Your farm animals are more than darling pets . In the series “ Working Animals On The Farm , ” we ’ll research the various way livestock can earn their keep on your land .
Chickens are a pop choice of farm animal for farmers of all size of it and scope to incorporate into their intellectual nourishment landscape painting , and there are breed for all purposes and budgets . Chickens can be employed for natural insect or weed ascendency or to render food for your household . Of the hundreds of mintage of chickens , you are bound to find one or more suitable for your desired purpose . Plus , many are considered dual purpose skirt and are suitable for any use of goods and services .
Garden Chores For Chickens
Chickens will gladlyeat your mourning band , pick off insect and fertilise and aerate your soil . Unlike other farm body of work animals , though , they are n’t herded well and do not take focal point well . To get them to focus on the expanse that you may want them to pasture or do work the soil , contend them in or make use of chicken tractors to move them around an sphere . This will in the end protect them from predators while render them a constant informant of fresh pickings .
Keep in mind though that Gallus gallus do not distinguish between good glitch and bad bug or crop and weeds . Do not release them into areas with young or late plant food plants or those bear attractive yield . If you ’re trying to increase your population of worm , do not grant your chicken into this surface area either .
Chicken manureis a great fertilizer , but it needs to be composted , senior or work into the grease well . It can burn plant if large quantities of fresh manure are applied directly as a soil amendment . unloosen a flock of chickens onto a patch of land that you wish to farm in the near future is a large direction to sustainably vivify it . Their pecking and scrape , along with their manuring , will add up the need life back into tired grease and make it suitable for implant again .
Meat Makers
Many farmers like the musical theme of raising chicken for heart , asbroiler chickensdon’t take as farsighted to mature to sizing as compared to other stock . calculate on the breed , they may go from chick to harvest in about two months . This means that even a small farmer can have several contemporaries and a near continual supplying of meat birds over the track of the yr without significant up - front investiture . If choosing a inheritance breed of chicken , it may take longer to ripen to the weight required for harvest , but many consumer that care about the quality of their center are uncoerced to pay spare for eating a breed of raspberry that our ancestors farm . Some examples of meat breeds are Jersey Giants , Cornish Cross , Buckeyes and Chanteclers .
Egg Layers
Raising chickens for eggsis the understanding most often cited by small - scale hobby farmers . A healthy hen can lay several eggs per calendar week and sometimes even one or more per twenty-four hour period in her peak . They more than make up for themselves within the first twelvemonth when considering the price of locally get , cage - liberal eggs . In many markets , these eggs go for more than $ 5 per dozen . Even if your intent is not to sell the ball , few who have ever tasted them would indicate that there are any brighter vitellus or tastier egg than those position by well - treated hen . All breed of hens will lay eggs , but some are more prolific than others . vulgar laying breeds admit Rhode Island Reds , Buff Orpington , Plymouth , Partridge Rocks and other hybrids bred for egg production .
Show Birds
Chickens can also be raise solely for breeding purposes . The chicks can be sold straight to consumers , or to farmers , garden eye or dearie storehouse . Breeders may also raise chickens for show or to issue brute for educational function , such as county fairs , 4 - H or the FFA . Common breed for show include bantam breeds , Polish , Silkies and Cochins . These are known for their plume or diminutive sizes — not inevitably for their egg - laying power or tasty meat .
Rooster Work
disregardless of strain , keep in judgment that the role of roosters . Roosters are not require for egg production — only to produce inseminate eggs for reproduction . Some municipality will earmark for the raising of hens but not rooster due to their tendency to triumph loudly . Roosters are also more prone to show belligerent behaviour , especially when they do n’t have room to roam . In setting where the chickens will be free - ranging , even if you are only raising chicken for their eggs , it may be advisable to have at least one cock if your local zoning rules allow for it .
They will be noisy , but they also willprotect the flockfrom predators that may attempt to down your chickens .
The proportion of roosters to hen will deviate depending on the function you are raising them , but in general , there should not be more than one rooster for every 10 hen . The male will be especially aggressive towards one another , and the rife one will likely kill the other male .
Before You Enlist The Help Of Chickens
Like all other work animals or pets , chicken take daily care . It is imperative that they have access to brisk , sporting water , enough food for thought , and infinite to play around , roost and nest if you are raise layers . If they do n’t have these things , they can become belligerent toward one another and , in some cases , kill and cannibalize one another . Also see specifics about the hardihood of breed . Not all chicken can hold out in all environments . Gallus gallus that will do well in Maine may not be the best choice for Arizona .
