TEXAS NEIGHBORS | SPRING 2018 By Justin Walker Communications Specialist Backyard chickens have be-come more common. But having a flock of chickens out back re-quires some work. Kathy Shea Mormino, a Trac-tor Supply brand ambassador and author of a backyard chick-en book, said people should first consider the responsibility of rais-ing backyard chickens. “Chickens require checking in at least twice a day,” Mormino said. “You need to check them in the morning, make sure they have food and water. If you are free range, you are going to let them out for the day. You need to make sure their environment is clean and dry. So you need to check on them once in the morning and then to collect eggs and lock them up at night.” First things, first Check on your local ordinanc-es. There could be restrictions on flock size, coop size and others. Determine what breed of chick-en best suits your needs and locate a place to purchase the chicks—hatchery, online or a lo-cal farm. Housing Chickens need protection from predators, even if you live in the city limits. So, consider buying a pre-made chicken coop. Or you could build your own to custom-ize the coop to better fit your needs and your flock. “You need to provide chickens with a roost inside a predator-proof chicken coop to sleep at night. That’s a natural instinct,” Mormino said. Not all chicken coops are cre-ated equal. But ease of access should be a priority, she said. And keeping them clean is a ne-cessity. Feeding requirements Backyard chickens also require a balanced diet and access to clean, fresh water. Mormino said laying hens will live their healthi-est life and be optimal layers if fed bagged chicken feed. “Poultry nutritionists make sure that is a balanced diet for your bird,” she said. Mormino noted chickens can eat some table scraps, but that should be limited. Bird care Chickens thrive in a group men-tality. They gather warmth from the other birds in the flock and flourish in the presence of other chickens. Separating them from that situation is not ideal for the overall wellness of the animal. Now, go collect those eggs! You’ll likely have to do that twice each day, because hens will lay eggs as long as they have about 12 to 14 hours of daylight. Then, enjoy the fruits, err eggs, of your labor. WWW.TEXASFARMBUREAU.ORG