Farm

Baby chicks! Even if your goal is to eventually own a flock of egg-producing hens, there is still something delightful about raising young chicks from "scratch" (pun intended). While some hens are willing to hatch and raise their own chicks, let's assume you're raising the baby chicks yourself—either chicks you've purchased or chicks from fertile eggs that you've hatched in an incubator. No matter how you got them, raising chicks is a rewarding experience. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind.

Once upon a time, keeping chickens was much more common than it is now. Back when most families owned a horse and perhaps a dairy cow or two, it wasn't unusual to have a small flock of chickens as well. Because of this, a basic knowledge of chicken care was woven into the fabric of American life. Today, there is renewed interest in keeping chickens, but you might have questions about the basics that you didn't learn from your parents or grandparents: How much work are chickens? What might it cost to get into keeping chickens?

If you're raising chickens, one of the first questions you'll ask is, "How much space do my chickens need to be happy?" The ideal size of your chicken coop will depend on a lot of factors. How big are your chickens? Are they fully grown? Will they have an outdoor run? In general, it's better to provide too much space for your chickens rather than too little. Chickens can become a little cranky if they're cooped up too close for too long.

You've decided to raise backyard chickens. But where do you begin? Keeping chickens in your yard is a rewarding pursuit, but before you get started, let's take a look at some of the basics of keeping chickens.

If you have some land or even a backyard and dream of dabbling in farming, an easy first step is to try raising chickens. Chickens offer an ideal way for you to learn the ropes of basic livestock care without it becoming overwhelming. Make sure you ask yourself, "How many chickens do I need?" It's a great question, and the answer will partly depend on your plans and purpose for your chickens.

Chickens are highly susceptible to predators, especially if they're free range. Foxes, raccoons, birds of prey and even snakes can all pose a threat to a free-range flock. To protect your chickens from predators, you'll need to consider installing appropriate fencing, providing shelter, keeping your chickens indoors at night and using guard animals to keep predators at bay.

Learn what temperature chickens can tolerate and the precautions you should take to make sure your chickens are safe during cold winter months.

Winter months can be a fun time for chicken owners. Figuring out how to raise chickens in the winter isn't as complicated as you might think. You just need a ventilated coop without drafts, lots of food, bedding, extra light, and some opportunities for your chickens to stay entertained.