• Last updated 5/1/12 by BYC Project Manager

CHICKEN TREATS This is a list of everything you can feed a chicken. However, everybody's chickens have their own tiny brains full of likes and dislikes, so while one person's chickens may come running for grapes or watermelon, another person's chickens may turn up their pointy little beaks at it. Anything on this list is worth a try. Your comments are welcome - please post them on http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=188621#p188621 At the bottom of the page are things you should avoid feeding your... read more

• Last updated 5/1/12 by BYC Project Manager

  Deep Litter Method DLM is basically a method in which you allow your coop litter to build up over a period of time. As the chicken manure and litter of choice compost, it helps to heat the coop, which in turn helps keep the chickens warmer. I had never heard of this before BYC and cleaning the coops once or twice a year, as opposed to weekly cleanings fits our lifestyle. I began using the DLM in early September '07, when we moved most of our Bantam flock from the Teacup Pterodactyl Townhouse into the main coop. I started out by adding 4 - 6 inches of pine... read more

• Last updated 3/18/12 by support

  Raising Chickens 101 So, you're interested in raising chickens?  You've embarked on a fun an exciting journey! BYC (BackYardChickens) is FULL of great information. If your question isn't answered in the main pages of the site then we promise there is an answer on our chicken forum. Below are the absolute basics of raising chickens. For more detailed information please explore the rest of the site and join our forum.     Why Raise Chickens?   Here are a few of the most frequently expressed reasons people raise chickens:  Easy and inexpensive to... read more

• Last updated 4/20/12 by Nifty-Chicken

Building a Treadle Feeder Auto Waterer Fang Dangled Automatic Waterer Autofill ... read more

• Last updated 5/1/12 by BYC Project Manager

  How To Hatch Chicken Eggs Related tutorials: How-To #2: The First 60 Days   General Hints  First things first - eggs should hatch in 21 days, give or take couple, after the hen has begun to "set" or incubate them.   Before putting your eggs into an incubator, plug it in and make sure the temp is steady at 99.5 degrees. I use a thermometer and a hygrometer (which measures humidity) in my incubator. Hygrometers can be purchased quite cheaply at a cigar shop, Radio Shack and I believe even Walmart. You want 50% humidity for day 1-18, then 70-80% for the... read more

• Last updated 4/17/12 by BYC Project Manager

  Chicken Coops - Hundreds of Coop Designs   Over 40 Homemade Chicken Feeders & Waterers Nesting Boxes   Chicken Treat Chart Coop Ventilation   Deciding to Free Range Your Flock Using Sand in Your Coops   Deep Litter... read more

• Last updated 5/1/12 by BYC Project Manager

The Cold Coop: what to do (and not do!) about it   The 'heat budget' of a chicken coop   You can think of the temperature of your coop as being like a bank account. It starts with whatever amount of money it starts with, but on a day to day basis the balance will depend on how much money you're spending and how much you're depositing. Similarly, the indoor air temperature in your coop is determined by how much heat is coming in from various sources and how much is going out.   What are some of the things that produce heat in the coop and thus tend to... read more

• Last updated 3/18/12 by support

  Raising Baby Chickens - The First 60 Days Related Tutorials: How-To #1: Hatching Eggs   General Hints  So, now you have some cute little fuzzballs... what now?? The main things to attend to for the first 60 days: housing temperature food and water cleanliness   Chicks should be kept indoors (or in a heated brooder) until they have their feathers, about 5-8 weeks.   Brooders  The chicks' first home is called a "brooder". For one-time or once-in-a-while use, a cardboard box works just fine. A cage suitable for a rabbit or guinea... read more

• Last updated 5/1/12 by BYC Project Manager

    Chicken nesting boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The basic idea is to have a dry, clean and relatively dark area where your hens can lay their eggs. Here are some of the basics for a good nesting box:   One nesting box for every 2-4 hens. Size: Nest boxes should be big enough for your hen to stand in comfortably. Usually 12 x 12 x 12 inches is adequate, but building bigger is usually a good idea. Nesting material: Many people use either wood shavings (pine usually) or straw. We personally suggest dry wood shavings over... read more

• Last updated 5/1/12 by BYC Project Manager

  Patandchickens' Big Ol' VENTILATION Page Or, Go out there and cut more holes in your coop! Now! Really truly!       Why is ventilation such a big deal? Because chickens are amazing producers of moisture, ammonia and heat, that's why. Small but mighty! (Mighty messy anyhow). 1) Ventilation removes dampness and humidity from the coop. Chickens generate scary amounts of water vapor, partly through breathing out (same as we do, that's why a mirror fogs when you breathe on it), and largely through pooing (chickens do not urinate as such - all... read more