My Friend and I want to raise A baby chicken?

nico

We are 11 years old and we want to learn some responsibility. What chicken brands are friendly and how should we raise it? it will be already hatched btw and we want to have it lay eggs when it is older to make money. We live in Vermont and it is January so it is cold right now. we need to keep it warm. Have any ideas?

Eva

It's too early to get a chick. You usually need to get at least a pair. Wait until April or May.

Country GIRL

don't do it these birds need to have a pecking order and one bird s lonely and it requires a lot to survive a coop perch nest boxes feed water grit layer pellets corn and the poo is all over the place so best to raise a bunny or turkey (boy ) maybe not this a ferret would be cool however you must ck with your local city laws 1st unless you live out of city limits and anything gos there.

oikoσ

Chances are that you will not be able to buy a single chick. You will have to buy at least three or, more probably, six. If you buy from a hatchery, you can request (and pay more for) all females. If you buy "straight run" chicks, you will probably get half males and half females. There are a few breeds in which it is easy to tell males from females, several hybrids and the autosexing breeds (with "-bar" in the name). In any event, chickens are happiest when with other chickens and do not do all that well solo. In cold climates, you want to avoid the best of the egg-layers, such as the Leghorn, one of the Mediterranean breeds. You might do well with Rhode Island reds or (more docile) New Hampshire reds. Chances are that you will never make back the costs of food and equipment but there is nothing like a really fresh egg with your breakfast. Hens will start laying at about five months and then drop off sharply in egg production after two years. With a good, cold-hardy breed, you should average about 180-200 eggs per hen per year. That can be increased by manipulation of the light during the winter.

C

Your town or city may have regulations about what livestock is okay to have. There may be regulations about appropriate housing of livestock to make sure it's treated humanely. Chickens need a coop, and maybe some heat, but it doesn't have to be toasty warm. You will need to provide water in a device that keeps it from freezing. The coop needs to be built so the neighbors' dogs, weasels, skunks and snakes can't get into it. Weasels and dogs will kill a chicken, skunks and snakes will go after eggs. They also need access to fresh air. The run attached to the coop needs a wire fencing cover, so eagles and hawks won't go after your chickens. Chickens don't do well as individuals, they do better in flocks. They aren't meant to be single pets. A chicken will lay one egg every 24 to 26 hours: about 5 eggs a week, in the summer. She'll lay a lot fewer, or may stop entirely, in the winter. What you pay for housing, feed and care will just about equal what you might pay for fresh eggs. You won't be selling eggs with one chicken. She won't provide enough for the two of you, unless you don't eat eggs. She will lay well for about five years, and then she'll start to lay fewer eggs. And like I said, it's basically cruel to have just one.