Free Essay

Backyard Chickens

In: Other Topics

Submitted By allydow
Words 1091
Pages 5
Dow
Instructor: Taylor
Name: Allison Dow
English 101

The Art and Joy in Raising Backyard Chickens Many people don’t know how easy and inexpensive it is to raise backyard chickens? This essay will go over choosing the correct chicken for the buyers climate, how to care and feed the chickens from chick to egg layer, the coop size the buyer will need for the amount of birds and the protection required from predators, and finally what to expect from the chickens once they are egg layers. Most people think all chickens are the same, well that would be incorrect. Most backyard chickens are dual purpose breeds but very rarely are they used for meat birds. A few chickens for different environments are, for those that live in area that get really cold in the winter the Black Jersey Giant is not a wise choice, they prefer a warmer climate to live in. Say the buyer lives in a very cold climate well the perfect bird to choose would be any type of Wyandotte chicken. These birds are very cold hardy and will continue to lay eggs during extremely cold months. There are also birds that can live in eitherType to enter text
Type to enter text very hot climates or very cold climates. One type of bird that can live in these environments are any breed type of the Orpington. Once the buyer chooses the correct bird for there area the buyer will need to know how to care for them from chick to egg laying hen. A good temperature for chicks as what Jenna Woginrich wrote in “Mother Earth News” “You must keep chicks warm. Ninety to 95 degrees fahrenheit is the magic temperature range, and you’ll want the heat source working at least a day in advance to make sure the brooder warms up to and can maintain that temperature.” The first few weeks are the most delicate in times, these first weeks is usually when owners will loose the chicks to natural death or they were too cold or hot. As a rule the first 2 weeks the heat lamp should be 12 - 18 inches from the brooder and away from the water and food bowl. As they get older the owner can raise the heat lamp due to muscle and feather production. Once they are around 8 weeks the owner can remove the heat lamp all together. As a good owner you need to know how to feed them at the different stages of the birds life. Well thats easy from 1 - 16 weeks the owner should feed the chicks Starter Grower Crumbles with a 18% protein base. This supports muscle development and weight gain and to aide in digestion add a chick grit to the food till they are in the coop. For birds 16 weeks and up start feeding them Layer feed with a 16% protein base, this food is loaded with vitamins and minerals to promote hen health and egg production. Once the birds are around 10 weeks old the owner can place them in their coop. When the owner designs and build or even buys the coop the buyer should have a few things in mind.
How many birds do does the owner plan on owning? Does the owner have any known predators in the area? What kind of environment does the owner live in? Let’s start with how many birds the buyers plan on purchasing, for happy birds a coop should give 4 square feet per bird, and usually 1 nesting box for every 4 birds. To protect the birds from predators make sure the coop and run have sturdy close wire fencing as well as no large gaps within the coop. As for the environment the coop needs to breathe but the wood also needs to be close together to prevent snakes or lizards from coming into the coop. During winter months the birds will need to be kept warm in the winter so large gaps in the coop would freeze the birds. So the art in coop building is not a hard task but defiantly an important one if you want eggs throughout the winter in cooler environments. Having a happy comfortable coop will give the owners happy egg producing chickens. So once the owner has raised the birds from chick to placing them in the coop, what can the owner expect from the chickens? Most birds start laying eggs around 20 weeks, per Kristi Reimer DVM “It’s normal over time for egg production to drop due to age” normally this decrease starts around the 3 year range. Most birds lay around 3 - 4 eggs a week but it can decrease in the winter. To help with this the owner can place a light bulb in the coop and leave it on during the night hours. Most birds need 30 hours of sunlight to produce 1 egg. The owner can also help by changing their diet during the colder months to a food with a 20% protein base and then switch back to the 16% once it warms up. Once a bird goes through it’s second spring they will molt,which means they will shed there feathers and grow new ones, this is a messy process feathers are everywhere. The owner can help shorten the process by buying a food made for the molting chicken. It helps them shed and grow new feathers quickly. The total start up cost varies. If the owner choose to buy a coop the cost varies for that also. A coop can cost between $200-$2000 it just depends how fancy the buyer wants the coop. If you choose to build a coop that can vary also due to wood costs but the buyer can build a great coop for cheap by breaking down pallets. Most chicks cost $2.20 each and the heat lamp plus bulb is roughly $20 and food can cost $16 for a 50 pound bag. Once the chicks are older the only cost the owner should incur is food costs. A typical dozen organic eggs can cost around $4 so in theory once every bird lays a dozen eggs the bird has paid for itself. So now the perspective buyer is more aware and knowledgeable on raising chicks to egg layers, how to feed them and keep them warm, how to build or buy a chicken coop and what to expect from the birds once they are able to lay eggs and how cost effective each chicken can be.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Optical Distortion Inc

...of egg-producing farm chickens. This development came after an accidental discovery that partially blind chickens demonstrate more manageable and productive behaviors that are valuable to chicken farmers. Market Trends As within many industries, the poultry and egg production market has evolved dramatically in the last century— from small backyard barnyards to today’s high-production farms of more than 2.5 million birds. Due to the varied demands and operations necessitated by this current, broad spectrum of customers (here, chicken farmers), the current market is best understood by segmenting it first by flock size. As shown in Exhibit 4 of the case study, we see the percentage growth (decline) of each flock size segment as it relates to farm size and chicken count from 1964 to 1996. Based on this data, farms with flock sizes less than 10,000 chickens have dramatically reduced in this time period while farms with flock sizes larger than 10,000 have consistently grown in each of the four high-volume segments. Additionally, the market data also demonstrates a significant progression of concentration both regionally as well as in the nation’s number of industry producers. In 1974, 80% of the laying hens in the United States were housed in just 3% of the country’s chicken farms. Regionally speaking, the farms have evolved into concentrations in where just three states—California, North Carolina, and Georgia—account for more 25% of the nation’s chickens. Finally, additional...

Words: 1331 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Emsr

...Page 13 Beverage & Bar Pricing Page 14 Additional Information Page 15 Please call us at (314) 644-1400 to place an order or plan an event! HOT APPETIZERS- PRICED PER 50 PIECES Hot Cheesy Garlic Bread $22 Golden Toasted Ravioli $30 Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts $66 Cannelicchi (Chicken & Artichoke Fried Cannelloni) $35 Spanakopita (Greek Pastry with Onion, Cream Cheese, Feta & Spices) $70 Crab Cakes (Blended with Peppers & Spices) $82 Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms (Salsiccia & Smoked Provolone) $77 Spinach Artichoke Dip con Crostini $65 Bacon Wrapped Scallops $82 Nonna Tucci’s Meatballs (Mushroom Marsala or Tomato Sauce) $44 Chicken Wings (Honey BBQ, Lemon Pepper, Teriyaki or Spicy) $45 Veggie or Chicken Quesadilla (Served with Sour Cream & Salsa) $85 Feta Cheese and Sundried Tomato in Phyllo $65 Breaded Parmesan Artichoke Hearts $76 Breaded Chicken Fillets (Severed with BBQ or Mt. Vesuvius Sauce) $60 All Beef Franks in a Blanket (Served with Dusseldorf Mustard) $44 Brie, Pear, & Almond Beggars Purse $79 Buffalo Chicken Spring Roll $68 Mini Veggie Spring Roll $55 Roasted Veggie Tort $64 Fig & Mascarpone Beggars Purse $70 COLD APPETIZERS, SPECIALTY TRAYS & SANDWICHES Cheese & Cracker Medley (Domestic Cheeses & Assorted Crackers) $2.5/person Gourmet Cheese,...

Words: 2340 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Chickens

...Nine Ten, a Big Fat Hen. Are Arsenicals in Chicken Worth the Risk? According to an article at Science Daily, “The annual per capita human consumption of poultry products is approximately 100 lbs. This is greater demand than that of any other animal- or vegetable-derived protein source in the U.S. To satisfy this demand, each year, the U.S. poultry industry raises nearly 9 billion broiler chickens” ("Banned Antibiotics”). In order to accomplish raising this many chickens the farmers have found it necessary to use antibiotic compounds containing arsenic. Arsenic is a medication that farmers put in the chicken feed to help chickens grow heavier at a much faster rate, help prevent diseases, and give support to tissue and vascular development. This will make the muscle of the chickens more appealing to the consumers (Greiff). Thus, they are produced in a much shorter time span. Critics of the use of growth promoters such as arsenicals point out disturbing side effects. For example: the chickens become extremely overweight. This reaches the point where their legs cannot even hold up their bodies. This causes them to fall over and eventually die. Some of the chickens that make it past the farms and into the grocery store can carry bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses and can even cause cancer. Defenders of the use of the arsenic-containing antibiotics argue that with the use of these antibiotics, money can be saved not only by the company, but also for the consumers...

Words: 3922 - Pages: 16

Free Essay

Obesity in Amercia

...The audience was silent, a numbing stillness throughout the auditorium. As I raised myself up off the floor, I caught a glance of my fellow cast members faces and busted out laughing. I lost it! Followed be the audience filling the auditorium with echos of laughter. As I fought to regain composure my lines fell out of my mouth, and the play continued . I faced a nightmare of humiliation, and by laughing at it I was a little less embarrassed.. When I was fifteen, I found humor in the aftermath of a ATV four-wheeler accident. Myself, along with my brother and a few other friends had gathered at my grandparents farm for a day of trail riding. As we were finishing our ride or the day, we rode into the backyard area of my grandparents house, I noticed a huge mound of dirt, where my grandparents were having a storm cellar...

Words: 821 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Feasibility Study

...MANOK na BISAYA” NATIVE DELIGHT (BISAYANG MANOK-“BISNOK”) A Feasibility Study on Poultry business in Davao City ABSTRACT This study aims to know the feasibility of Bisayang Manok as a poultry business in Davao City that may add to the supply to the excessive demand of bisayang manok in certain restaurants in the city. The chicken industry in the Philippines consists of commercial sectors and backyard sectors. Commercial sector includes hybrid chickens and broilers which occupies a larger percentage in country’s chicken supply and production. On the other hand, the backyard sector includes native chickens which has insufficient supply, yet has a high consumer demand in the market. The supply of native chickens in Davao City is not enough to meet the increasing demand of the consumers. Thus, the Native Delight wants to increase the production and supply of native chickens in the city. If the study turns to be feasible, for the meantime, the Native Delight will only cater a particular famous restaurant in Davao City. However, in the long run, Native Delight will cater a larger scale of consumers. The study uses Darag native chicken. It will be free-ranged, and be fed by organic foods. The results indicated that Bisayang Manok as a poultry business in Davao City is a feasible business. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This Feasibility Study was made possible...

Words: 13031 - Pages: 53

Premium Essay

Marketing Paper

...Optical Distortion, Inc. Optical Distortion, Inc. (ODI) is the world’s first company to introduce contact lenses for chickens. In 1965, the ODI lens were invented by Robert D. Garrison with the purpose to partially blind a chicken’s vision. The idea was founded by accident when a farmer observed that his blind chickens were much more well behaved than chickens who could see. In 1966, James Arnold, invested in ODI lens and formed a business with the Garrison’s. In the early stages of ODI lens, there was a problem of the lens not being able to stay in the chicken’s eye and their eyes would become red. By 1969, the company issued a U.S. patent when the retention problem was solved by making the lens a smaller size made of a plastic called, hydrophilic polymer. The hydrophilic polymer could be molded and in1973, Daniel Garrison contacted New World Plastics that controlled hydrophilic polymer and obtained a long-term license for the exclusive use of hydrophilic polymer for chickens. In exchange for New World Plastics to exclusively produce the polymer for ODI only, ODI, agreed to pay New World $50,000 and to only purchase the lens from New World. This exclusive contract secured ODI a competition advantage as the lens were the only of its kind at the time. At the same time, Daniel Garrison purchased 25% of ODI’s stock and became president and chief executive officer of the company. Ronald Olson because the vice president of marketing and both worked together effectively...

Words: 1936 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Optical Distortion Case Analysis

...appealing/unappealing to different types of chicken farmers? Appealing: Like many other fowl, the chickens are social birds and their society has a definite social structure. They establish a hierarchical social organization, though fighting and pecking after the birds reach sexual maturity. The comb on the head of chicken is a means of preserving the peck order, and a submissive bird raising its head too high would be pecked by one or more its superiors until its head was lowered. The more productive strains tend to be more cannibalistic, even sometimes had to put a sack over the extremely productive one. In order to reduce chicken mortality due to cannibalism , the chicken farmers use debeaking, which doesn’t interfere with the formation of the peck order but reduces the efficiency of beak as a weapon. The debeaking process make the chicken subject considerate trauma resulting in a temporary weight loss and the retardation of egg production for at least a week. The debeaked chicken would enter a permanent regression or own its deadly weapon again if the beak is cut too short or too long. Compare to debeaking operation, ODI contact lens which would cause cataract to poultry is the product to actually confront the cause of chicken cannibalization rather than just minimize its effects. And the red color environment caused by lenses affects the chicken’s ability to act out its aggressions. The installation of lens doesn't result trauma to the chicken as debeaking does, and it could install...

Words: 1071 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Mang Inasal

...MANG INASAL PHILIPPINES, INC. I. Background of the Company MANG INASAL - Philippine's fastest growing barbeque fast food chain, serving chicken, pork barbeque and other Filipino favorites, was first established on December 12, 2003 in Iloilo City. Mang Inasal comes from two word’s MANG - Local word for “Mister” and INASAL – Ilonggo word for barbecue, a popular dish in Visayas. MangInasal-is a Pinoy quick-service restaurant that originated in the City of Iloilo and was able to compete with other existing food chains nationwide. Currently, there are 464 branches nationwide and with over 10,000 employees system wide. MANG INASAL is doing its share in alleviating the unemployment burden of the country. The presence of every MANG INASAL in a certain area provides not only employment but also opportunities to community members including suppliers of kalamansi, charcoal, banana leaves, vegetables, bamboo sticks, and other ingredients. It also indirectly gives income - generating activities to many. MILESTONE: * Mang Inasal’s First Company Owned store: Robinson’s Place Iloilo on December 12, 2003 * First store in Manila: SM Mall of Asia on September 15, 2006 * 100th Store at Kalibo on January 9, 2009 * 200th Store Plaza Miranda Quiapo December 21, 2009 On its 6thyear, Mang Inasal built a total of100 stores in one year from 2008 to 2009. Mang Inasal capitalized on giving livelihood to the people around its surrounding communities Mang Inasal has set a significant example...

Words: 1875 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Case Study: Chasseur Chickens Pty Ltd

...ANALYSIS: CHASSEUR CHICKENS PTY LTD WEBINAR 2014 CASE STUDY 1 AUTHORS: SAMANTHA WINTER AND DELYTH SAMUEL Published by Deakin University on behalf of CPA Australia Ltd, ABN 64 008 392 452 © CPA Australia Ltd 2014 (Edition 14a) The contents and any information contained in this document (Information) are for general information only. They are not intended as professional advice. For any professional advice, please consult a suitable qualified professional. CPA Australia Ltd, Deakin University and the author(s) of the Information (Entities) make no representation about the content and suitability of this Information for any purpose. The Entities disclaim all warranties with regard to the contents and in no event will be liable for any loss and/or damage whatsoever resulting from loss of income or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, arising in connection with the use and performance of and/or reliance of the Information. CPA PROGRAM – PROFESSIONAL LEVEL GLOBAL STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP CASE ANALYSIS: CHASSEUR CHICKENS PTY LTD WEBINAR 2014 CASE STUDY 1 AUTHORS: SAMANTHA WINTER AND DELYTH SAMUEL Contents Introduction 1  Case facts Industry information The global chicken meat processing industry The Australian poultry meat processing industry The production process Industry key success factors Competition in the Australian chicken meat farming and processing industry Chasseur Chickens Pty Ltd Chasseur Chickens Pty Ltd – Background...

Words: 20021 - Pages: 81

Free Essay

Student

...You’re cooking your chicken wrong. Forty percent of 120 participants in a new study conducted by the University of California, Davis are, anyway. Christine Bruhn, PhD, director of the Center for Consumer Research at UC Davis, says she was “really surprised” at the number, which represents the amount of participants who undercook their chicken. "I know people do that on purpose with burgers, but with chicken I always thought people were more aware of making sure it was fully cooked,” she told us. The majority of participants who undercooked their meat were a full 14 degrees below the the recommended 165 degree F threshold, and more than half of those who grilled their chicken were 18 degrees under. “The grill is really hot; it’s harder to control and that chicken usually looks pretty darn cooked on the outside,” says Bruhn of the common misstep. The problem is that this fowl fumble can lead to illness, including the dreaded salmonella infection. So what can you do to make sure your signature stir fry doesn’t make anyone sick? Below, Bruhn shares the basic rules of the game with us. Use a meat thermometer. Slicing through the meat to check for color won’t get the job done. “Consumers do it all the time, but going off appearance just doesn’t work,” says Bruhn. And just because your recipe says to cook a chicken breast for 10 minutes doesn’t mean that’ll get you to a safe temperature. “That doesn’t account for how thin or thick the meat is or how hot your stove is,” she adds...

Words: 613 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Optical Distortion Inc

...lenses for chickens. These lenses offer farmers a unique cost saving opportunity and are more humane and efficient than the current de-beaking method. ODI, with help from New World Plastics has developed this commercially viable technology to reduce cannibalism by inducing astigmatism. With a patent holding off competition for at least three years, ODI needs to decide how to price contact lenses to ensure high adoption and profitability which will fuel ODI’s ability to circumvent competition through further investment in R&D – a key requirement to be able to establish themselves as a multiproduct, multimarket company which can provide effective service anywhere in the country. ODI should initially target Large Farms with 100,000+ birds with this product at a price of $0.16/pair because this contact lens technology yields the following superior results versus current debeaking method: greater reduction in cannibalism by 4.5%, zero chicken traumas, no risk versus medium risk with de-beaking, and a reduction in feed costs. There are several segments within the poultry industry – Small, Medium, and Large farms characterized by 10,000 or less birds, 10,000-50,000 birds, and 50,000+ birds, respectively. Based on the case data, the US Poultry industry is consolidating at a rapid rate. For instance, in 1964, 1.2M farms represented 38.3% of the entire chicken industry and managed 343M birds. Five years later, the number of farms managing roughly the same number of chickens shrunk to...

Words: 1592 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

7 Day

...fat free tuna + 1/2 cup of brown rice. Meal 3 2:00pm - 1 cup of lean turkey + 1/2 cup of brown rice. Meal 4 5:00pm - 100 grams of chicken + 2 cups of broccoli (drizzled with olive oil) Meal 5 8:00m - 1 cup 1-2% cottage cheese + 1 tbsp peanut butter Calories 1566 Fat 41g Carb 119g Protein 178g So this is a typical day of mine at my calorie level, now the fat is a little high - it should probably be at about 20%, but I will probably still lose weight at this level. Day 2  Meal 1 8:00am - 2/3 cup Special K Fruit & Yogurt with 1 cup of skim milk (yes...skim) Meal 2 11:00am - 1 cup of lean turkey + 1/2 cup of beans. Meal 3 2:00pm - Tuna melt sandwich (1 can of tuna with kraft singles slice and 2 slices of whole wheat bread) Meal 4 5:00pm - 100 grams of chicken breast with 1/2 cup of 1% cottage cheese and 2 cups of broccoli Meal 5 8:00pm - 1 cup 1-2% cottage cheese + 1 tbsp peanut butter Calories 1493 Fat 37g Carbs 124g Protein 167g So this is pretty similar to yesterday's meal, but cereal for breakfast. Day 3  Meal 1 9:00am - Omellette (4 egg whites+1 whole) with 2 whole wheat toast Meal 2 12:00pm - 1 can of tuna mixed with fat free tuna + 1/2 cup of brown rice. Meal 3 3:00pm - 100g of steak + 2 cups of broccoli + 1/2 cup of brown rice Meal 4 (post workout) 5:00pm - 1 scoop whey protein Meal 5 6:00pm - 100g of chicken breast + 1/2 cup of brown rice + 1 cup of green beans Meal 6 9:00pm - 1 scoop whey protein + 1tbsp peanut butter Calories 1481 Fat 41g ...

Words: 813 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Tears of the Sun

...How to Raise Meat Chickens ©2009 Scott Kelland Page 1 of 56 More New Terra Farm Books How to Raise Meat Chickens ©2009 Scott Kelland Table of Contents Introduction: Chickens on your small farm.....................................................................................4 Chickens fit this model................................................................................................................5 Chicken Raising Do' s and Don'ts....................................................................................................8 Getting Started...............................................................................................................................10 Planning – How many birds should you start with?..................................................................11 Chicken Raising Production Schedule...........................................................................................13 Planning subsequent batches.....................................................................................................14 Marketing – How will you sell your meat birds?...........................................................................15 Management – Where to raise your birds......................................................................................18 Production – Sources and supplies.................................................................................................20 Find a source for your...

Words: 8858 - Pages: 36

Free Essay

Eggshells and Peanuts as Food Supplements for Chickens

...throw them right away after cooking. Calcium, magnesium, and protein are one of the nutrients we can find in egg shell. In fact, there are many benefits of egg shells aside from using them for art projects. Back in 1905, it was used as a healing for wounds. In the present study, it can also treat skin irritations, skin-tightening facial, less bitter a coffee, and as extract supplements. Instead of buying expensive feed supplement for your chickens, It was found out that the proteins in the egg shell membrane have a high concentration of the amino acids of arginine, glutamic acid, methionine, histidine, cystine and proline. Protein is a good source for growth of the entire body for growing infants, children and teens, along with sufficient calories. Peanuts is also a excellent source of protein. Peanuts are also an excellent source of Vitamin E and magnesium and also have useful amounts of B Vitamins including folate, thiamine and riboflavin. Our study will try to use the egg shells along with the peanuts as a feed supplement for the chickens. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Conclusion This study entitled “Egg Shells and Peanuts as feed Supplements to the chicks” aims to determine the effects of Egg shells and Peanuts to the weight of the chicks. At the end of the study, we therefore conclude that...

Words: 400 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Thesis

...Dijon Chicken Salad serves 4: 4 slices of bacon, each cut in half 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard 1 Tbsp. Olive oil Salt and Pepper Lettuce (hearts of Romaine) 2 cups shredded skinless rotisserie chicken meat 1. In a 2 quart saucepan on medium, cook bacon 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. With tongs or slotted spoon transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 Tbsp of bacon dripping from saucepan. 2. With whisk, add vinegar mustard, oil, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper to drippings in sauce pan; heat to boiling – remove from heat. 3. Place romaine in serving bowls. Pour hot dressing over romaine; toss until coated. Add chicken, and toss until well mixed. Crumble bacon; sprinkle over salad. Meatloaf serves 6: 1lb ground Beef (95% lean) ½ lb ground turkey (99% lean) 1 cup bread crumbs ½ cup fresh parsley ¼ grated onion (or sprinkle in onion powder) 2 egg whites 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 3 Tbsp skin milk ½ Tbsp (ea) salt and pepper 1/3 cup ketchup 1 Tbsp yellow mustard 2 Tsp brown sugar 1. preheat oven to 350 degrees, coat broiler pan with non-stick spray. 2. Combine ground sirloin, grnd turkey, breadcrumbs, parsley, onion, egg whites, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper in a mixing bowl. 3. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan, shaping it to 9x5 inch loaf. 4. Stir together ketchup, mustard and brown sugar in a bowl, then spoon on top of the meat loaf. 5. Bake meat loaf until thermometer...

Words: 272 - Pages: 2