Small-scale poultry keeping - housing, feeding and managing.
The household poultry flock can be a rewarding hobby that supplies fresh eggs, an occasional table bird and natural fertiliser for the garden. This page gives some useful tips on housing, feeding and managing a small flock. It is worthwhile spending a few extra dollars to build a henhouse tha is easy to manage. The house should be easy to clean, free from draughts and easy to enter. To get best results the hens need fresh feed and water every day. Watch for signs of disease; sick fowls may stop laying, some may die and others may recover but be poor layers. Poultry keepers have a duty of care for their welfare of their birds, as for all animals.
How many fowls should I keep?
In Queensland, there are no State Government regulations on the number of household layers. Local councils have by-laws that may restrict the number of birds that can be kept at a domestic property. Contact your council and obtain information on their by-laws for keeping domestic poultry. Councils may prohibit the keeping of roosters in residential areas. In any case, a rooster is not needed for the hens to lay eggs.
In her first year, a hen may lay up to five eggs per week but her production will decline with age, and there will be a period of non-production during moulting in winter. A flock of about six birds will provide plenty of eggs for a family of four. To maintain egg quality, eggs should be stored in the refrigerator.
Housing your flock.
Councils may also have by-laws regulating the size of a backyard poultry shed and its site. Check with your local council before building. Because there is plentiful feed, rats and mice may breed unless the shed is properly constructed and managed. The shed also needs bird-proofing or wild birds may introduce disease.
Starting your flock.
You can start your flock by purchasing point-of-lay pullets or day-old chicks. The point-of-lay pullet is around 18 weeks old and should start laying when she is about 22 to 24 weeks old. The four to six week period between purchase and first egg allows the pullet to get used to her new surroundings and settle in. The best time to buy pullets is in December or January, as they will then lay for a full 12 months, without moulting in autumn. Also mixing birds of different ages and colours a can upset the flocks established pecking order.
If you buy day-old chickens it is important to brood chickens at the correct temperature in an area free of draughts and with plenty of light.
Young chickens should have clean, fresh water and feed at all times. Keep an eye on the chicks, especially during the early brooding period and make sure they are comfortable. Use a chicken starter mash or crumble during this brooding period.
Some suitable breeds.
Commercial crossbred pullets are the best performers under most conditions as they are good layers, not prone to broodiness and donīt eat as much as other breeds. There are specially bred birds, for egg-laying and for table purposes. Laying chickens are commonly bred from White Leghorn/Australorp crosses but several other new crosses are also available. The meat type chickens originated from White Leghorn, Australorp, Indian Game, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire and other breeds. They can also be used for egg production but do not perform as well as the layer types.
Feed and water.
Commercially prepared feeds should be used as it supplies the correct balance of protein, vitamins and minerals necessary for the birdīs health and maximum production.
Poultry feeds are available in mash, crumbles or pellet form.
To help your fowls grind their food and digest it more efficiently, they should have an insoluble grit to pick at all the time such as Shellgrit or calgrit.
Management of feeding.
Feed should be available to the birds at all times. Self feeders are recommended. It must be kept dry and its freshness ensured. As a guide 40kg should last 12 layers for about one month.
To avoid feed wastage, adjust the height of the feeder trough level with the hens back and do not fill troughs more than half-full. Clean the feeders regularly and remove stale, wet or mouldy feed.
Layer feed should not be given to chicks or growing stock because the high calcium level may cause kidney damage. Make sure the feed is approved for the type of poultry to which it is fed. Feed manufacturers label their product accordingly - that is, suitable for chickens, growers, or layers.
Household scraps.
There is a legal requirement aimed at combating the introduction and spread of exotic animal diseases that no animal matter or other waste contaminated by animal matter is allowed to be fed. While it is okay to feed poultry with vegetable matter from the kitchen (where there is no risk of its being contaminated by animal matter) or the garden, it must never be substituted for the birdsī normal diet. As a guide, feed small amounts that the flock will eat in 5 to 10 minutes. Take care with scraps, those high in salt or contaminated with insecticide should be avoided. Silver beet, cabbage or cauliflower leaves can be given to hens. Fresh lawn clippings are excellent but large amounts are not recommended as they tend to go mouldy before being eaten.
Water.
Since an egg is made up of 70 to 75% water, laying hens need a constant supply of fresh, clean water. Layer hens need a supply of approximately 2 litres of water per day per hen. Water troughs must be kept clean and shaded from the sun.
Health and sanitation.
To keep your fowls healthy:
provide a shed that is comfortable, well-ventilated, well-lit and free from drafts and dampness;
keep the shed clean;
frequently renew the litter, wash or spray the shed with a disinfectant and insecticide (phenol or chlorine compounds are suitable);
remove sick birds from the flock and keep them away from the other hens while treatment is given. It is often more humane to destroy sick birds;
treat young birds for worm parasites every 2 to 3 months (healthy adult poultry usually acquire a resistance to internal parasites);
treat the birds when necessary for pests such as lice, mites and stickfast fleas; and
when the use of an antibiotic is recommended by your veterinarian read the label carefully. Restrictions and a withholding period may apply to the use of the eggs and meat.