Keeping backyard chickens is a joy shared by many – the site of a flock of ladies scratching around your garden warms the soul (as long as it’s not your vegie garden). There are simple ways to keep your chickens healthy naturally: give them fresh water, clean housing and bedding, and high-quality feed. Allowing exercise through free-ranging, and providing a stressfree environment by not overcrowding, will encourage happy birds. Happy, healthy chickens will provide you with delicious eggs, meat and free labour in the garden for many years.
Housing And Hygiene
Poultry housing should be large enough to accommodate the number of chickens without stress. There are many theories about the amount of space needed for each bird but, as a general guide, allow around one square metre. A naturally light and airy chicken house will discourage nasty parasites from lurking in dark places.