husbandry of backyard poultry

Question 1

true or false poultry most common birds seen by vets

Answer 1

true

Question 2

taxonomy of poultry

Answer 2

• domestic fowl
• domestic ducks
• turkeys
• geese
• guinea fowl

Question 3

chick

Answer 3

a young chicken

Question 4

pullet

Answer 4

young hen, usually under 6mo (sometimes a hen that hasn’t laid eggs yet)

Question 5

cockerel

Answer 5

young rooster

Question 6

hen

Answer 6

female that has laid eggs

Question 7

rooster/ cock

Answer 7

male over 6 months

Question 8

layer

Answer 8

hen over 20 weeks old that is laying eggs

Question 9

point of lay

Answer 9

pullet that is old enough to lay, but hasn’t yet

Question 10

broiler

Answer 10

meat chicken that has reached slaughter weight (30-60 days)

Question 11

bantam

Answer 11

mini version of recognized breed, true bantam has no counterpart in poultry breeds

Question 12

broody/ clucky

Answer 12

hen that is ready to lay or is sitting on eggs

Question 13

candling

Answer 13

examining an egg, w a bright focal light in a dark room to assess fertility at 9 days

Question 14

poult

Answer 14

young turkey, under 6 mo

Question 15

frizzle

Answer 15

feathers that curl

Question 16

hackles

Answer 16

feathers on neck of rooster

Question 17

comb

Answer 17

red appendage on top of chickens head

Question 18

wattles

Answer 18

fleshy appendages hanging on either side of lower beak in poultry

Question 19

soft feathers

Answer 19

broad and long w dense and abundant fluff, masks body shape

Question 20

hard feathers

Answer 20

moderately narrow, hard, firm, resilient w a minimum of fluff, reveals body shape

Question 21

breeder

Answer 21

produces fertile eggs to be hatched in the hatchery

Question 22

what are considerations in terms of poultry husbandry

Answer 22

• rats and mice
• bird proofing
• predator proofing
• council restrictions

Question 23

stocking density depends on

Answer 23

• breed
• size
• age
• species
• housing type

Question 24

minimum floor area

Answer 24

3m^2 for 6 bantams or 3 large birds

additional birds increase 0.4 m^2 for large bird and 0.3m^2 for small bird

Question 25

how deep should litter be, why? how often turn

Answer 25

10 cm, parasite control, turn over every 1-3 month

Question 26

how many nest boxes

Answer 26

1 every 2-3 chickens

Question 27

how many / how wide perches how far off ground

Answer 27

150 mm per chicken 500 mm above ground

Question 28

what is a chickens preferred habitat

Answer 28

dirt based w low acacia scrub (not out in open w large trees and grass)

Question 29

protein source and role

Answer 29

- animal and vegetable protein - growth, feathering, eggs

Question 30

carbs source and role

Answer 30

- grain - energy

Question 31

fats source and role

Answer 31

- grain - energy and hormones

Question 32

vitamins source and role

Answer 32

- vegetables, fruits, supplements - chemical processes in body

Question 33

minerals source and role

Answer 33

- grit and supplements - bones, egg shells, chemical processes

Question 34

the mineral calcium should be how much of the diet

Answer 34

4-5%

Question 35

starter diet

Answer 35

22% protein hatch- 6weeks

Question 36

grower diet

Answer 36

14-16% protein 6-18 weeks (POL)

Question 37

layer diet

Answer 37

15-18% protein

Question 38

what are the different feed types

Answer 38

- scratch : grain mix, high is fat and carbs, low in protein, like a treat - crumble; suitable for chicks - pellet; suitable for adults - mash; bit of everything, usually for layers

Question 39

what is a legal requirement in terms of kitchen scraps

Answer 39

no animal matter or waste contaminated by animal matter is allowed to be fed to chickens

Question 40

what are the types of shell grit and what is their role

Answer 40

- soluble: oyster shell, calcium supplement, absorbed in body - insoluble; helps grind down food

Question 41

why should one mix grit in with their food

Answer 41

if they gorge on grit they could get a gut blockage

Question 42

around how much should you feed a hen

Answer 42

120-160 g/ hen/ day varies with quality of diet, breed, environment, and status of each bird

Question 43

how much water should they get

Answer 43

500 mls/ bird/ day

Question 44

is there government regulations on the number of household layers

Answer 44

no, but local council restrictions