General Care.
Your guide to the general care of poultry and birds, maintence, what you need to do, how you need to do it and all this looked in depth and composed so you can understand it, plus there will be helpful hints and tips along the way!
This page covers:
To aid with easy browsing and being able to find what you need fast we have made a list of the different topics covered on this page. Numbered them and have included details on each section. Then all you need to do is find the number by scrolling below. The number will be to the left of the page in a large font so it is easy to find or just scroll below reading it at your own pace.
1 - Housing. Section includes: Runs, enclosures, breeding sheds and all the details you need on housing your birds.
2 - Bedding and Litter. Section includes: Details on different materials to use, cleaning your birds out and more.
3 - Dust Bathing. Section includes: Tips on it, how it helps the birds and more.
4 - Water. Section includes: Details on keeping water clean, tips and more.
5 - Food. Section includes: How to feed birds, suitable diet and more.
6 - Checking your birds. Section includes: Why, when and everything else you need to know.
7 - Holding and Catching your birds. Section includes: How to do this with phots and more.
8 - Beak, toe nail and spur clipping. Section includes: How to trim your birds spurs, beaks and toe nails aswell as why and when to do it.
9 - Routines. Section includes: When to let your birds out and shut them in. Cleaning and more!
There is a helpful panel at the bottom with further useful links to other related and useful areas on Poultry Talk and other sites.
1- Housing.
The objective of having housing and housing your birds is to keep them safe and secure during the night when there is a higher risk of them getting attacked by a predator. It provides some where warm for them to sleep and out of the elements of the whether. As well as providing safety, protection, some where to sleep, it also offers shade when it is hot, some where to lay and shelter/protection from the elements what ever time of the day it is.
There are many different styles and types of housing. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be made out of different materials including, wood and metal. There are many craftsmen and makers of these and websites for different housing sites can be found in the Link's Directory.
You should be able to find a house which meets your requirements and is the right size for the amount of birds you have. Here are a few important points to make sure you consider when purchasing and constructing your house/run/coop. These are:
Dismantling - How easy is it to take the house apart so you can give it a good clean and re-treat it if needed. You should be able to take it apart easily so you can carry this out.
Is it treated? - Houses should be treated so they last for longer. Make sure you treat it with the correct products. Check before purchasing.
Ventilation - There needs to be good ventilation to allow the birds to breathe and let the air circulate, this reduces bacteria and smells in the house. Having a wire or slatted floor means that if your birds crowd in a corner due to being frightened that the ones at the bottom will still have access to air. It also means there will be better air circulation in the house and will allow droppings to go straight onto the ground below but will not be so comfortable for the birds when sleeping.
Roofing - It is important to have a strong roof to protect the contents and it like the rest of the house needs to withstand the elements. Having a metal roof is better than felt because felt can harbor mites and does not last so long. Wooden roofs are fine but again will not last as long as a metal one. You may want to have a sliding one to allow easy access and cleaning but it depends on what kind of model you want. Guttering may be required for larger houses/breeding sheds which will give a nicer finish and you can then reuse the water by allowing it to drain into a water butt.
Nest boxes - Depending on how many birds you will be keeping in your house and the size you need to have enough nest boxes and space in them for the birds that will be housed in their. For bantams you can have smaller nest boxes allowing you to have more but large fowl will need larger nest boxes. You may want to consider using Roll away nest boxes as this helps with easy collection and prevents birds from having access to eggs discouraging egg eating and the need to go broody. Roll away nest boxes can be bought as inserts or built into your design depending on which model you choose to get. Here are two different places where you can purchase them:
Well's Poultry Housing - View page. Domestic Fowl Trust - View page.
Nest boxes should have easy access for the birds as well as yourself and if they find it to light and do not like laying in them get a black bin bag and staple together at the end so it cannot be opened or cut off a square that will fit onto the front of the nest box. Cut slits in it from the bottom but not right to the top so the birds can go in and staple 2 or 3 of the slits of the bag at one side to the side of the box so the bird can get in and see it. Staple it at the top as well and this will make the nest boxes more private and hopefully encourage the hens to lay in there. You can also use fake eggs or pinpong balls in the nest box. Nest boxes which are on the side attached to the house are a good idea as they aid in collection of eggs and save room, it is better to have ones which can easily be removed for good cleaning and allowing access into all the awkward areas which can harbor mites and dirt.
A poultry house. Here you can see there are nest boxes located on the outside of the house for easy collection. Note the flip down pop hole on the other side and a unique viewing window at the top.
Pop hole - If your house is going to have a run attached or you want a pop hole so you have that option to let your birds out then you need to have one included in the house. Make sure it is not to high up or else you will have to provide something so the birds can get in and out. A ramp can help with this but make sure it has some wire on it or slighlty raised slats of wood on top to prevent it from being slippery. There are several different designs for pop holes. There are sliding pop holes or ones which drop down and are just closed with a latch at the top, best for if you have a house in a large enclosure/run. For smaller runs/coops ones which have cord attached and can be opened and closed from the outside of the run and hooked onto a nail onto the top of the run when open are better.
You can get an electric pop hole fitted. Visit these links for further details and to buy one - AXT Electronic. Wells Poultry Housing.
Windows - You may wish to have a window to add extra light. You could fit a piece of clear transparent plastic or glass if you wanted to have the option of opening it but glass is not advised as the birds may fly into it causing themselves an injury and the glass to smash. You could have plain chicken wire and then a wooden shutter for shutting at night or in cooler weather. Make sure the window is kept clean and dust does not build up.
Lights/electricity - Artificial lightening and electricity could be installed to add extra hours of daylight to the house to increase egg production, especially important in the winter. This will also mean if you have to keep your birds shut in or do not let them out they will still be able to see inside the house. If you have electricity you have the option of plugging in fans in the summer but this is not really needed. Visit this site for more information Rooster Booster.
Perches - Most birds like to roost and that is what they do in the wild so perches should be in included. They should be removeable so you clean them properley and where they sit as mites (Red Mite in particular) like to live around in those areas. Dopping trays are a good idea and stop mess going onto the floor and the build up of pooh underneath the perches.
A Maran Hen roosting.
How easy it is to move - If you have a house with a run or need a house that can be moved you need to think about how easy it is to move. Check there are strong handles and you can easily lift it.
Make sure you always take care when moving houses, shut the birds in and get someone to help you if needed.
Be careful with electricity as if it is not used/installed correctly it could be a fire hazard. The different houses, coops and runs available.
As there is such a huge range of different designs and houses for all different birds and poultry there is sure to be one which suits your needs or you could have one custom made. It may cost more but in the end it is to your design and should include all that you personally need.
Here is just a selection of different styles and types of houses, runs and coops available.
This hutch would be idea for Quail, broodys or young birds. Quail can also be kepted at the bottom of aviary's as they will help to keep it clean by eating seed that falls down to the floor.
On the left a coop ideally suited for a broody as it has no nest boxes and comes with protection from wild birds on top of the run.
On the right a small run with no house but shelter area at each side, this would be useful for putting birds out in the day time when the weather is nice and they would then have be put back into another house at night.
This is the Wycombe chicken house for 15-18 hens made by Simon Wells at Well's Poultry housing (www.chicken-house.co.uk).
Arks are useful for breeding pairs/trios of chickens and bantams as they have a run and a sleeping area.
When buying you house/pen make sure you have thought about all the points listed above, shop around to find the best buys and designs. These are some of the main points and there are more above, the house should be easy to access for you and the birds and easy to clean. Have enough room for birds and areas to perch. Include a pop hole if required. Have a window or source of light. Good ventilation. Be made well and to last using quality products.
Runs/enclosures.
If you have several birds which you want to have free range and have the space then you can build an enclosure and place a house in that or have one built in at the sides for them. You could have a house on the side with two pop holes either side and have it fenced outside between so one pop hole allows access to one side and the other for the other side. You can then rotate them so once they have worn out the ground one side you can swap them over and let them use the other side while you let the other side rest and sow more grass seed if needed. Some birds like Guinea Fowl need to be kept in enclosures or large pens as they need plenty of room to graze. The same applies to wildfowl and geese but if you can keep chickens and bantams in them then the more space they have the better and it will keep them more occupied.
Above: This is an ideal house to use in a run or an enclosure. It has nest boxes which if you do it so the house is on the side of the enclosure and fenced up to on each side and you have the external nest boxes on the outside of the run it will aid egg collection meaning you don't have to go into the pen each time. It depends on your chosen model though.
Runs and enclosures should be fenced all around the perimeters and between pens. You should use small strong chicken wire which should be stapled and nailed to posts to make a fence. It should be buried in the ground quite deep to prevent anything trying to dig in under and get in. Ideally it should be netted on the top to stop wild birds eating the food and entering the pen. Wild birds can spread diseases and waste food so should not be able to get into any pens. This is not essential and cannot always be done but if you have young birds in there you must else wild birds could take them. If you have several rows of runs together and cockerels in each one to stop the cockerels fightening between the wire nail wooden boards to each fence along where there is another pen. You can just do it on one side just so the cockerels cannot see each other. You could use metal if you wanted. Ensure these are no means of escape. An electric fence could be used to protect the birds that way you are protecting your birds even more and it should prevent foxes. Visit this site for more information Electric Fencing Direct.
Some plants can be poisonous so these should not be any where near poultry or birds or in their pen.
Poisinous plants are:
Foxgloves.
Viburnum.
There are more which will be coming soon so email us for details
Make sure there are no sharp, dangerous objects in the pen, if there are make sure these are removed and all traces of them. If there are any big holes or slight dangerous dips make sure you fence these off or fill them in to make them secure.
It is important to provide shade this could be from trees as shown above, shrubs, or even create a shelter/shade area so when it is hot the birds can retreat to shade.
Breeding Sheds.
If you are a breeder and are keeping several birds and different breeds you will need to have special breeding sheds and maximize space due to all the pens you will need to house them and young birds.
Breeding sheds should maximize space and be suitable to house young birds which may need to be kept warm and have space for breeding birds as well. They need to be organized so you can effectively look after the birds and don't become confused or mixed up with which birds are which and other important details.
You can design your own breeding sheds as most people do and build it but when you do this you need to consider the different points we have mentioned aboves for houses/coops and to make the best use of space.
Try including some of these points for designs:
Install windows for natural light or use corrugated plastic in the roof for light.
Use shelves and hooks to hang items up and store equipment to keep pathways clear.
Have the option of being able to allow birds to have access to a run if possible. This is good if you are breeding from your birds as they will have more room.
Make sure the house is free from droughts and is as warm as possible for rearing young birds.
Make sure there is plenty of good ventilation and you can see into each pen clearly.
Pens should be secured with no small gaps so no birds can escape, no matter how small.
Photos.
Here are some photos of breeding sheds designed and built by Pekins 4 Eva for their own birds and breeding purposes. They have come up with some of the above ideas and made sure they are included in their designs so they can use their sheds to their full capacity. They have wooden frames and are constructed mostly out of wood and have been built well which is what we advise you do else it will only cost you more money in the long run to replace or repair sheds if needed.
They have kindly allowed us to include these photos and explain how they built them and what items feature in their deigns. You can view these photos and more on there site. Visit the Pekins 4 Eva website by clicking here....
Above: They have made great use of space by making sure the path way they have is kept clear by organizing storage using shelves and hooks to store equipment. Each pen has plenty of light as on the roof every other sheet is corrugated plastic allowing plenty of natural light in and meaning you can put shelves up on the sides. Inside pens have been made to the size needed and have wire on the top preventing the birds escaping but allowing light in and you to be able to monitor the birds. There is then a pop hole for each pen allowing them to go outside. This then can be an option so when it is nice weather they can be let outside and when it is not suitable wheather left in to prevent them from becoming wet.
Above: Close up of the pens inside. In this breeding shed they have also installed windows on the side for added light and you can clearly see the wire top for each pen and that the panels between each pen are wooden to prevent any cockerels frightening or young birds.
Above: The outside of the breeding house. You can see the runs which have bark chips in them to prevent them from becoming muddy but still a natural base. Both sides of the shed have been made use of. The slanted roof means water is being collected in a water butt for future use. The pens are covered with wire so no wild birds can get in so you can have broody's in the pens or young birds and it helps protect against disease with no wild birds entering. Each pen has a door from the outside so you can enter pens from the outside as well.
As you can see in the photos the sheds seem to meet their needs very well. You will probably always find things which may need to be added on or changed but you can do this or incorporate them into a next design so you can constantly improve your buildings.
We hope those photos and the design points which we have mentioned have helped but if you need more ideas or inspiration why not try the forums, ask Nellie at Pekins 4 Eva or email us.
Please note: In some areas you may need to get planning permission to put up sheds or have any sheds of any sort. We advise you check with your local council first.
2 - Bedding and litter.
Inside your house/coop you need to put something on the floor to make it comfortable, warm, clean to keep the birds healthy and so they don't slip. You also need to put something in the nest box so it is comfortable, warm and protects the egg when it is laid.
There are different options you can use and these include:
Shredded Paper ~ This can be large or finely shredded and for younger birds the finely shredded is recommended.
Straw ~ Straw is a good option and even better for waterfowl and placing on the top of nest boxes. Make sure it is clean though.
Shavings ~ Shavings are an ideal bedding as they absorb the moisture, are easy to use and replace, easily available and can come in suitable bales. Most poultry keepers choose this bedding over the other options.
Note: Hay is not recommened as it soon goes mouldy and can contain spores which can cause breathing difficulties and problems such as Asma.
Cleaning and replacing bedding/litter.
Bedding and Litter should be removed and replaced as ofton as possible to keep your birds pen dry and clean and that way you ensure they have a better chance of staying healthy. It is suggested you clean out your chickens at least once a week if not more. If you have ducklings or waterfowl/wildfowl then you may need to do this more ofton and the more birds you have in an area then the more you will need to clean them out.
*How to clean your birds pen out:
First make sure your birds are out of the area you wish to clean and stay out for the duration as they do like to lend some help (as shown above) but often cause more hassle.
Make sure you have something to put your dirty bedding in like a Wheel-Barrow, bucket, bag, or trug. Make sure you have some cleaning utensils and a shovel or if you are cleaning out a smaller house use a smaller item like a coal shovel which can make it easier.
Start to scoop out your dirty bedding and place in preferred container. Scoop it all out till you reach the base. You may well find some stubborn areas on the floor where some may become stuck. Use a scraper or the back or your shovel to remove these but take care not to damage the building/utensil(s). Brush the reminder out with a dustpan and brush and place in container. You may choose to disinfect and/or dry the house while it is empty, this is recommend but your choice.
Once you have done that you can place a fresh layer of bedding in, make sure you have it to hand and place an even thick layer all over the areas which need it. You may wish to place something in the bedding to help it stay clean, fresh, smelling nice, dry or to help prevent build up of bacteria or other pests. You could try these products:
Diatom Powder - Available here: SPR Centre.
Stalosan F - Available here: Regency Poultry and Ascott Smallholding Supplies.
There are other products available and the products listed are available from other suppliers as well.
Make sure you follow the instructions and guidelines on the products, and if you plan to use your bedding/litter for compost/manure purposes make sure it is natural and will be fine to use.
*This is just one way of cleaning pens out and there are many other methods. Usually you develop your own routine which you find works best for you.
Make sure you dust their house and ventilation areas and clean any windows so light can get in and air can circulate.
If you have finished and have allowed enough time for the disinfectants to work, and kept the birds out for the time that they are meant to be then you can then let them in so they can enjoy their fresh bedding.
Disposing of their waste.
Once you have collected it all you can either put it on the compost heap to rot down or use for manure. If you are using it for manure it is best to wait a while before using it but see appropriate information sources for more details.
Make sure you do not do this if your birds have had problems with their health. It it can be best to burn it or dispose of it using other methods. You could try your councils recycle bins for garden waste but check first and this may not be available in all areas.
If you have used any disinfectants, chemicals or anything else added to this or are unsure if it will be fine to compost, use for manure or for other things make sure the products you have used will be safe for use and rot down. We advise you see the packaging instructions for information on this.
Completion.
Once you have done this wash off your utensils, disinfect if you want (recommend) and safely store them.
3 - Dust Bathing.
A White Pekin hen and a Lavender Pekin hen dust bathing in an area where soil is exposed. A common favourite area for birds to dust bath.
Your birds will often have Dust Baths where they may scratch up the ground and make holes ruffling soil/sand in between their feathers and ruffling them up usually in a sunny spot where they will sit there for a while. If the birds are inside they will still dust bath among-est the bedding and probably in the places where it is thicker. Dust bathing conditions and looks after the feathers so you should encourage your birds to dust bath and they will naturally do it.
If you are worried about your birds digging up your ground and ruining the enclosure or your garden or if your birds are kept inside and you want them to dust bath more or stop them doing it in their bedding you could provide them with a box and place some soil inside that or sand/bedding material. They can then use this and hopefully not ruin areas of ground. You can put louse/mite powders and things like Diatom powder (featured above, see bedding section) in with the bedding/sand and you know that it is then getting onto their feathers and they will be applying it themselves. Make sure you use the correct amount and read the guidelines on the product.
The dust bath to should be cleaned out as often as possible and the same time as you clean out their bedding. Ensure you replenish it with enough new bedding/sand/soil. Make sure the box/area is big enough, has clean contents and dry contents and the birds can easily get in and out of it as this will encourage them to use it more.
Your birds may well dig up ground and dust bath outside of a designated box but it should hopefully reduce them doing it in their pens and on the ground less. If they continue to maybe add more boxes or increase the size of the designated dust bath box. You could try covering or fencing off areas of pens where they are more likely to do it or where soil is exposed if you don't want them to do this.
You may find it amusing watching them dust bath and hopefully the above will help out with any problems but don't stop them doing it as it will help with their feather condition.
4 - Water.
Fresh and clean water must always be available for your birds to drink at all times. When the temperature is hotter and when they are laying more eggs they may well double their normal consumption of water so make sure you keep up with the demand.
Water should be placed in drinkers as this minimizes water wastage and helps to keep it clean. There is a huge range available to choose from so there is bound to be one out there to meet your requirements! Your drinker base may get filled up with dirt and bedding so make sure you run your fingers around each day and clear it out and you can then make sure the water is flowing. By putting it on a stand or raising it off the ground this should reduce the build up of mud and dirt both in and around the drinker and it also helps to keep the area around the drinker dryer. You should place the drinker away from the food to keep the food dry and it also prevents food getting into the water.
Make sure you replace the water in your drinkers as often as possible (ideally once a day). Hens will not drink much at one time but drink more little and often. Waterfowl will drink a lot more than chickens.
Drinkers should be scrubbed and cleaned using a disinfectant regularly to prevent any build up of dirt, algae and bacteria which will threaten the birds health. Make sure you rinse and clean them properly after cleaning before refilling with water.
Two different types of ideal drinkers.
When it is cold and frosty water will freeze. You need to make sure the hens have access to water as they cannot eat snow or use ice so you need to make sure you provide fresh water each morning.
When the water freezes in the drinkers it may cause them to crack or break so you may find it easier to empty the drinkers the night before and then refill in the morning with a water supply from indoors. You could use plastic bowls which you may find quicker to empty and refill (make sure if you use buckets/bowls the birds cannot harm/drown themselves, try placing a block/rock inside).
Note: Do not add anything like anti-freeze or an anti-freezing agent to stop the water freezing as this will harm/kill the birds.
At shows and markets you still need to provide water and can get specialist containers to attach to the pens for them to drink from. Check they do not fill it up with bedding or/and tip it over. You could try placing a small stone or heavy object inside to prevent them tipping it over.
During transport you can provide water but make sure it does not spill out onto the birds while travelling. It may be best to make sure they have a drink before and a good drink at the end of the journey or even to stop for break to provide them with water.
5 - Food.
Poultry need a balanced diet of food to eat. This should be compose of:
Grit/Oyster shell ~ To help make the shells on the eggs stronger and provide stones/grit to help break up food in the gizzard.
Corn ~ This just adds another different food to the diet and helps to provide a treat and make them interested in their food.
Selected Pellets ~ These provide all the correct vitamins, minerals and everything else the bird needs in them. Make sure you choose the correct one for the type of bird.
Kitchen Scraps, greens, nettles and other treats can be added to supplement their diet and to keep them amused but make sure it contains no meat, milk, fish or diary products. Make sure any plants/things found outside that you give to them are not poisonous. See the Housing section for more details.
It is not worth making your own feed and there are now many companies which do this and not just for poultry. You can buy bags of food at agriculture stores or get it delivered to you in bulk (professional breeder option) or you can buy it from other shops.
Pellets are by far the best option as they are cleaner and not so much is wasted. There are many different feeds available for all different uses and purposes so when you get your feed have a look at the available options and choose the right one(s) for you.
Meal is a ground up type of food, which is more suitable for bantams as it is easier for them to pick up in their beaks and digest.
There are chick crumbs which need to be fed to chicks, grower pellets for growers, layers pellets for laying chickens and more. You also need to make sure you get some Grit like oyster shell grit, this is needed by the birds in the gizzard to help break down the food and also to help strengthen the shells of their eggs. Mixed corn can be fed as a treat or to add variation to the diet.
If you are mixing this in which is needed for a balanced diet do about half of Pellets, quarter of grit and a quarter of corn.
Food should be provided in proper feeders which will minimize wastage and keep the food clean as well as allow you to keep more in the feeder and have it so it dispenses when they need it.
Outdoor feeders should be protected from wild birds or be designed so wild birds cannot feed from them as they may carry diseases and will eat a lot of the food increasing your costs as well. Your feeders should be taken in at night if outside or be vermin proof to prevent rats or mice stealing food. There is a huge range of different feeders to suit all foods and meet your requirements so shop around for the best prices/models.
An ideal feeder.
It can be a good idea to raise your feeder off the ground. This prevents birds scratching any bedding or dirt into it and helps to keep it clean. You could put it on a stand which will allow any wasted food to go underneath meaning the birds only eat fresh food and it again helps to keep it clean. Place your feeder away from the drinker to prevent the food getting wet and if it is outside make sure you bring it in at night to prevent vermin eating food if it is not vermin proof.
Make sure any wasted food is cleaned up and not allowed to go moldy. Moldy food can be poisonous and should never be fed to poultry or any birds. Wasted food should also be cleared up quickly as any food will attract vermin which is not wanted.
When buying food make sure you buy the correct food needed and buy it from a reliable source. When you get it home it needs to be stored inside a bin which will stop any vermin or dirt getting into it, keep it dry and be easy to access. If you have several bags you can store them inside but store them off the floor on a platform made from say pallets which should stop vermin getting into the food and the bags getting damaged.
Here Meal is being stored in a bin which is recommened.
6 - Checking your birds.
Your birds should be checked regularly to check for any health problems, you can do this by looking for changes in their appearance or behavior.
You can check your birds by picking them up and looking all over at them, checking there eyes, listening to them breathing, go through their feathers, check for any mites or lice. Checking the scales on the feet, making sure the feathers around their bottom are clean and that they generally look healthy.
By watching your birds you will soon notice if there is something wrong as their behavior will change. The more time you spending watching and getting to know your birds the better as they will become tamer and you will learn more and be able to spot if anything is wrong far more quicker.
It is advised that you check them by looking at their behavior and by picking them up. You can look at their behavior every day but you may not have time to pick them up but that does not have to be so often.
If there is a change there is usually a reason and could mean there is a health problem which can then be looked into.
You will find details on how a healthy bird should ideally look like on the Health page along with details on health problems and more.
7 - Holding/catching your birds.
When catching your birds you need to be careful with them as they can easily be damaged in the process and stressed out as well as you being scratched and being deposited on.
Note you should NEVER hold a bird by one leg or wing as this is dangerous and can damage the bird.
You can use a net to first of all catch your birds or you could try herding them into one area, separating the chicken(s) off that you want to catch and try to catch them in a corner or shut them in there house.
When it comes to picking up/catching the birds you can either go for there legs or put your hands on top of them and then hold them by your legs in the palm or hold them in your hand. Make sure you hold onto them securely but not to tight so they have no chance of flying away and do not feel uncomfortable.
When holding them by their legs in the palm of your hand you should hold them this way:
Place the 2 center fingers under the breast of the chicken giving them support. Place each other finger each side of the leg. This then allows the bird to sit comfortably and safely in yours hands. Note your may wish to put your hand on top of their wings if they are flighty.
Photos:
8 - Beak, toe nail and Spur Trimming.
Beaks should be trimmed so the top is the same length as the bottom and is in line. Only trim the top beak so it comes in line with the bottom and trim it off at the sides so it does not end up having a straight edge on the end of the top beak.
All cockerels have spurs. They will be on on the back of each of their feet near the bottom. You can tell roughly tell how old a bird is with them. As they get older the longer and tougher the spurs will be. You may need to trim the spurs if they become really long or you think that the bird may damage other birds when mating in particular. There is a blood supply to the spur so you must not touch that or cut it where it is else it will bleed. Spurs should not be cut completely off and just made a bit shorter by cutting off the end where there is no blood supply. Make sure you don't cut if off really tight to the blood supply and just leave a bit after that, then cut it. File the end off to make it smooth and remove any splinters. Make sure you have a firm grip when getting hold of the cockerel and you should trim both spurs.
Toe nails on chickens and bantams may need to be trimmed if they are very long but make sure you don't cut it all off as they need their toe nails to grip to items. Just cut a little bit off the end.
Waterfowl and Wildfowl will not have this problem and they will not need their nails trimmed and they have no spurs.
Photos will be coming along with more details on these topics. If you need help we suggest you contact a knowledgeable poultry keeper or seek advice from a poultry vet before doing it. Make sure though as we have stressed not to cut spurs off where there is a bloody supply. Email us for further details and we can put you in touch with someone who can help if we cannot.
We will soon be including details on wing clipping!
9 - Routines.
Water should be replaced daily and food topped up daily.
Your birds if having access to a run should be let out each morning and shut in the evening. Predators may strike in the day so make sure they are in a protected run/enclosure. They should be shut in before it gets dark and you should check that they are all their and are safe.
Collection of your eggs should be daily and in the evening when they will of all laid their eggs. For waterfowl and wildfowl it can be in the morning as they usually lay before 10:00am so you can check then. Some people say it is earlier but if you check then they should of laid their eggs. See the Eggs Page for further details on this.
Cleaning should be carried out each week if not more.
Further information and links panel.
Not sure what any words ment or want further details on their meaning. Go to the Glossary on the homepage to find out or if it is not there email us. Visit Glossary.
Have any FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) visit our special Frequently Asked Questions section and browse there and if you cannot find it you can submit questions. Vist FAQ's.
Email us.
Have any queries, questions, ideas or feeback that you would like to contact us about please email us at: poultry_talk_tk@hotmail.co.uk
Discussion.
If you wish to discuss this on the forums, ask questions, post adverts, ask or offer advice or anything else that is related to poultry or general care and maintence then the General Poultry Forum is the place to do it or other relevant catergries depending on the topic. Go to General Poultry Forum.
Buying/Selling.
To look for breeders selling birds or others, poultry adverts of items for sale/wanted visit these areas for more details.
Classified Adverts. Breeder's Directory. Buying and Selling Forum.
Related Links:
For more Link's visit the Link's Directory.
For a guide on showing click here to continue to the Exhibiting/Showing page....
View other pages on our site for a look at other apsects of poultry keeping including transporting your birds.
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