by Brenda Morris

Created on: June 04, 2008

There is nothing more beautiful than hearing a rooster crow in the morning. It brings a smile to your face and you know that the day has begun. I ordered 25 Buff Orpingtons because they are great layers and are non-aggressive unlike Rhode Island Reds. The chicks are not difficult to raise as long as you keep them fed with chick scratch and watered. If they are bought in the early Spring, a light should be installed in the pen to keep them warm at night.

Once the chicks have lost their fluff and have feathers, they can be put in an outside chicken pen or turned loose in the yard. They scratch around looking for bugs and any other beastie that move into their area. One day I saw the hens having a race and couldn't believe my eyes. The hen in the front had a small snake in her mouth and was running away from the others because she wanted it all to herself. They eventually tore it to pieces and several hens got a tasty morsel. Chickens make great watch dogs; nothing gets past them, whether it be someone pulling up in the driveway or a snake mistakenly wandering into their territory. They will cackle and the rooster will crow. By the way, roosters do not crow just in the morning, they crow 24 hours a day. Be prepared to hear from close neighbors about the roosters crowing at 2:00 in the morning.

Feed the chickens feed or cracked corn bought at a co-op or a feed store and add some pelletized calcium, to make their egg shells strong. This combination works well and hens should lay an egg every day. If commercial feed is not used and the chickens fend for themselves, they usually do well and are called free-range chickens. They will range freely if their wings are not clipped to prevent them from flying and hope there are no dogs in the neighborhood that like a little chicken with their dog food.

Prior to laying eggs, preparation should be made for the laying of eggs or they will be found all over the yard or in the driveway. Chickens will lay in just about anything that gives them cover from rain and a sense of security. Be scrupulous and go green, blue, pink or white. Old toilets left on the side of the road for garbage make great receptacles for the eggs. Clean them up, put a little hay in the bottom of them and the hens will find them and the rest will be history. Using the toilets means no additional material, such as lumber or nails will be needed, and it will be recycling at its best. The hens will be making their deposits into the toilet of their choice and doing it with flair. Should the hen be allowed to sit on the nest to hatch the eggs, the toilet will give her a sense of security because she is off of the ground.

Raising chickens in your backyard is fun and provides an education for youngsters in the family. Gathering the eggs and watching chicks hatch will provide quality time which is absolutely necessary. The children can feed the chickens and take on the responsibility for gathering the eggs as they get older.

Cock-a-doodle-do! It's time to wake up and meet the new day.

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