they may develop undesirable behaviors such as pecking at feathers or bullying other birds. It is easy to enrich the lives of chickens. You can enhance the lives of hens with a few simple things.
There should be a variety of enrichment for them, such as dust bathing with different types (such as sand or peat moss), straw bales and platforms, perches, or even swings.
Consult your veterinarian for the best way to worm and treat hens. Your birds’ behavior will help you identify mites, parasites, and wounds.
How to take care of your chickens
Chickens need love and care just like any other animal. They also require good food, shelter, and water. Chooks are a great investment, but they require a lot of time and care to live a healthy and happy life.
