Backyard Farming Quotes

“1 tablespoon Murphy Oil Soap, castile or any all-natural, fat-based soap (not a detergent) 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 quart warm water”
― Adams Media, Backyard Farming: From Raising Chickens to Growing Veggies, the Beginner's Guide to Running a Self-Sustaining Farm

“At first, the chicks will need about half a square foot per bird. Inside this area, you’ll want to hang a brooder lamp with a 250-watt bulb that will provide heat and light for the chicks. The bulb should have a shade or shield to create an umbrella of warmth that the birds can get under. They will tend to clump together under this light. If the chicks appear to be spreading out from the light, it is too hot, in which case you can raise it a little. You can stop drafts by placing a circle of cardboard 12 inches (30.4 centimeters) high around the birds, but make certain they have enough room to get out of the heat if they so desire. Some people use a plastic kiddie pool for this.”
― Adams Media, Backyard Farming: From Raising Chickens to Growing Veggies, the Beginner's Guide to Running a Self-Sustaining Farm

“When your chicks first arrive, prepare a special place for them in the hen house. Depending on how many chicks you have, this can be a large cardboard box or a set of boards to partition the hen house floor. Cover the floor with least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of wood shavings, rice hulls, sand, or straw. Don’t use cedar shavings, fine sawdust, or treated wood chips. Cover the floor with newspapers the first day so the chicks will eat the feed and not the litter.”
― Adams Media, Backyard Farming: From Raising Chickens to Growing Veggies, the Beginner's Guide to Running a Self-Sustaining Farm

“You’ll also want to provide feed, water, and grit for your birds, and it’s best to have these inside the house if possible so the chickens aren’t waiting for you to let them out in the morning before they can have breakfast.”
― Adams Media, Backyard Farming: From Raising Chickens to Growing Veggies, the Beginner's Guide to Running a Self-Sustaining Farm

“Chickens need poultry grit in order to digest their food and oyster-shell grit in order to produce strong eggshells.”
― Adams Media, Backyard Farming: From Raising Chickens to Growing Veggies, the Beginner's Guide to Running a Self-Sustaining Farm

“When your order of baby chicks arrives, they will be thirsty. Provide a gallon of water for every fifty chicks and dip each of their beaks in the water right away. Each chick needs to learn to drink and where the water is. You should never let your birds run out of water.”
― Adams Media, Backyard Farming: From Raising Chickens to Growing Veggies, the Beginner's Guide to Running a Self-Sustaining Farm