Raising Chicken for Beginners: A Complete Guide to Raise a Successful Backyard Flock

By Lisa H. Gregory

The life cycle of a chicken starts when the egg is formed within the body of a hen. The entire laying process takes about 25 to 26 hours per egg, and once it has been laid it will take approximately 21 days until it hatches into a fully developed chick. Baby chicks shed their down and begin developing their feathers between 3 and 6 weeks of age, while also sporting new deep red combs and wattles. Since the growth rate can vary depending on factors like breed and genetics, talk to your veterinarian if you sense any problem. Normal growth rates show anywhere between 90 to 100 days before you can proudly say you have a fully grown feathery pet. A normal chicken's life expectancy is between 8-10 years, but some make it even further.On the contrary, chickens who are bred for meat have a quite different method of being measured. For them, it's all about being bigger and growing faster to satisfy people's demand for more and more food. This chicken's growth rate is calculated by how long it takes for it to reach market weight, a value which is calculated to be around 56 days. As you can see, "commercial" chickens are bred to be fully developed in about half the time that a regular one would be. The reason for this is because in the past few decades people have become more aware of their health and the demand for light meat has increased tenfold, with certain studies projecting a further 50% increase by 2050.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08D54RCTF
• ISBN13: 9798667229445
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 52 Pages
• Weight: 0.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 5.5" x 8.5"