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What to do everyday:
- Give fresh water. Chickens should have fresh water available at all times.
- Check feeders to make sure they are full. If letting your chickens roam around in a large yard or pasture (free range chickens) then only a handfull of feed twice a day is usually needed. Free range chickens eat much less than chickens cooped up in a small space.
- Check for injuries and do a headcount. Be sure to know if a predator is getting your chickens as early as possible so you can prevent this problem.
- Collect eggs at least once a day. If your chickens tend to eat their eggs (like some of my chickens) then collect eggs several times a day.
What do do every month:
- Change the bedding in the coop or if your chickens tend to remove it themselves, add more bedding. This may be needed more than once a month in cooler weather. Chickens tend to lay more eggs if there is fresh straw (bedding) in their nest boxes.
- Sanitize water bowls (or whatever you use for water) and feeders unless you put the feed directly on the ground.
What to do when changing seasons:
- Keep water from freezing. Use a heated water bowl if needed.
- If the combs of the chickens get frostbite and parts of them fall off, then your chickens are too cold. Insulate the coop or use a heat lamp during the coldest times of the year.
- Keep your chickens from getting too hot in the summer months by providing some kind of shade mid day.
- Once a year check the coop and make repairs to keep the birds from getting injured, to keep the chickens in and the predators out.
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