There have been opinions on what to do with your flock daily. Raising chickens could be rather easy but also requires maintenance to keep their surroundings clean and safe for both your chickens and your own satisfaction. Some owners waver to do such an arduous task. But actually it is one of the easiest works you can do to give your chickens the welcome they deserve.
Here are some tips to helps you learn about what to do and what not to do daily when raising chickens.
a. Keep their feed and water containers full at all times. Do not let them run out of these two essentials. They need these two things everyday to live. If you intend to leave your house for a few days, be sure to leave adequate food and water so that your chickens don’t run out of their needs and won't get to the point of picking on one another.
b. Clean their water canister. If their water gets cloudy or if they felt that it’s already dirty, they'll resist drinking it and in the long-term, they'll get dehydrated and finally conjure illness and die.
c. Each morning, observe for their health condition. Observe their physical behavior. Do they look active, bright and healthy? When they don’t appear anything close to normal, then you must call or see the vet to inquire for suggestions and answers.
d. If you are the kind who loves gathering eggs for breakfast or for selling, the instant they are laid, you could already get them from the coop. Place the eggs in the fridge to preserve its freshness.
e. From time to time, you'll have the opportunity to visit their coop and check your chickens. Before you leave, be sure that things are secure inside and outside the pen. When you see rat holes, block it off. If everything appears fine, make sure to close the door. As dusk comes, that’ll be the time when all the chickens are inside their nest. Not one chicken in sight. Protect the area so that predators would not have the chance to get in.
Not like other pets, you may leave the chickens for days. You have to remember that they have to be supplied with adequate food and water supply. If you got back and found eggs, it’s still okay to gather up. It still has its freshness.
Here’s one fact that you must know about an egg’s freshness: it would take you at least twelve days from the day that it was laid before it becomes mature and an embryo grows inside.
Another matter that you ought to know about eggs is that upon collecting them, there would be chances that you’ll see slight spots of dirt or feces on the egg’s surface. Don't try too scrub the dirt off regardless how the urge is killing you. One thing about eggs is that they're not released to this world without having protective barriers.
Bloom is the term given to the membrane located at the surface of the egg itself. The function of the bloom is to protect the egg from bacteria and microorganisms that could insist on permeating through the shell. If you scrub this, you take out the protective covering.
But when you are that kind of person who needed things to always be spiffy clean, like that of the obsessive-compulsive type, clean the dirty egg using warm water and a very gentle touch.
Copyright © 2011 Athena Goodlight
