A little help with my brochure, please. :)

[Frozen Feathers]

Hey all. I am making a brochure promoting chicken for pets that I plan on distributing at my local feed and pet stores and would like some input. Basically what are some good FAQ and Facts that I could add. What are some of the things you wished you had known before you got chickens or some of the things that are essential to learn.



Oh and does anyone know an exact measurement for the amount of food one chicken eats? lol I have too many birds and just buy food ad they need it... I wouldn't know how to calculate it!

Don't worry I will mention BYC.

 

[FluffyChickenMama]

I dont know the exact food for one either cause like you I have to many but something you might wanna add that I did not know or even count on when I started chickens was that they have their own little personalities like a dog.. except MUCH easier to keep than any other pet.. and cheaper to feed.. My mom had chickens growing up but they were food not pets so I had no idea how smart they were, how easily they could catch on to things and just all around great little pets.. ex. they know when the screen door opens someone is getting food and there they go running.. What can I say I love my chickens!!

 

[Wolfpacker]

When I first started last year I COMPLETELY underestimated how vulnerable they are to predators, no matter where one lives. That needs to be emphasized over and over because the results of a predator attack can be grizzly and devastating, especially to a child.

 

[devora]

The brochure sounds like a cool idea.

I agree w/ both posts. We had NO clue how totally FUN they would be! We can still, six mos. later, have an afternoon of just looking at the darn chickens.

And we did have a close call w/ a rattler that just about tore our hearts out...and we are grown ups!

Chickens: mobile lawn ornaments. Now who could not want to have some of those?

Let us know how the brochure turns out.

 

[speckledhen]

Yep, beats the heck out of those garden gnomes!

 

[Windy Ridge]

An exact measurement of how much a chicken eats would be difficult to come by, because it will depend on the breed, the season (for example, whether they're in lay) and the amount and type of range they have access to. Storey's Guide has some good figures, but it would be tough to fit all that into a brochure, which may be why you don't usually see those numbers.

It may be better to give a general sort of estimate as opposed to being exact and complicated. How many chickens are you suggesting people adopt in your brochure... two or three hens? If that's so, you could figure out how long a 20 or 50 pound bag of feed would last for three hens, and give that as an example.

(Just an idea..)

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Great input everyone, thanks!

Windy, I would love to be able to figure out how much that would be for feed! Maybe someone who has 3 hens can chime in here and tell us how much feed they go through, and I can figure it out from there.

 

[PeiTheCelt]

Not to sound like it's a bad thing, but make sure people realize that they don't stay little cute fluffballs forever, and they take *time* to turn into real pets if that's what they're looking for. An hour a night isn't overkill to really socialize young birds, and that can really make things complicated for people juggling jobs and kids and church/civic/hobby groups.

Also maybe touch on a few of the more common health issues and their symptoms?

(man this sounds really negative!!! Which is odd, I love my chicken time!!!)

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Please show your final brochure when you're done. Maybe some of us could borrow it for our local use?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Okay what are some other benefits? Here's what I have so far. Don't be afraid to critique.

Why Get Chickens?

1. Eggs! One of the great benefits of keeping hens are the fresh, anti-biotic free eggs. Not only will you know what goes into your birds, you'll know how they are treated.

2. Compost. Manure from chickens is great for composting. It's an organic fertilizer, wonderful for flower and vegetable gardens alike.

3. Bug control. Chickens are great at keeping tick and other bothersome pests populations down.

4. They make great pets. Chickens are great entertainers and when handled at a young age they can be extremely friendly.

Here are my Q & A's
Chicken Q. & A.

Q. Do I need a rooster to get eggs?
A. No. Hens will lay eggs without a rooster. A rooster is only needed if you want to hatch eggs.

Q. Are chickens smelly?
A. Only in large numbers. In small, well managed backyard flocks chickens don't smell.

Q. What do chickens eat?
A. That depends on their age. For chicks up to 8 weeks feed starter, for young birds 8-16 weeks feed grower feeds and for birds 16 weeks and up layer pellets should be used. Chickens also require grit (in the form of crushed marble) to "chew" their food and a calcium supplement such as oyster shell or crushed egg shells.

Q. How much does a chicken cost?
A. That depends on the breed age and quality. Young chicks can be purchased for a few dollars a piece and show birds can cost hundreds of dollars. The average stated layer pullet will cost about $5-$10.

Q. How long do chickens live?
A.Chickens can live well into their teens. The average pet chicken will live for 6-8 years.

I will also make a "What should I know before I get chickens" section to address housing, predator, illnesses and time requirements etc.

Buff, I will definitely share this when I'm finished.