What do you do to maintain your chickens.

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would suggest do lots of reading on this forum, start here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...commandments-of-good-flock-management.129278/

 

[Twilia]

Hey y´all! I am just wondering how you take care of your chickens because I am getting chickens soon. Are there any recommendations on maintaining these wonder-foul creatures?

The secret ingredient to successful chicken keeping: Be prepared to learn; anticipate problems, don't wait till they come to you.
Be proactive

My tips are:
(1. Learn a lot about the animal/breed you are adding.
(2. A secure chicken area is necessary to protecting the poultry and
curious wildlife.
(3. Have what you need, before you need it.
(4. There are a lot of different chicken equipment, so get the things that suit your purpose (ex. dual, durable, specialized, etc.)
(6. If you want to prolong your chickens, find your vet foremost.
(7. Use mistakes as feedback to learn how, and where, to do what better.

Other than doing the best you can, Everything else is chance ; )

 

[Jeff_Stone]

Mar 9? I am wonder-foully late! (9I stole your bit, sorry!) But here goes any hows:

Hey there, future chicken wrangler!

So, you're diving into the wild, feathery world of poultry parenthood—welcome to the chaos! Here’s the let's get to it, down-and-dirty starter guide to keeping your cluckers happy, healthy, and out of your flower beds (good luck with that last one).

---

CHICKEN CARE 101: THE NO-MESSING-ROUND VERSION​

1. SHELTER (THE "DON’T LET THEM DIE" PART)​

• Coop: Needs 4 sq ft per chicken--IF POSSIBLE (or they’ll start plotting against you).
• Roosts: Chickens often love sleeping perched on sticks like tiny, deranged bats.
• Nesting Boxes: 1 per 3 hens (or they’ll all fight over the same one).

2. FOOD (THE "THEY’RE ALWAYS HUNGRY" PART)​

• Starter Feed (0-8 weeks): High-protein (20-22%)—think of it as chicken baby formula.
• Layer Feed (18+ weeks): 16-18% protein + calcium (or you’ll get eggshells thinner than your patience).
• Treats: Yes, but—too many snacks = fat chickens & no eggs.

3. WATER (THE "THEY’LL SPILL IT EVERYWHERE" PART)​

• Clean water DAILY (or they’ll drink mud like rebellious toddlers).
• Heated base in winter (unless you enjoy chiseling ice).

4. PREDATOR PROOFING (THE "EVERYTHING WANTS TO EAT THEM" PART)​

• Hardware cloth > Chicken wire (raccoons laugh at chicken wire).
• Lock them up at night (or the local fox gets a McNugget buffet).

5. HEALTH (THE "WHY IS IT MAKING THAT NOISE?" PART)​

• Check for mites/lice (if they’re scratching like they’re at a rave, it’s bug time).
• Poop inspection (yes, really—runny = bad).
• Vet? Lol. But have Poultry Nutri-Drench and Vetericyn on hand for emergencies.

6. EGG COLLECTION (THE "TREASURE HUNT" PART)​

• Collect daily (or they’ll hide them like a dragon hoarding gold).
• Wash? Only if covered in poop (egg bloom = nature’s Tupperware seal).

---

PRO TIPS (FROM ONE CHICKEN DISASTER SURVIVOR TO A CHICKEN LOVER):​

• Chicken math is REAL. You MAY end up with more chickens than planned.
• They will destroy your garden. Plant sacrificial greens to distract them. Chard is real good@!
• Roosters: Cute until they attack your ankles at dawn. Trust me....!

---

AND SO WELCOME TO THE FLOCK!

Get Prepared for:

1. Endless entertainment (chickens are nature’s TikTok).
2. Questionable life choices ("Why do I have 20 chickens?").
3. A weirdly emotional bond with creatures that would eat you if they were bigger.

Want MORE chaos, you say? Just wait till you hatch your own eggs. ;-)

(Hey, no harm and no "fowl," right? When the chicken math hits, blame me. Tell 'em I enabled you.)

STAY CLUCKIN’.

 

[horselover1999]

Mar 9? I am wonder-foully late! (9I stole your bit, sorry!) But here goes any hows:

Hey there, future chicken wrangler!

So, you're diving into the wild, feathery world of poultry parenthood—welcome to the chaos! Here’s the let's get to it, down-and-dirty starter guide to keeping your cluckers happy, healthy, and out of your flower beds (good luck with that last one).

---

CHICKEN CARE 101: THE NO-MESSING-ROUND VERSION​

1. SHELTER (THE "DON’T LET THEM DIE" PART)​

• Coop: Needs 4 sq ft per chicken--IF POSSIBLE (or they’ll start plotting against you).
• Roosts: Chickens often love sleeping perched on sticks like tiny, deranged bats.
• Nesting Boxes: 1 per 3 hens (or they’ll all fight over the same one).

2. FOOD (THE "THEY’RE ALWAYS HUNGRY" PART)​

• Starter Feed (0-8 weeks): High-protein (20-22%)—think of it as chicken baby formula.
• Layer Feed (18+ weeks): 16-18% protein + calcium (or you’ll get eggshells thinner than your patience).
• Treats: Yes, but—too many snacks = fat chickens & no eggs.

3. WATER (THE "THEY’LL SPILL IT EVERYWHERE" PART)​

• Clean water DAILY (or they’ll drink mud like rebellious toddlers).
• Heated base in winter (unless you enjoy chiseling ice).

4. PREDATOR PROOFING (THE "EVERYTHING WANTS TO EAT THEM" PART)​

• Hardware cloth > Chicken wire (raccoons laugh at chicken wire).
• Lock them up at night (or the local fox gets a McNugget buffet).

5. HEALTH (THE "WHY IS IT MAKING THAT NOISE?" PART)​

• Check for mites/lice (if they’re scratching like they’re at a rave, it’s bug time).
• Poop inspection (yes, really—runny = bad).
• Vet? Lol. But have Poultry Nutri-Drench and Vetericyn on hand for emergencies.

6. EGG COLLECTION (THE "TREASURE HUNT" PART)​

• Collect daily (or they’ll hide them like a dragon hoarding gold).
• Wash? Only if covered in poop (egg bloom = nature’s Tupperware seal).

---

PRO TIPS (FROM ONE CHICKEN DISASTER SURVIVOR TO A CHICKEN LOVER):​

• Chicken math is REAL. You MAY end up with more chickens than planned.
• They will destroy your garden. Plant sacrificial greens to distract them. Chard is real good@!
• Roosters: Cute until they attack your ankles at dawn. Trust me....!

---

AND SO WELCOME TO THE FLOCK!

Get Prepared for:

1. Endless entertainment (chickens are nature’s TikTok).
2. Questionable life choices ("Why do I have 20 chickens?").
3. A weirdly emotional bond with creatures that would eat you if they were bigger.

Want MORE chaos, you say? Just wait till you hatch your own eggs. ;-)

(Hey, no harm and no "fowl," right? When the chicken math hits, blame me. Tell 'em I enabled you.)

STAY CLUCKIN’.

I would like to add to the Health part that mites don't make them that itchy, but can cause anemia, so regular checks of the vent, under the wings, and base of the neck are key.
Blu-Kote is an antiseptic that's great at masking injuries from being pecked at further.

Starter can be fed until they start laying.

 

[NatJ]

Starter can be fed until they start laying.

For that matter, Starter can be fed for their entire life. The only extra thing laying hens need is calcium, and you can provide that with a dish of oyster shell if you don't feel like switching them over to a layer feed.

This is especially handy if you have a mixture of ages in your flock. Everyone can eat the Chick Starter, and the layers will help themselves to the separate dish of oyster shell while the ones that do not need more calcium will generally ignore it.

 

[SilkieMom0406]

Mar 9? I am wonder-foully late! (9I stole your bit, sorry!) But here goes any hows:

Hey there, future chicken wrangler!

So, you're diving into the wild, feathery world of poultry parenthood—welcome to the chaos! Here’s the let's get to it, down-and-dirty starter guide to keeping your cluckers happy, healthy, and out of your flower beds (good luck with that last one).

---

CHICKEN CARE 101: THE NO-MESSING-ROUND VERSION​

1. SHELTER (THE "DON’T LET THEM DIE" PART)​

• Coop: Needs 4 sq ft per chicken--IF POSSIBLE (or they’ll start plotting against you).
• Roosts: Chickens often love sleeping perched on sticks like tiny, deranged bats.
• Nesting Boxes: 1 per 3 hens (or they’ll all fight over the same one).

2. FOOD (THE "THEY’RE ALWAYS HUNGRY" PART)​

• Starter Feed (0-8 weeks): High-protein (20-22%)—think of it as chicken baby formula.
• Layer Feed (18+ weeks): 16-18% protein + calcium (or you’ll get eggshells thinner than your patience).
• Treats: Yes, but—too many snacks = fat chickens & no eggs.

3. WATER (THE "THEY’LL SPILL IT EVERYWHERE" PART)​

• Clean water DAILY (or they’ll drink mud like rebellious toddlers).
• Heated base in winter (unless you enjoy chiseling ice).

4. PREDATOR PROOFING (THE "EVERYTHING WANTS TO EAT THEM" PART)​

• Hardware cloth > Chicken wire (raccoons laugh at chicken wire).
• Lock them up at night (or the local fox gets a McNugget buffet).

5. HEALTH (THE "WHY IS IT MAKING THAT NOISE?" PART)​

• Check for mites/lice (if they’re scratching like they’re at a rave, it’s bug time).
• Poop inspection (yes, really—runny = bad).
• Vet? Lol. But have Poultry Nutri-Drench and Vetericyn on hand for emergencies.

6. EGG COLLECTION (THE "TREASURE HUNT" PART)​

• Collect daily (or they’ll hide them like a dragon hoarding gold).
• Wash? Only if covered in poop (egg bloom = nature’s Tupperware seal).

---

PRO TIPS (FROM ONE CHICKEN DISASTER SURVIVOR TO A CHICKEN LOVER):​

• Chicken math is REAL. You MAY end up with more chickens than planned.
• They will destroy your garden. Plant sacrificial greens to distract them. Chard is real good@!
• Roosters: Cute until they attack your ankles at dawn. Trust me....!

---

AND SO WELCOME TO THE FLOCK!

Get Prepared for:

1. Endless entertainment (chickens are nature’s TikTok).
2. Questionable life choices ("Why do I have 20 chickens?").
3. A weirdly emotional bond with creatures that would eat you if they were bigger.

Want MORE chaos, you say? Just wait till you hatch your own eggs. ;-)

(Hey, no harm and no "fowl," right? When the chicken math hits, blame me. Tell 'em I enabled you.)

STAY CLUCKIN’.

Thank you so much for this post!! This is very helpful.