T
O
N
O
T
HOW
chicken
Farm
Going
too big,
too fast
The Cardinal Rule of chicken farming? Don’t get more chickens than
you can care for! If you buy too many chickens for the amount of
time/money/energy/space you have, chances are they are not
going to flourish… and could actually get sick, or in some drastic
cases, the outcome may be even worse.
For example, imagine you don’t have the correct watering system, or your waterer is too small for your flock -- or, you live in
the Northwest where summers are hot and chickens need water.
No matter the manner, without water, chickens, like people,
cannot survive.
Chickens can also get sick if you go too big,
too fast. And when that happens, it happens
slowly and you might not catch it at first… Imagine your life as a chicken. If there is not enough space for the pursuit of life,
liberty and the decent meal worm, you will soon be up to your eye balls in
feces and fouled water—and this is the perfect breeding ground for disease
and/or parasites and that will change your flock for the worse. Don’t let that
happen! Plan for your coop!
Another reason you need to be careful when going to chicken crazy in the
beginning? When chickens live in quarters that are too tight, they will peck each
other… and in some cases, even go so far as to cannibalize members of the flock.
No one wants a zombie chicken, so follow this rule: On average, a flock of 3
chickens, if adequately fed and cared for will produce ~2 eggs a day. Plan for your flock!
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