This evening I cleaned the brooders with my broilers in them. They are now at the age where they eat a lot and poop almost as much! They also look like hideous little half-feathered dinosaurs. It’s not the best stage. Anyway – after scooping out their old shavings and replacing them with new ones, I did something that might seem counterproductive: I scooped some dirt from my outside runs and sprinkled it in the clean brooder. Seems crazy, right? Not so! I chose not to vaccinate this batch of broilers against coccidiosis because I know that in the past, I have sometimes had trouble finding unmedicated chick starter. (Remember –…

The Ultimate Chicken Cheat Sheet: Coops 4 sq ft per bird indoors 10 sq ft per bird outdoor run space 1 sq ft of ventilation per 10 sq ft of coop floor space 10″ of roost space per bird – use 2×4’s on the flat 1 nestbox for every 5 hens 14×14 minimum nestbox size for most breeds Insulation is a must!! Keeps it warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer. Heat is not necessary if you keep practical breeds (see below). Use stucco wire for fences, back that up with hardware cloth to keep out small predators like weasels. Use flight netting over top Heat vs. No Heat…