DIY Projects for the Self-Sufficient Homeowner: 25 Ways to Build a Self-Reliant Lifestyle by Betsy Matheson
Authors: Betsy Matheson
Tags: Non-Fiction
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healthiest if allowed to move about for a portion of every day.
Chicken Breeds
So, why do you want chickens?
Perhaps you dream of eggs with thick, sturdy sunshine yolks that are unbeatable for baking (and perhaps for selling at a farmers’ market stand). Maybe you want to dress the dinner table with a fresh bird. Not sure? If you want both eggs and meat, you’re safe with a dual-purpose breed such as the barred Plymouth Rock.
Next, consider the size flock you will need to fulfill your goals. This depends on land availability and how much produce you wish to gain. In other words, if volume of eggs or meat matters, then you increase your “production line.” If your reason for raising chickens is to enjoy the company of a low-maintenance feathered pet—the meat and eggs are just a bonus—then a flock of three or four hens and possibly a rooster will get you started.
Layers
While all chickens produce eggs, laying breeds are more efficient at the job than other breeds; in short, layers lay more eggs. You can expect about 250 eggs per year or more if your layer is more ambitious than most. Laying hens tend to be high-strung, however, and while they lay many eggs, they show little interest in raising chicks. You may reconsider laying breeds if you want your hens to raise the next generation. Layers simply aren’t interested—but they’ll keep seconds coming to the breakfast table.
Meat Breeds
These chickens are classified based on size when butchered. Game hens weigh 1 to 3 pounds (.5 to 1.4 kg), broilers (also called fryers) range from 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kg), and roasters are usually 7 pounds (3.2 kg) or slightly more. You’ll find cross-breeds ideal for the backyard, including broiler-roaster hybrids like the Cornish hen or the New Hampshire.
Dual-Purpose Breeds
Larger than layers but more productive (in the egg department) than meat breeds, dual-purpose breeds are the happy medium. Hens will sit on eggs until they hatch, so you can raise the next generation. There are many chickens that fall into this variety, and their temperaments vary. Many dual-purpose breeds are also heritage breeds, meaning they are no longer bred in mass for industry. They like to forage for worms and bugs, are known for disease resistance, and, essentially, are the endangered species of the chicken world.
Chickens raised for meat usually are purchased from a hatchery or a feed store when just a day or two old. Raising them to broiler weight (4 to 5 pounds) takes six to eight weeks. During this time they will consume around 15 pounds of feed.
Ornamental chickens often make good pets. They enjoy human companionship. And they are a fun and visual addition to the yard!
Chickens do well in cold weather as long as they have a sheltered, insulated roosting area and their water supply is not allowed to freeze.
Building a Chicken Ark
CUTTING LIST
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Circular saw
Jigsaw
Speed square
Tape measure
Power miter saw
Drill
Galvanized wood screws (1-1/4", 2", 3-1/2")
Galvanized common nails
Hammer
Eye protection
Sander
Spacers
Galvanized finish nails
Pneumatic narrow crown stapler
Poultry netting (chicken wire)
Galvanized U-nails
Aviation snips
Pliers
Galvanized butt hinges (6)
Galvanized T-hinges (2)
Galvanized latches (4)
Door Handle
How to Build a Chicken Ark
1 Make the eight rafters by laying out one rafter according to the diagram on page 118 . Use this rafter as a template for marking and cutting the remaining rafters from 1 × 4 pine.
2 Cut an 8-ft. 1 × 8 to 86" to make the ridge pole. Cut at a bevel of 10 to 15° for a decorative tail cut at the roost end. Then, attach the rafters on one side of the ridge pole with 2" deck screws driven through the ridge pole and into the rafters. The rafters should be spaced according to the diagram (26" apart in the field area).
3 Attach the rafters on the opposite side of the ridge pole by driving
Chicken Breeds
So, why do you want chickens?
Perhaps you dream of eggs with thick, sturdy sunshine yolks that are unbeatable for baking (and perhaps for selling at a farmers’ market stand). Maybe you want to dress the dinner table with a fresh bird. Not sure? If you want both eggs and meat, you’re safe with a dual-purpose breed such as the barred Plymouth Rock.
Next, consider the size flock you will need to fulfill your goals. This depends on land availability and how much produce you wish to gain. In other words, if volume of eggs or meat matters, then you increase your “production line.” If your reason for raising chickens is to enjoy the company of a low-maintenance feathered pet—the meat and eggs are just a bonus—then a flock of three or four hens and possibly a rooster will get you started.
Layers
While all chickens produce eggs, laying breeds are more efficient at the job than other breeds; in short, layers lay more eggs. You can expect about 250 eggs per year or more if your layer is more ambitious than most. Laying hens tend to be high-strung, however, and while they lay many eggs, they show little interest in raising chicks. You may reconsider laying breeds if you want your hens to raise the next generation. Layers simply aren’t interested—but they’ll keep seconds coming to the breakfast table.
Meat Breeds
These chickens are classified based on size when butchered. Game hens weigh 1 to 3 pounds (.5 to 1.4 kg), broilers (also called fryers) range from 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kg), and roasters are usually 7 pounds (3.2 kg) or slightly more. You’ll find cross-breeds ideal for the backyard, including broiler-roaster hybrids like the Cornish hen or the New Hampshire.
Dual-Purpose Breeds
Larger than layers but more productive (in the egg department) than meat breeds, dual-purpose breeds are the happy medium. Hens will sit on eggs until they hatch, so you can raise the next generation. There are many chickens that fall into this variety, and their temperaments vary. Many dual-purpose breeds are also heritage breeds, meaning they are no longer bred in mass for industry. They like to forage for worms and bugs, are known for disease resistance, and, essentially, are the endangered species of the chicken world.
Chickens raised for meat usually are purchased from a hatchery or a feed store when just a day or two old. Raising them to broiler weight (4 to 5 pounds) takes six to eight weeks. During this time they will consume around 15 pounds of feed.
Ornamental chickens often make good pets. They enjoy human companionship. And they are a fun and visual addition to the yard!
Chickens do well in cold weather as long as they have a sheltered, insulated roosting area and their water supply is not allowed to freeze.
Building a Chicken Ark
CUTTING LIST
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Circular saw
Jigsaw
Speed square
Tape measure
Power miter saw
Drill
Galvanized wood screws (1-1/4", 2", 3-1/2")
Galvanized common nails
Hammer
Eye protection
Sander
Spacers
Galvanized finish nails
Pneumatic narrow crown stapler
Poultry netting (chicken wire)
Galvanized U-nails
Aviation snips
Pliers
Galvanized butt hinges (6)
Galvanized T-hinges (2)
Galvanized latches (4)
Door Handle
How to Build a Chicken Ark
1 Make the eight rafters by laying out one rafter according to the diagram on page 118 . Use this rafter as a template for marking and cutting the remaining rafters from 1 × 4 pine.
2 Cut an 8-ft. 1 × 8 to 86" to make the ridge pole. Cut at a bevel of 10 to 15° for a decorative tail cut at the roost end. Then, attach the rafters on one side of the ridge pole with 2" deck screws driven through the ridge pole and into the rafters. The rafters should be spaced according to the diagram (26" apart in the field area).
3 Attach the rafters on the opposite side of the ridge pole by driving
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