When you already have been able to raise your young chicks, then growing chickens is now your focus. The bottom line in caring for chickens is about providing its basic needs – food, water, shelter, safety and adequate space for it to run around. A chicken should be provided space for it to run around because it is healthier for chickens to stretch out their wings.
Your flock should also not be more than 20 chickens. Chickens are social, class conscious animals. Their “pecking order” confuses the chickens of who belongs to their territory and who doesn’t, for flocks of more than 20. This would result to constant fighting between the chickens.
You should also keep your chickens safe from predators. Roofing your chicken run is basically good from keeping crows, birds of prey and cats from getting to your chickens. In most cases, and for more protection of your chicken, you can run a “hot wire” electrical fence around your coop.
Handling chickens depend much on it breed. Different creeds have different behaviors. Basically you need to know how your flocks behave, so that you know how to handle them and keep them happy.
Chickens also need “treats”. One special treat is particularly healthy for them. It is a special, high protein “chook treat”. Moisten a half cup of instant oats with milk; add sunflower seeds and a small tin of fish or cat food, or leftover meat scraps which should be finely chopped. An option is to add a vitamin and vitamin supplement. This treat would be healthy for the chicken and indeed make them happier.
For hens that of course, lay eggs, nesting boxes should be placed inside the coops. It should be enclosed and should look and feel like a real nest, as close as it can go. Coaxing the hens to use the nesting boxes can be done by using artificial eggs. Every one to two days, a laying hen can produce an egg. Gather the eggs frequently to assure its freshness.
Taking care of chickens requires you only to be able to see to it that you meet their needs, and of course, have the passion
to care for them.