How to Take Care of Chicken Hens

Hens, when fully mature, lay about one to two eggs per day. Four hens will provide a family with two dozen eggs every week. Hens start laying at 20 weeks old and gradually reduce the amount of eggs produced until they are 4 or 5 years old. In order to have productive hens, it is necessary to give them a secure place to live that does not allow access for rodents and other animals. Hens also need food, water, laying boxes, light and heat in the winter.

Things You'll Need

  • Chicken feed
  • Airtight container
  • Chicken feeder
  • Water
  • Water pans
  • Bleach
  • Nylon scrubber
  • Nesting material
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Instructions

    • 1

      Feed chickens every day to ensure egg production and to keep the birds healthy. Store feed in an airtight container to ensure freshness and to prevent rodents from gaining access to it. Pour 2 to 3 linear inches into a feeder situated off the ground at the mid-breast point of the chicken. This keeps feed free of moisture. Clean the feeder once a week to prevent food from getting moldy.

    • 2

      Clean water containers well and place fresh water in them daily. Good water containers are 4-inch deep open pans high enough for the chicken to drink from, but not get into. When the temperature is over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, hens drink more and need more water. Solve the problem by providing two or more pans. Clean the pans once a week clean with 1 tbsp. bleach mixed in 1 gallon of water.

    • 3

      Collect eggs two times a day. Hens usually lay in the morning and it is best to gather them quickly before the eggs get broken or dirty. Wash dirty eggs in warm water using a nylon scrubber, then rinse them under running water. If eggs are not collected, the hen will stop laying because she will want to brood to produce chicks.

    • 4

      Check the nesting boxes every day for cleanliness and for adequate amounts of litter. If they are dirty, clean them and replace litter or nesting material with 2 to 8 inches of clean material. Use 2 to 3 inches of sawdust or wood shavings and 6 to 8 inches of hay or straw. Nesting material or litter keeps the hen's legs and feet clean and provides cushion for the eggs. Clean boxes result in clean eggs.