Elevating yard chickens begins lengthy earlier than your first chicks arrive. Having the precise provides prepared makes the transition smoother, safer, and much much less disturbing for you and your new flock.
Whether or not you’re maintaining chickens for contemporary eggs, pest management, or enjoyable, these are the eight important provides each hen proprietor ought to have earlier than bringing chicks residence.
For those who’re nonetheless deciding whether or not chickens are best for you, begin with Arizona Yard Chickens: A Information for Novices. For recommendation on maintaining your flock comfy via the summer time, learn The right way to Hold Chickens Cool in Arizona Summers.
I’ve gathered all my favourite tried-and-true hen provides into one handy listing. See my Amazon favorites right here.
1. Brooder Field
The brooder field is residence to your chicks till they’re prepared to maneuver into the coop. It must be safe, draft-free, and simple to scrub.
Use a galvanized tub, a wood field, a plastic bin, or a sturdy cardboard field. Every chick wants at the least 1 sq. foot of house, and the field ought to have clean sides so chicks can’t escape.
A easy setup is ok so long as it’s secure, roomy, and simple to watch.
That is the brooder field I ordered on Amazon, and I used to be pleasantly stunned by how straightforward it was to assemble. It match completely in my laundry room till chicks had been prepared to maneuver outdoors. Extremely advocate for anybody elevating chicks in a small house.
2. Warmth Supply
Newly hatched and unfeathered chicks can’t regulate their physique temperature, so a warmth supply is crucial.
A warmth lamp with a crimson bulb is an affordable possibility however can pose a hearth threat if not used rigorously. Hold it securely above the brooder and keep away from inserting it close to the sides in case your container is plastic.
A brooder heating plate is a safer, although costlier, various. It offers regular heat with out the chance of overheating or fireplace. The brooder field I used had a ceramic warmth lamp included.
Hold the temperature within the brooder round 90–95°F (32–35°C) through the first week, reducing it by about 5°F every week till the chicks are totally feathered and cozy at 65–70°F (18–21°C).
Watch your chicks. In the event that they huddle beneath the lamp, they’re chilly. In the event that they keep away from the sunshine, it’s too heat. When the temperature is excellent, they’ll transfer evenly across the brooder, pecking and chirping quietly.
3. Water
Chicks and chickens want fixed entry to scrub, contemporary water. For the primary few weeks, use a small chick waterer to maintain issues easy and secure.
As your flock grows, change to a bigger setup that stays clear longer. I take advantage of the OverEZ Computerized Rooster Waterer, and it has been a game-changer. Earlier than utilizing it, I needed to change the chickens’ water every single day. Now they all the time have entry to scrub water, they usually realized tips on how to use it instantly.
It holds 12 gallons, is sturdy and weather-resistant, and the drip-free design retains water clear whereas lowering waste. A reliable waterer makes caring to your chickens simpler and retains your flock hydrated via Arizona’s lengthy, scorching days.
4. Meals
Chicks want entry to feed always. Begin with a small chick feeder and change to a bigger mannequin as they develop.
Feed natural chick starter grower for the primary 18 weeks. Starter feed accommodates at the least 18 % protein, which helps robust progress and wholesome feathers.
At round 18 weeks, or when hens start laying, transition to natural layer feed. Wait till that point to introduce any treats equivalent to scratch grains.
As soon as they’re laying, present crushed oyster shells for calcium and grit for digestion. Supply each in separate containers so hens can take what they want.
I take advantage of the OverEZ Rooster Feeder, and it has made an enormous distinction. Earlier than switching, I used to be losing a lot feed every single day. Now the meals stays clear and dry, and I’m utilizing far much less total. The feeder holds as much as 50 kilos of feed and has three feeding ports, so a number of chickens can eat comfortably with out spilling or scratching out meals. You probably have only a few chickens, this smaller model works nicely too.
I get all my feed at Encourage Farms in Mesa and use the Modesto Milling Soy-Free, Corn-Free Layer Pellets. (It’s not an affiliate hyperlink—simply what I take advantage of and advocate.) It’s an natural, full feed that has stored my chickens wholesome and productive yr after yr.
A high quality feeder and balanced natural feed make each day care simpler and hold your chickens thriving.
5. Bedding Materials
Bedding retains the brooder clear, absorbs moisture, and provides chicks a smooth floor to relaxation and scratch on. As soon as chicks are a couple of week previous, add bedding and refresh it commonly to maintain the world dry and sanitary.
Frequent bedding supplies embody wooden shavings or chopped straw. Nevertheless, in Arizona’s dry local weather, straw typically performs higher as a result of it breaks down rapidly and works nicely with the deep litter methodology—including new layers on prime of previous bedding because it composts naturally over time.
Tiffiny from Encourage Farms recommends straw for each brooders and coops, because it composts sooner than wooden chips and doesn’t maintain moisture as lengthy, which helps stop odor and respiratory points. Keep away from pine or cedar shavings that may lure dampness or launch robust oils that irritate the birds’ lungs.
I get my straw at a neighborhood feed provide retailer.
What Is the Deep Litter Technique?
The deep litter methodology is a low-maintenance approach to handle coop or brooder bedding. As an alternative of totally cleansing out the bedding each week, you merely add contemporary straw or shavings on prime of the previous layer.
As the fabric breaks down, it naturally composts in place. Absolutely clear out and substitute the bedding each few months. Once I clear out the coop, I put the entire bedding into my compost. Study extra about tips on how to compost on this information.
6. And of Course, Chicks
Selecting the best breed makes an enormous distinction in how nicely your flock adapts to Arizona’s local weather.
Search for heat-tolerant, pleasant, and dependable layers equivalent to Black Australorp, White Leghorn, or Barred Plymouth Rock.
I’ve had all three breeds—Plymouth Barred Rock, Black Australorp, and White Leghorn—and every has been an excellent match for my desert backyard. The Barred Rocks are calm, pleasant, and wonderful foragers. Black Australorps are light, stunning birds and regular layers. White Leghorns are light-bodied and deal with our scorching summers nicely whereas producing a powerful variety of eggs.
7. Rooster Coop
As soon as chicks are about six weeks previous, totally feathered, and nighttime outside temperatures are above 65°F (18°C), they’re prepared to maneuver to the coop.
A hen coop offers shelter, safety, and a secure house to roost at night time. In Arizona, it additionally performs a important function in managing warmth.
Plan for at the least 2–3 sq. ft per fowl contained in the coop and embody:
One nesting field for each 3–5 hens
Roosting bars (flat, not spherical) so chickens can sleep comfortably
Good airflow and shade to assist management temperature
Tiffiny from Encourage Farms recommends specializing in air flow and shade as your prime priorities. She notes that heat air rises, so including vents close to the roofline permits scorching air to flee. Inserting the coop beneath pure shade—equivalent to a tree or a north-facing space—retains the house considerably cooler.
Make sure that the coop is predator-proof by utilizing {hardware} material as an alternative of hen wire on all openings and securing doorways with strong latches.
8. Rooster Run
A hen run offers your flock a secure, enclosed house to stretch, scratch, and dust-bathe whereas staying shielded from predators. In Arizona, the run additionally wants to supply loads of shade and airflow to assist chickens address excessive temperatures.
Present at the least 5–10 sq. ft per fowl, although more room is all the time higher. The extra room your chickens have to maneuver, the much less stress and pecking you will notice.
To maintain the run comfy year-round:
Embrace flat roosting bars or logs contained in the run so chickens can perch off the new floor.
Select a spot that will get pure afternoon shade, or add shade material to the highest and sides.
Enable for good airflow so warmth doesn’t construct up inside enclosed areas.
Different Provides for Arizona’s Local weather
For those who dwell in a scorching or chilly area, your flock might have just a few additional objects.
Right here within the low desert of Arizona, I add:
Study extra about these methods in The right way to Hold Chickens Cool in Arizona Summers.
Conclusion
With these necessities in place, you’ll be prepared to lift wholesome, blissful chickens from day one. Getting ready forward makes caring to your flock simpler and units them up for fulfillment.
