Chickens and their offspring can be found in more and more gardens.
Five tips on how to keep chickens and breed chicks in your own garden.
Munich – Regardless of whether they are children or adults, chickens are becoming increasingly popular and are moving more and more into private gardens.
They are easy to keep and also regularly supply fresh eggs.
But the eggs shouldn't always end up in the kitchen, sometimes a chick should hatch from them.
However, in order for chickens to be kept and bred in your own garden to be successful, it is important to pay attention to a few things.
Chickens in the garden: five tips for keeping and rearing
If you want to keep chickens in the garden and are toying with the idea of breeding your own chicks, you should find out in advance about keeping chickens in your residential area.
Because there are legal framework conditions for private chicken keeping in the garden.
In old village areas or residential areas where other residents already keep chickens in the garden, the chances of keeping chickens are good.
However, the more urban and narrow the development, the more common there are local regulations and restrictions.
For this reason, tip number one is this: Before you even get chickens, check the applicable laws.
Look for the local regulations in your city and also look for the relevant municipal code.
This keeps you well-informed about requirements like annual permit payments.
Chickens in the garden: tip number two, the best coop
Once you have made sure that you are allowed to keep chickens in your garden, you can start building the coop.
However, how many animals are allowed to move in with you depends on the size of your garden.
When building stables, you should be up to date.
Because chickens have requirements so that their needs are met and they feel comfortable in their home.
Scientists are currently investigating which interior design materials offer chickens the most comfort.
The required size of the barn depends on the number of animals.
As a rule of thumb for the space required in the barn, one square meter is the minimum size for three animals. Five to ten square meters per animal should be planned for a walking area.
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If you want to breed chickens, you should equip the stable with suitable nesting boxes.
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If you want to breed chickens, you have to equip the barn with suitable nesting boxes, which should be at least 30 by 30 centimeters in size.
Depending on the breed of chicken you want to keep, the size can also vary.
A nest box offers space for up to five broilers.
In order to feel comfortable, chickens also need perches.
There should be 30 centimeters of space on the perch for each animal.
And fix the perches as far away from the feeding place as possible so as not to contaminate it.
Chickens in the garden: tip number three, cleanliness and light
Because only healthy chickens produce eggs diligently, you should pay attention to cleanliness to keep the risk of infection as low as possible.
It often helps to check the coop for cracks and holes once a week and seal them to keep mice and other rodents out.
A wire mesh on stable doors and windows also helps to prevent bugs from getting in.
The lighting conditions in the barn are particularly important for chicken breeding, because light is a basic need that helps laying hens.
A hen needs at least 14 hours of light for optimal egg production.
However, because natural light is scarce during the fall and winter months, consider installing artificial lighting in the nest area to encourage egg production.
Chickens in the garden: tip number four, optimal feeding
Even before incubation, optimal care for the hen and the rooster is important.
A balanced supply of minerals and trace elements through the chicken feed must be ensured.
Protein feeding should be reduced shortly before and during the incubation phase.
An excess of protein reduces the breeding instinct, but can also be fatal for the chick.
You should also avoid green fodder during this phase, as it can lead to diarrhoea, soiling of the chicken eggs and death of the embryos due to lack of oxygen.
After hatching, high-protein chick rearing feed promotes the growth of the offspring.
The ideal supplement is digestion-stimulating green fodder such as dandelion, yarrow and nettle.
This combination also strengthens the hen who has lost quite a bit of weight during the breeding season.
Chickens in the garden: tip number five, choosing the right breed
Before you decide on a breed, find out about the typical characteristics of the animals.
Check whether the animals also suit you.
A local hatchery or breed club can help you choose.
Because the selection of chicken breeds is large.
Sundheimer chickens, suitable for families and children, or silkie chickens, the beginner-friendly coat breed of chicken, are just two of the many different chicken breeds out there.
List of rubrics: © Ardea/Imago
