Animal Corner - Raising chickens - 1 April
Breeds
- Breeds vary considerably. Can have mainly egg
producers such as White and Brown Leghorns, or dual meat and egg
producers such as Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons or
Red Shavers and Bantams.
- Can be tricky to source, often get them from large egg
producers, already with beaks cut, ideally at point of lay
(approx 20 weeks)
- Beaks are cut so they don't cannibalise each other in an
intensive production situation (shut in very small cages)
- I try and source mine from locals that raise then from day
old chicks so their beaks are intact
Council requirements
- You don't need council permission to keep chooks, but you
need to consider the above recommendations. Always check on your
local council requirements. For example, the Wellington city
council recommendations are:
-
3.1 General conditions of keeping animals
-
3.1.1 All animals and bees shall be kept, in a
manner that is not or is not likely to become a nuisance,
annoyance, dangerous, offensive, or injurious to health.
-
3.1.2 All animals shall be kept in a manner that
ensures they have access to sufficient food, water, shelter and,
where appropriate, adequate exercise.
Housing
- Best to have them free range with a warm, dry house
to go in at night.
- Require open ground to scratch for food, eat greenery, have
dust baths to help keep them parasite free
- Require perches to roost at night
- Regular cleaning and replacing of litter, i.e. straw every
few days as it soils quickly (excellent for compost!)
- May need large pen as very destructive in a garden!
- Need nesting boxes with litter changed regularly
- Spray henhouse with Neem oil or insecticides to kill mites
etc that live in the crevices and feed on the chooks at might
- Dust for lice if necessary with a lice/flea pyrethrum
powder
- Make sure they are safe from predators such as dogs
Feeding
- Require twice daily feeding, especially in winter
and at peak egg production time (spring/summer)
- Hi lay pellets, mash, grains as well as kitchen scraps,
greens etc
- Feed approx 100g of dry feed /bird/day
- Supplement with Puha, Dandelion, Chickweed, Green veges
etc
- Require a high protein mix to produce good quality
eggs
- Also need a calcium supplement such as oyster grit,
limestone etc (to help form the eggshells)
- Plenty of fresh, clean water
Laying cycle
- Once laying starts at about 20 weeks, will lay for
a year before moulting
- Production slows at this point and often starts again about
2-3 months later
- Can lay approx 200 eggs a year
