Chicken House Construction Plan
Why 25 chickens? Usually 25 chickens is the average number that people order. Most of the time, day old chicks are ordered, but you can order pullets. You can order them sexed or straight run. When you order straight run, they do not sex them and you will get 50% hens and 50% roosters. If you order from a feed store usually they can tell you which ones make good layers and which ones make good meat chickens. Some breeds are good for both.
Chickens will not take up much of your time. Five to ten minutes a day is average. Thirty minutes a week is average for cleaning the pens.
A pullet is a young female chicken. Pullets cost a little more than day old chicks, but you don't have to worry about keeping them warm enough. Chicks need to stay warm. For one day old chicks you need a brooder. The temperature needs to be around 95 degrees F. for the first week. Then you lower it by five degrees every week until the temperature reaches 70 degrees F. A brooder should be two feet high, two feet wide and three feet long.
If you want both egg production and also a good meat chicken, then the Rhode Island Reds are a good choice. The Plymoth Rocks and the White Rocks are good also. Bantams, such as Silkies, are good for eggs only. The egg is small, but good. Brown and white eggs have no difference in nutritional value. If you want a fertile egg then you must have a rooster. One rooster for 15-20 pullets is a good rule of thumb. If not, then you can get eggs without a rooster, they just won't be fertile eggs.
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