Although it may start out hard, holding your chickens doesn’t have to cause a fuss. To hold chicks that still have their baby fluff you can hold them in your hands in a cup shape. If your chickens/pullets (pullets are like teen chickens) are growing adult feathers you can put your hands over their wings. If they are full grown you can hold them against your front covering their wings, or you can hold them against your hip and hold their wings with your hand on the same side as the chicken is. For extra support place your other hand under ther legs.

Chicken habitats are very simple. When they are young you will need a large-ish box.[ about 2 X 3 feet] Then you should cover the bottom with shavings or newspaper. You will need a heat lamp to keep them warm.[their little chickie feathers can't keep them warm enough] When they are getting their adult feathers they will be able to fly to about 1.5 feet so make sure your box has edges that are a decent height. When they get to this stage you should get a coop and a run for them to live in. [The coop and run should be kept outside.]

When chickens are older they will need a run and a coop. You should put your chickens in the run/coop when they are about pullets or maybe a little younger. It may seem strange but it is good so that they are used to it. You should do this in the spring or summer so that your chickens aren’t cold. First, to get them used to sleeping in the coop, you should put them in there with food and water for a whole day so that they “ aren’t scared.” Then let them out in the morning. A coop should have space for about 5-6 chickens. Each chicken should have about ½ a foot of space. It is also convenient to have a nesting box so they can lay their eggs in it and so it is easy for you to collect them.

Chickens love to eat many things. When they are young they should eat chick feed. When they are pullets you should mix layer pellets and chick feed. When they are adults you should give them layer pellets and small stones. You are probably thinking” what right there! Stones?” Yes, stones are good for your chickens because they don’t have teeth so they eat rocks. To give your chickens treats you can treat them to table scraps and/or cracked corn. But be carefull!! Cracked corn warms you chickens, so in the summer be wise!!

Chickens will grow and change from a small fluffy chick to a large firm feathered chicken. The chicks will hatch wet but when they dry they will be cute little fluff balls. You can tell that your babies are growing because they will get larger/darker feathers. Then they will become pullets when they have all adult feathers but aren’t full grown. You should be able to if they are roosters or not by now. They will then become hens/roosters when they are full grown.