How to Raise Poultry at Home
- 1). Make sure it is legal to raise poultry in your area. Go to city hall and check the laws regarding the ownership of poultry at your address.
- 2). Place the chicks in a study cardboard box in a clean, disinfected and warm area of your home. The box should have some pine shavings on the bottom, bowls with fresh food and water and a heat lamp in a corner. The poultry will live in the cardboard box for the first 60 days.
- 3). Allow the chicks to run around outside, in a fenced-in area, so they can get some exercise while they still live in the cardboard box.
- 4). Move the poultry to a coop. Backyard Chickens recommends having a coop that allows each bird to have three feet of space or more, depending on the breed. The coop should also have a fenced run where the birds can be outside and remain safe.
- 5). Place pine shavings on the floor of the coop so it is easier to clean.
- 6). Feed the poultry twice a day, in the morning and evening. Always make sure they have fresh water to drink and grit, which aids with digestion. Made from crushed rock, grit helps them break up their food, since they do not have teeth. Make sure the food you give your birds is specific to their diets. For example, chickens should get only chicken feed, while ducks should get only duck feed.