Rearing Chicks, Ducks or even a Gosling or two

Regular followers of our social media pages will have seen the various new arrivals that have joined our family, what with the coming of Spring here at Flyte so Fancy in Dorset. Whether it was Theobold III the duckling, our little clutch of Hamburg chicks or our cute gosling (cruelly named The Ugly Duckling by the gardener) every year we have some new additions to our chicken paddock.

At FSF, the bosses have been rearing chickens for longer than I've been alive, which is why when they started Flyte so Fancy, Phill designed a Broody Coop that had everything he's ever wanted from a house designed for the raising of chicks. With large back door pull out access and a roof that lifts up, access into the coop to get at your hens and chicks, makes for easy cleaning and speaking from experience it is really easy to take pictures of your cute chicks as they wander around the safety of the house. The great extra to the Broody Coop is the one metre (or two metre if you want that option) run that is built into the structure of the house. This means your chicks can get some exercise, doing endless circuits of the house, as mother hen watches on.

The rearing of chicks is a relatively simple process nowadays, with feeders and drinkers designed for the smallest of chicks or ducklings and baby chick crumb easily available, your young ones will grow safely and securely till they are old enough for mother hen to be taken away (usually around four weeks old). Once our miniature flocks reach eight weeks old (roughly) we move them to a larger chicken house. There is often much debate over whether chicks should be given perches, we usually say as long as they are at least 5cm wide, to avoid damaged breast bones, this should not be a problem. At this time the chicks will need to be in a house where they can take shelter if they need too, however if it is an adult house make sure that the nest boxes are blocked off, for once they start roosting in a nest box it can be a difficult habit to break.

Young chicks, ducklings or goslings should be kept under a close watch at all times during their rearing period, but from the numerous photo opportunities that arise from them doing something cute or hilarious they can also be a real joy and a thoroughly satisfying investment of your time. Just ask Theobold II (Theobold III dad for obvious reasons) as he glides majestically back and forth across our pond: it might take a little work but rearing your own chickens or ducks, guinea fowl or quail, geese or even a turkey can make a flock very much a part of the family.


James
Flyte so Fancy