Backyard Chickens for Crisis Prevention

[shaggy]

so ... i am working with my church for their crisis prevention expo and they have asked me to talk about the benefits of raising backyard chickens and how it is beneficial in a crisis situation (i.e. hurricane comes through the area and knocks out the power grid so there is no source of fresh food)


wife wanted to do a project board (like the ones they do for science fairs) and i am trying to find the information i need as well as a method of presentation and haven't a clue on where to look.


we'll have a table, and we will bring 2 of our chickens and keep them in a cage so people can see them, we will also have a carton of eggs from the hens



can someone point me in the right direction?

 

[shaggy]

i think crisis preparation would be a better word for it

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

You can talk about how well/long eggs keep.

Don't forget to bring stuff to clean up after the birds, been there, done that!

 

[shaggy]

Ms.Frizzle :

You can talk about how well/long eggs keep.

Don't forget to bring stuff to clean up after the birds, been there, done that!

thank you, awesome idea

no electricity = no refrigeration



going to stuff the cage with hay so cleanup will consist of me throwing the straw into the chicken run​

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

I was thinking more along the lines of baggies, so when they poop, you can scoop, and then throw away. You're going to be around ppl who arn't used to chicken smells, and if your indoors, the room will just contain it. You get what i mean.

 

[shaggy]

this is what i got so far


Why are chickens good for crisis preparation?
They are easy and inexpensive to maintain and in general self-sufficient.
They are a good source of food/protein when other sources are not readily available.
Space requirements are minimal.
Great method to fertilize soil for gardens for another source of food.



The only big cost associated with raising chickens is the initial cost of building a coop and pen. Chickens needs 2 square foot per chicken for coop space, and an additional 4 square feet per chicken for run/pasture space. Given enough space, they can free range and feed themselves without having to buy feed. You can also feed them table scraps and vegetable trimmings. The more you can supplement their diet, the less you have to pay for actual feed. Chickens will literally eat anything.


Store bought chicken eggs are generally weeks old by the time the reach your refrigerator, and that is why they need to be refrigerated. Fresh eggs collected daily can sit at room temperature for a month before needing refrigeration. In a crisis situation where there is no electricity or refrigeration available, you are guaranteed to have a safe source of protein.









--------- also more random information that hasn't been categorized ----


Purposes:
There are several different breeds to choose from in each category.

Egg laying breeds excel at egg production and can produce up to 5 eggs a week per adult chicken. It can take between 16 and 24 weeks before they start producing eggs.

Meat laying breeds mature quickly and reach an appropriate size in 65 - 90 days depending on the breed.

Dual Purpose breeds are generally raised for both egg production and size. They take a longer amount of time to reach full size, but if you want to get plenty of eggs out of them, this is not an issue.

There are specialized breeds out there that go beyond meat and egg purposes. Certain breeds are exceptionally good for hatching and raising baby chicks, and other breeds that are excellent for unusually colored eggs, and even more that are just cool to look at.



Space Requirements:
Coop - 2-4 square feet per chicken
Run - 4 square feet per chicken


Raising:

How To Care For A Chick - First 60 Days:

Young Chick Brooder - Can be as simple as a sturdy cardboard box or a small animal cage like one you'd use for rabbits.
Flooring - Pine shavings work best
Temperature - 90 to 100 deg. for the first week, decrease 5 deg. per week. A 100 watt bulb pointing in one corner (not the whole brooder) works well.
Food & water - chick crumbles / starter & a chick waterer
Play time - Play with your chicks when young to get the use to being around people.
Outside time - Section off an area in your yard where the chicks can explore, scratch, etc. Make sure you can catch them when it's time to come in.


Chicken Care After First 60 Days, General Chicken Care:

Chicken Coops - Once feathered out you'll want to move your chickens into a chicken coop! Rule of thumb is about 2-3 square feet per chicken inside the henhouse and 4-5 sq/ft per chicken in an outside run. Keep local predators in mind and make a safe home for your flock!
Flooring - Pine shavings work best. You can even try the deep litter method for even less maintenance.
Food & water - Most people go with chicken layer feed / pellets. You can even make a homemade chicken feeder / waterer
Treats - Vegetables, bread, bugs, chicken scratch (cracked corn, milo, wheat)



Nesting:
Nesting boxes are for egg producing chickens.
You should have approx. 1 nesting box per 4-6 chickens
Boxes should be approx. 12 inches by 12 inches.
Boxes should have soft nesting material in the bottom (hay, pine shaving, ect.)

Feeding:
Chickens can eat just about anything and do exceptionally well with eating table scraps.
It is healthy for them to free-range and eat the bugs, insects, and worms out of your yard.
Juvenile chickens do well on a high protein diets (standard feed is between 16-20% protein)
Laying hens do well on specially formulated laying feed that contain the needed calcium for egg shell development.


Links:
The Modern Homestead
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Poultry+Overview.html

BackYard Chickens
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1198

 

[shaggy]

finished:



Why are chickens good for crisis preparation?

They are easy and inexpensive to maintain and in general self-sufficient.
They are a good source of food/protein when other sources are not readily available.
Space requirements are minimal.
Great method to fertilize soil for gardens for another source of food.



The only big cost associated with raising chickens is the initial cost of building a coop and pen. Chickens need 2 square foot per chicken for coop space, and an additional 4 square feet per chicken for run/pasture space. Given enough space, they can free range and feed themselves without having to buy feed. You can also feed them table scraps and vegetable trimmings. The more you can supplement their diet, the less you have to pay for actual feed. Chickens will literally eat anything.


Store bought chicken eggs are generally weeks old by the time they reach your refrigerator, and that is why they need to be refrigerated. Fresh eggs collected daily can sit at room temperature for a month before needing refrigeration. In a crisis situation where there is no electricity or refrigeration available, you are guaranteed to have a safe source of protein.

A full grown chicken requires 2 square feet of coop space and 4 square feet of run/yard space. A 50x50 space can theoretically handle over 400 chickens, but with that many it would be a little cramped and probably smelly. Free ranging chickens require more space in order to supplement their diet with grasses, grains, and insects.

Chicken manure is high in nitrogen and a great ferilizer. As it breaks down in the soil, along with things like hay and other organic materials, it will enrish the soil. The dirt under the hay is especially fertile and a great source for potting soil and enriching the soil in your garden area.
Links for online resources:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/
http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Poultry.html
http://www.cyndilou6.com/
http://www.mypetchicken.com
http://www.farminfo.org/livestock/chickens.htm
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html