When it comes to rearing chicks there are definitely two ends to the spectrum. If you used a broody hen to hatch the chicks then this would be a very brief instruction because, short of ensuring that there is the correct feed available and a drinker that is accessible to the chicks, the mother hen will pretty much take care of everything else. She'll keep them warm at night, protect them during the day and ensure that they learn how to forage and what's good to eat.
It’s fascinating to watch a hen with her crèche of chicks as she goes about rearing them. She will continue to tend to them for around six to eight weeks, by which point they start to become increasingly independent and capable of fending for themselves. She will then often ‘return to lay’ and may even set about rearing another batch of chicks. Nothing could be simpler for the backyard breeder.
If, however, you hatched your chicks using an incubator then that level of attentiveness and dependency falls on your shoulders for the months to come.
Last month we looked at the costs and considerations that need to be thought about when embarking on hatching some chicks of your own, but if you’ve managed to square all that and have started saving for your first incubator then here are a few more things to ready yourself for.
Denne historien er fra March 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
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Denne historien er fra March 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business — all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century
