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COOPERATIVE KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY FACT SHEET

Information about the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program 2020

Jerusha Lay, DVM, Assistant Professor of Animal Health Steven Skelton, Poultry Extension Associate

Getting laying hens for personal use may provide a source of fresh eggs for many families. Several things need to be considered before purchasing chickens, including facilities and equipment, local regulations and ordinances, type of chickens to purchase and basic needs of caring for chickens.

Before purchasing chickens, you should check with any ordinances from your local government about planning and zoning. Each city will have a slightly different definition of “farm animals.” Some will allow hens but not roosters due to the noise disturbances.

Young chicks will need to be protected and kept warm. Chicks may be kept in either a brooder or an isolated area within a coop. They should be kept out of any rain or cold temperatures. Heat lamps are often helpful. If heat lamps are used, you should make sure that the young chicks have an area to get out from under the direct heat in case they get too warm. Heat lamps may also be a fire hazard, so placement should be done carefully to avoid the hot bulb causing fire.

As chicks develop into mature adults, they will need more space. Chickens should have a shelter to protect them from not only the weather and elements but also from predators. Chickens will generally have a natural instinct to return to the shelter in the evening or at nightfall. If chickens are allowed to “free range,” they should be locked into the coop at nightfall and turned out in the mornings, since most of their natural predators are nocturnal (hunt at night). Shelters or coops may be purchased or hand built. Things to consider when selecting or building are the ease of cleaning and access for gathering eggs, space in case you choose to increase capacity, and having proper ventilation. As chickens sleep, they prefer to be on an elevated board or box. Each chicken needs about a foot of area, so depending on how many chickens you will eventually want to have, make sure you will have adequate space. Hens will also need nesting boxes. They will share boxes with other hens; however, you want to have a minimum of one box per six hens. You will have to be able to get into shelter and nesting boxes to collect eggs. Chickens can be very messy animals as they defecate frequently, which may often build up in areas in which they roost. The shelter will need to be cleaned often, so it should be considered when designing how manure build-up will be removed. In between cleaning, the ammonia odor from the manure can be very irritating to the chickens’ airways, so proper ventilation will keep the air in the pen fresher as well as decrease heat in the summer months. Other options for shelters are

Things to consider when selecting or building are the ease of cleaning and access for gathering eggs, space in case you choose to increase capacity, and having proper ventilation. As chickens sleep, they prefer to be on an elevated board or box. Each chicken needs about a foot of area, so depending on how many chickens you will eventually want to have, make sure you will have adequate space. Hens will also need nesting boxes. They will share boxes with other hens; however, you want to have a minimum of one box per six hens. You will have to be able to get into shelter and nesting boxes to collect eggs. Chickens can be very messy animals as they defecate frequently, which may often build up in areas in which they roost. The shelter will need to be cleaned often, so it should be considered when designing how manure build-up will be removed. In between cleaning, the ammonia odor from the manure can be very irritating to the chickens' airways, so proper ventilation will keep the air in the pen fresher as well as decrease heat in the summer months. Other options for shelters are

chicken tractors, which are a more spacious wire pen that can be moved around on fresh grass. Depending on how much land you have access to, a coop can also be designed with wire or net fencing to limit area in which they may roam, especially if you have neighbors or don't want them leaving a certain area. Chickens can fly, but not for long distances. Fences to contain chickens in a small area may also need to have a covering over the top that will not only prevent chickens from going over fences, but also prevent hawks from making an easy meal out of them.

Chickens will need feeders and a water source. These may be purchased or handmade as well. Water should be kept as clean as possible, so having a water container for chickens or a bucket that is covered at the top will prevent chickens from getting manure in from the top. Handmade feeders may be constructed from five-gallon buckets with holes drilled at the bottom and chicken nipples placed in the holes. The needed supplies may be purchased at most feed and supply stores.

Some types of chickens are more productive than others. Most young pullets mature and begin to lay eggs between four and six months old. Hens will then lay an egg every one to three days, even if a rooster is not present. Eggs produced without roosters only differ in that they will not hatch if incubated because they were not fertilized.

Chickens need to be purchased from a reliable source that is free from disease. There are many diseases that are contagious between chickens (and some wild migratory birds). While rare, a few of these diseases may even be transmitted to humans, so it is very important to buy from sources that maintain standards to keep their flocks healthy.

The most common source is large commercial hatcheries. These hatcheries can be found online. Most will allow you to select which breeds you prefer and give information on individual types, as well as let you select if you want exclusively female or both male and female birds. You may check with the individual hatchery you select, but most will vaccinate newly hatched chicks and mail the chicks to you at three days old. If you decide to buy chicks or adult hens from a local producer, you want to buy directly from them and make sure their flock is certified under the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). This is a national program that tests and monitors for diseases such as Salmonella spp, Mycoplasma spp, and Avian Influenza. (After your flock is established, you can contact your state Department of Agriculture if you would like to participate in the program as well.) You may also ask about vaccination status of their flock, although vaccines must be purchased in large quantities, so many small producers choose not to vaccinate.

If you decide to buy chicks or adult hens from a local producer, you want to buy directly from them and make sure their flock is certified under the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). This is a national program that tests and monitors for diseases such as Salmonella spp, Mycoplasma spp, and Avian Influenza. (After your flock is established, you can contact your state Department of Agriculture if you would like to participate in the program as well.) You may also ask about vaccination status of their flock, although vaccines must be purchased in large quantities, so many small producers choose not to vaccinate.

It is highly discouraged to buy chickens from any local sales or “swaps.” Many small sales have high volumes of birds coming from many different locations with unknown disease status. The bacteria may spread from bird to bird or be in the environment at that sale location. Even buying one bird that was exposed at the sale may cause a disease outbreak when taken home to a healthy flock.

Hens should have a fresh and clean water source at all times. For feed, it is recommended to buy a commercial feed that has been designed and properly balanced for laying hens. Most of these feeds will contain 16-18% protein and will be balanced by licensed nutritionists to supply the calcium and nutrients needed for the hen's metabolic needs for producing the eggs and shells. If other feeds are desired, contact a nutritionist first for recommendations.

As chickens reach maturity and begin laying eggs, nesting boxes should be prepared by adding a layer of straw for comfort and preventing eggs from

breaking. As hens begin to lay eggs, they will lay one egg every one to three days and usually return to the same location as well as share the location with other hens. Placing an artificial egg in the nesting box will encourage use. This artificial egg can be left in the nest as the real eggs produced are collected daily, which many times will trick the hen into continuing to use the location even though her eggs are being taken. Egg collection should be done every one to two days. As a collection or “clutch” of eggs develops, the hen may be motivated to sit on the nest and attempt to incubate the eggs. For eggs to hatch, the hen will sit on the nest for 21 days almost exclusively and, if the eggs have been fertilized by a rooster, they will hatch over a period of a couple of days. Hens that sit on a nest and are actively trying to incubate the eggs may become aggressive. After eggs are collected, they should be washed with warm water only. Harsh soaps and chemicals may break down natural protective mechanisms of the shell. Place eggs into a clean carton and refrigerate. Make sure you clean your work area thoroughly afterwards, especially if using your kitchen sink.

After eggs are collected, they should be washed with warm water only. Harsh soaps and chemicals may break down natural protective mechanisms of the shell. Place eggs into a clean carton and refrigerate. Make sure you clean your work area thoroughly afterwards, especially if using your kitchen sink.

Follow the processes described above when producing eggs for personal use. If at any point you decide to sell extra eggs collected, additional requirements or regulations apply. When selling eggs, more requirements are needed to ensure safety. These regulations may vary slightly depending on your state. Contact your state Department of Agriculture for egg handling and poultry regulations. Farmers markets sales may also have specific regulations to be met. For more information, you may also contact your local Extension services.

http://www.poultryimprovement.org/default.cfm https://www.kyagr.com/statevet/poultry.html

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. Kentucky State University, University of Kentucky, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Kentucky Counties, Cooperating. 2020 KYSU-CEP-FAC-0070