Spring will soon be upon us, and for many folks that means baby animals! So cute. Let’s talk baby chicks and ducks. They are a great starting point for anyone looking to get livestock—they’re easy maintenance, easy-going, and they don’t need to cost a ton. If you are new to chickens, you will also want to check out my tutorial on chicken math. If you’re asking yourself ‘what is chicken math?’ then you definitely need to educate yourself 🙂

This is a TON of information, so for ease of processing, here are the sections listed in order.

Terminology

Benefits of Roosters

Where to Buy Chicks

Chicken Breeds

So What About Ducks?

Chicken Care

Maintenance as Adults

Here are a few basic terminologies to familiarize yourself with:

Straight Run: a group of chicks that could be male or female

Sexed Chicks: there is a “10% chance you’ll have a male”

Pullet: a female chicken that is less than 1 year of age

Cockerel: a male chicken that has not reached maturity – less than 1 year of age

Hen: a female chicken over 1 year of age

Rooster: a male chicken over 1 year of age

Bantam: a mini version of a chicken breed, in my experience, not very cold hardy

Broiler: Chickens raised for meat

Broody Hen: a hen that insists on sitting on eggs to possibly hatch babies (without a rooster, she will never be successful, but she doesn’t know that)

I have always purchased sexed chicks and end up with at least ONE rooster. I never wanted a rooster because my first few roosters were buttheads. Now I respectfully have three roosters and I couldn’t be more excited. Here are a few benefits to roosters:

• They’re beautiful. Just look at them. Flowing tail, bright colors, silky sheen.
• Roosters protect the flock. If a roo senses a threat of any sort, they get their girls to safety. Many Roos will fight animals much larger than themselves to protect a flock.
• They find food. Roosters want their ladies to eat so they scavenge the area for bugs and such and call their girls over to eat.
• Roosters are funny. Think of a big macho man with an ego the size of Texas meeting someone more dominant than him. Roosters strut the yard like their $#!+ don’t stank, but then they see you and get all self-conscious.
• Babies! Roosters will allow your hens to lay eggs that, if you let them, may become chicks! Instead of trudging to the feed store each spring getting babies to raise in your house, you can let your hens hatch and care for the babies all by themselves! YASSS!

I wrote about my experiences with roosters and how I successfully maintain a flock with 3 roosters.

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A basic rule of thumb I follow is – if you want a docile breed, get a brown egg layer. They will be calm, not wild or flighty. A few of the most popular brown egg layers are:

• Rhode Island Red
• Australorp
• Orpington
• Barred Plymouth Rock (also come in other varieties)
• Sussex
• Wyandotte
• Brahma
• Jersey Giant
• Sex-Link
• Cochin

There are also colorful egg layers that lay eggs like green, olive, blue, a little hint of pink, or even dark brown. These birds are NOT bad or hard, just might be less friendly. Not mean, just more independent.

• Ameraucana – blue to greenish-blue egg
• Easter Egger – blue, green, brown, or pinkish egg
• Olive Egger – varying shades of olive green
• Cream Legbar – blue egg
• Maran – dark brown egg
• Welsummer – dark brown egg with speckles
• Penedesenca – very dark brownish red egg

There are also a few white egg layers. So weird, right? Considering most of our supermarket eggs are white.

• Leghorn
• Silkie
• Polish

Now, none of these lists are by any means extensive. They just list a few common chickens that I believe are pretty easy to find. It is a great basis to start on. If you would like eggs daily, lookup how each breed does in your climate as far as egg laying. I am in MN and many hens stop laying all fall to spring (I choose not to heat or light my coop). Some hens still lay a few eggs weekly.

Google some breeds that catch your eye. Join some Facebook groups and enjoy seeing all the flocks. Some people raise flocks of all the same breed, some raise for a pretty flock, some raise for pretty eggs. I fall somewhere in the middle of all of these.

I like to lump ducks in with chickens because they add a bit of love and humor to your flock. Personally I have Pekin Ducks, but I am interested in getting Welsh Harlequins. I keep my ducks and chickens housed together now, and always have without a problem. Just keep a watering bucket that they can dunk their entire bill into. In the summer I move all water outside so the coop is dry and the run can be their playground.

I am not as rehearsed in breeds because I love me some Pekin Ducks. Ducks are chatty and loud, but I have 10-acres, so I don’t care. They are super friendly and will follow you around. The kids love them and are typically less intimidating than a chicken. Here are pros and cons of backyard ducks.

Pros

• Personality
• Friendly
• Lay large eggs
• Nicer than roosters and still protect a flock
• Easier on the lawn

Cons

• Wet & Stinky
• Loud
• Need deep fresh water

Some people do not like ducks, and are often getting rid of them. I find if you buy a DUCKLING they imprint on you and trust you way more than if you buy an adult duck. The more you handle the duckling, the more it’ll respond to you as a grown duck.

For chicks you will need fresh water, grower food crumbles, a heat lamp, a container and wood shavings. The chicks need to be under close watch if you would like a success rate. Add ACV to the water because it keeps them healthy, also add VetRX to their water because it keeps them perked up.

I keep my birds in a few Rubbermaid’s with chicken wire folded on top and a heat lamp on the wire. Nothing fancy. Having a few brooders is ideal because you have a spot for sick chicks as well as for room to grow. Keep their heat diversified so if they’re too hot they have a cooler spot to go to and vise versa.

Check their bottoms every day or twice a day for poo sticking to it. Wash any off with warm water. Watch for birds that are sluggish or failing to thrive. Separate them out. They’re not a lost cause, but some chicks are wild and may trample them.

10-12 weeks should be ample time in the brooder. Depending on how many birds I have, and how warm it is here in MN, around week 10-12 I ‘harden off the birds by taking away their light during the day. Maybe even put them outside (in the brooder). Let them practice foraging and to stay close to home. Week 11 I put them in the coop in their brooders covered and by week 12 locking them in the coop during the day and locking my big birds out. This teaches them their new home. Eventually, I make sure the babies have a safe haven in the coop and let them figure out their pecking order. I never have a hard time with introducing birds. As long as they have safe places to hide and multiple roosting spots, they can hold their own.

• Fresh Water
• Food
• Clean bedding – wood shavings, straw or I have heard wood pellets work?
• Check for eggs daily
• Watch for illnesses and treat ASAP – I am in a few Facebook groups. Those people are amazing! You ask a question and you get immediate responses and remedies.
• Spray coop weekly with poultry protector or 2:1 oil and water with lemon essential oil to keep mites away
• Roosting bars

Pretty simple!

This is a TON of information, but I was asked how I started. What do you do differently? What tips do you have for me?

What other questions do you have about starting a chicken flock?

If you ever have any questions, or ideas for future blogs, comment below or shoot me an email!

From the farm,

Alyssa
thesheepshedmn@yahoo.com

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