Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens (39 page)

Chickens are less stressed when carried one at a time and held with the head upward. But in the event you have to carry more than one bird at a time, turn them upside down and hold onto both legs. Most of the time a chicken held by both legs with its head downward will stop struggling. Be sure to hold onto both legs; otherwise the chicken may churn in an attempt to get away, possibly injuring itself or you. Carry only as many chickens in one hand as you can comfortably hang onto — never more than four at a time.

A chicken may be safely transported in anything from a paper sack to a pet carrier, provided the container satisfies these criteria:

The chicken can’t get out.

The container is not so big the bird can hurt itself flying in an attempt to get out.

The container is not so small the bird can’t stand up and move.

The container has no sharp edges or other injurious protrusions.

The chicken has access to drinking water; in long-distance transit at least provide water during occasional stops.

The container is sufficiently ventilated to allow the chicken to breathe.

The chicken is protected from drafts, cold, and rain.

A car trunk is not suitable for transporting chickens, as it may accumulate lethal carbon monoxide fumes. A stock rack or wire cage on an open pickup bed is not suitable, either, unless some form of wind protection is provided. A pickup with a topper may be suitable if the topper is not airtight and the truck is never parked where the chickens are left suffering in the hot sun. Chickens will be safe and comfortable traveling inside a car or truck that humans are comfortable riding in, but don’t forget to protect the floor and seats from droppings with a tarp, some feed sacks, or several layers of newspaper.

Chickens combine well with many other rural enterprises, to the benefit of both the chickens and the other enterprises. Some combinations, however, need extra management or should be avoided all together.

Chickens work really well with most pastured livestock and benefit both from the pasture and from scratching in livestock manure. By working through livestock manure, they help reduce livestock parasites. If you are considering integrating your chickens with other livestock, keep these considerations in mind: Chickens have difficulty remaining healthy in wet areas, which includes habitats that are ideal for ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. Chickens and pigs don’t make a good long-term combination because both are susceptible to avian tuberculosis and bird flu. And chickens kept together with dairy goats will foul the bedding that milkers lie in and, if nesting in hay mangers, will foul the goats’ fodder with muddy feet, manure droppings, and the occasional broken egg.

Chickens work well in an orchard, where they dine on the windfall fruit that might otherwise harbor insects that cause damage to trees and fruit. And on hot days, chickens enjoy the shade provided by the trees. But keep in mind that over time the chickens will create a system of dust holes that cause difficult footing for the humans who maintain the trees and pick the fruit.

Properly managed, chickens combine well with a garden and with small-fruit and berry production. Proper management includes ensuring that the chickens neither eat more than their fair share nor scratch up new plantings. Also, for the sake of food safety for humans, chickens should be kept away from crops
within 90 days of harvest, 120 days if the crop’s edible portion has contact with the soil.

Having chickens next to the garden where they can be fed the refuse (weeds, surplus vegetables, beetles, and so on) and letting them scratch in fallow areas works fine. Letting them discharge waste on harvestable crops is not a good idea. Our garden usually has some area where chickens can scratch, such as where we’ll plant the corn or beans before the soil is warm enough, or where we’ve pulled the early peas after they are harvested. The concept of the so-called chicken tractor (some people alternatively use portable electroplastic netting) is to confine them to such areas and not let them loose in the entire garden (except before planting and after harvesting).

DIVERSIFICATION WITH CHICKENS

OWNERS OF BACKYARD FLOCKS
report few health problems, according to a thorough assessment of poultry flocks released by the United States Department of Agriculture. That’s great news, because a chicken can get sick pretty fast, and by the time you notice, you’re usually too late to do anything about it. Even if you’re perceptive enough to recognize early signs of illness, treatment with medications is often harmful to the environment and to the future health of your flock.

Chickens maintained in a healthful environment can live a dozen years or more. A few well-kept pets have survived into their twenties. Starting out with healthy chickens and employing good management practices go a long way toward keeping them healthy.

Biosecurity
technically means taking precautions to protect your flock from infectious diseases but is often used as a catchall word to encompass any measure you take to protect your chickens from harm. The closer you adhere to the following practices, the more likely your chickens are to remain free of disease.