15 Bits of Advice
These tidbits make a foray into chicken ownership a bit easier.
BY SARAH E. COLEMAN
Though experienced chicken-keepers seem to have chicken care down to a science, each has learned quite a bit along the way. Here, they pass on 15 bits of wisdom they wish they’d known before getting chicks.
NO. 1: HEALTH KNOWLEDGE
I wish I had read more about common chicken ailments before getting chickens.
Finding a large-animal veterinarian in many areas of the country is difficult, but finding vets with a poultry persuasion can be even more difficult. The key is finding a vet who will care for chickens before you need him or her, if possible. If no vets with poultry experience are available, read as much as you can about common ailments, how to diagnose ill chickens and how to care for them.
“Chickens get sick,” says Christine Wright of Stamping Ground, Kentucky. “Be ready for it, don’t beat yourself up and don’t give up.” Also, don’t underestimate the knowledge (and concern) of online chicken communities. Consider joining a quality chicken group on social media or through a poultry website, and bookmark blogs that provide guidance for chicken owners.
Leaning how to do a lot of things for yourself is often the key to successful chicken keeping. “I learned how to make a nontoxic [balm] out of food coloring to cover wounds and bald spots to prevent other chickens from pecking the area,” says Kimberly Jakubec of Austintown, Ohio. Other chicken owners learned on the fly how to administer penicillin shots. Amanda Estep of Georgetown, Kentucky, wishes she’d known what medications to have on hand and how to deworm.
BOTTOM LINE: Locate a vet or have a chicken community at the ready to help you through injuries, ailments and emergencies.
NO. 2: ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS
I wish I had truly understood how chickens arrive when you mail order them.
“Read the fine print from hatcheries if ordering online,” says Melanie Sprinkle from Lexington, Kentucky. “Males packed for warmth” is an important phrase and one to consider if you’re delving into chickens with children in the household. “We received 21 male chicks to go with nine females we ordered,” Melanie says.