Complete Poultry Keeping: From Chick to Egg to Table
Poultry are the most accessible livestock for small homesteads. This campaign covers breeds, housing, feeding, egg production, incubation, and processing.
Chapter 1: Breed Selection
Breed
Purpose
Eggs/Year
Temperament
Cold Hardy
Foraging
Weight
Rhode Island Red
Dual purpose
250-300
Docile
Very good
Excellent
6-8 lbs
Plymouth Rock (Barred)
Dual purpose
200-280
Very docile
Excellent
Very good
7-9 lbs
Australorp
Egg laying
250-300
Docile
Good
Good
6-8 lbs
Leghorn (White)
Egg laying
280-320
Flighty
Moderate
Good
4-5 lbs
Orpington (Buff)
Dual purpose
200-280
Very docile
Excellent
Moderate
7-10 lbs
Sussex
Dual purpose
250-300
Docile
Very good
Excellent
7-9 lbs
Wyandotte
Dual purpose
200-250
Docile
Excellent
Good
6-8 lbs
Cornish Cross
Meat only
Poor
Docile
Poor
Poor
8-12 lbs (8 weeks)
Freedom Ranger
Meat (slower)
Moderate
Active
Good
Excellent
5-7 lbs (12 weeks)
Chapter 2: Housing
Component
Minimum Size
Purpose
Material
Coop (enclosed)
4 sq ft per bird
Sleeping, protection from predators
Wood, hardware cloth
Run (fenced)
10 sq ft per bird
Daytime exercise, foraging
Fencing, posts
Roost bars
8-10 inches per bird
Sleeping perch
2x4 lumber (wide side up)
Nest boxes
1 per 3-4 hens
Egg laying
12x12x12 inch boxes
Ventilation
1 sq ft per 10 sq ft floor
Air quality, moisture removal
Screened openings near roof
Pop door
10x12 inches
Chicken access to run
Hinged door
Predator protection: 1) Hardware cloth (not chicken wire) on all openings (1/2 inch mesh). 2) Chicken wire keeps chickens in but does not keep predators out. 3) Bury hardware cloth 12 inches deep around perimeter (prevents digging). 4) Or lay hardware cloth apron 18 inches outward on ground surface. 5) Close coop door every night (most predators are nocturnal). 6) Automatic door closers are worth the investment. 7) Cover run with netting or hardware cloth (prevents aerial predators). 8) Common predators: raccoons, foxes, hawks, owls, weasels, snakes, dogs.
Chapter 3: Feeding
Feed Type
Protein
When
Cost
Availability
Commercial layer feed
16-18%
Laying hens
Moderate
Feed store
Commercial grower feed
18-20%
Growing chicks
Moderate
Feed store
Scratch grains (corn, wheat)
8-10%
Supplement/treat
Low
Feed store, farm
Kitchen scraps
Varies
Supplement
Free
Kitchen
Foraged insects/plants
Varies
Free range
Free
Pasture
Sprouted grains
12-15%
Supplement
Very low
DIY
Black soldier fly larvae
40-45%
Protein supplement
Low (DIY)
Cultivated
Daily needs per adult hen: 1) Feed: 1/4 to 1/3 pound per day (layer feed). 2) Water: 1/2 to 1 pint per day (more in heat). 3) Grit: free-choice (small stones for grinding food in gizzard). 4) Calcium: free-choice oyster shell or crushed eggshells (for strong shells). 5) Free-range hens eat less feed (supplement with foraged food). 6) Never feed: avocado, chocolate, raw beans, moldy food, onions (toxic). 7) Treats: mealworms, sunflower seeds, watermelon, cooked rice (in moderation).
Chapter 4: Egg Production
Factor
Effect on Production
Optimal
Notes
Day length
14+ hours needed for laying
14-16 hours light
Supplement with artificial light in winter
Age
Peak at 6-18 months
Start laying at 18-24 weeks
Production declines after year 2
Nutrition
Protein and calcium critical
16-18% protein feed
Deficiency = soft shells, reduced laying
Stress
Reduces or stops laying
Calm, consistent routine
Predator attacks, moving, new birds cause stress
Molting
Stops laying during molt
Annual (fall), lasts 8-16 weeks
Normal, feathers regrow
Broodiness
Stops laying to sit on eggs
Varies by breed
Break broody hens or let them hatch
Chapter 5: Processing for Meat
Step
Method
Time
Notes
Withhold feed
12-24 hours before processing
12-24 hours
Empties crop and intestines
Dispatch
Quick cervical dislocation or sharp cone
Seconds
Humane, quick
Bleed
Hang upside down
2-3 minutes
Complete bleed-out
Scald
Dip in 145-150°F water
30-60 seconds
Loosens feathers
Pluck
Pull feathers
5-15 minutes
Hand or mechanical plucker
Eviscerate
Remove internal organs
5-10 minutes
Careful not to rupture intestines
Chill
Ice water bath
1-4 hours
Cool to 40°F quickly
Rest
Refrigerate before cooking
24-48 hours
Allows rigor mortis to pass
Reference Card
Start with dual-purpose breeds (Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks provide both eggs and meat; they are hardy, docile, and productive). 2. Hardware cloth, not chicken wire (chicken wire keeps chickens in but raccoons can reach through it; use 1/2 inch hardware cloth for predator protection). 3. Close the coop every night (most chicken losses happen at night; a closed, secure coop prevents the vast majority of predator attacks). 4. Calcium for strong shells (laying hens need supplemental calcium; provide free-choice oyster shell or crushed eggshells alongside their feed). 5. Light drives egg production (hens need 14+ hours of light to lay consistently; supplement with a light on a timer in winter). 6. Free-range reduces feed costs (chickens that forage for insects and plants eat significantly less commercial feed; pasture access saves money). 7. Process at the right age (dual-purpose birds are best processed at 16-20 weeks for tender meat; older birds are tough but make excellent stock). 8. Start small, learn fast (begin with 4-6 hens; learn their needs, behaviors, and your local predator challenges before scaling up).
