Getting Started

• 1). Set up an enclosure for your birds. Just about any small outbuilding can house a chicken house, especially in the warmer months. You'll need about a square foot of clean, dry space for each bird.
  
  
• 2). Set up a safe and draft-free brooding area within your chicken house. This can be as simple as a large box. Allow at least a half-square foot for each bird. Line the bottom with wood shavings and cover with old newspapers. Hang a 250 watt light bulb about 18 inches above the floor; this will keep the temperature at about 90 degrees.
  
  
• 3). Purchase day-old chicks. Feed stores often carry chicks in the springtime. Hatchery websites offer chicks by mail. Select one of the many breeds that have been developed for meat production, and buy only chicks that have been vaccinated.
  
  
• 4). Dip each chick's beak into the waterer briefly before releasing it when you put your chicks into the starter area. Spread chick starter feed and grit on the floor the first day, along with filling the feeder. Add antibiotic drops to the water. After the first day, remove the newspapers. Chicks sometimes develop clots of feces, which will need to be gently wiped off each day. Keep the litter clean and fresh.
  
  

Older Chickens

• 1). Give your chickens more room. After four weeks, your chickens will need more space--about 3/4 of a square foot each. They can now range outdoors on warm sunny days, but will still need shelter at night.
  
  
• 2). Add to or replace the chicks' feed. Chick starter feed can now be replaced or supplemented with "finishing" feed. Make sure your flock has plenty of food, fresh water and grit available at all times.
  
  
• 3). Process your broilers when they are about 10 weeks old. If you are doing this yourself, read up on humane slaughtering methods and if possible, have someone with experience lend a hand the first time.