With the current uncertainty of both egg prices and availability, it’s not hard to take the leap of logic and wonder if you can keep your own backyard chickens. In a word, yes! Chickens are among the easiest livestock to raise, and the rewards are amazing.
But if you’re wondering how to start raising backyard chickens, there are a few things to consider before you head to the feed store for those cute little baby chicks.
1. Check local zoning laws.
Before getting your flock, make sure you prepare ahead of time. For suburbanites, this includes researching your city’s zoning laws to see if chickens are allowed. (Many cities allow up to a certain number of hens, but rarely permit roosters for obvious reasons.)
2. Choose a coop that will fit your flocks’ needs.
Once you determine your local ordinances, you’ll need to make sure your ladies have a safe and secure location, both to keep them from wandering where they shouldn’t go, and to protect them from ground and aerial predators. Even urban areas are chock-full of dangers, including cats, dogs, hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and opossums, all of which can wreak havoc on your hens.
The main protective component for chickens is a strong coop. The coop is where your chickens will feel safe throughout the night, where they will retreat if the weather gets bad, and where they will (hopefully) lay their eggs.
How much space do chickens need? Obviously this depends to some extent on the breed (giant breeds require more room than banties). In theory, chickens are fine with about one square foot per bird; however I believe these guidelines are unnecessarily cramped. Whenever possible, opt for more space than you think your ladies will need.
As a rule of thumb, I would recommend a more generous two or even three (for heavier breeds) square feet per bird. One of the reasons – besides humaneness – to opt for generous space is chickens may start picking on each other if they’re too confined.
3. “Two is better than one” (in this case, three, four, five…)
Keep in mind chickens are social animals. A minimum of three birds is recommended; six is better.
4. Make sure you have the necessary equipment.
Aside from housing, equipment for a small flock of chickens depends on age.
- With very young chicks, a heat source is necessary (heat lamp or even a hot-water bottle), feeder, and waterer.
- During growth stage (feathered out but not yet laying), chickens simply need feeders and waterers.
- During the mature laying stage of life, hens appreciate proper roosts and nest boxes in addition to feeders and waterers. As a rule of thumb, provide one nest box for every four laying hens.
A large shallow box filled with a blend of ashes and food-grade diatomaceous earth provides the birds with a place to take dust baths, essential for controlling external parasites.
Chickens of all ages do best in clean facilities. This means plugging drafts, keeping their feet dry, not allowing droppings to build up, and other sensible precautions.
5. Raising your own flock will bring you more than fresh eggs.
The benefits of backyard chickens are immeasurable and go well beyond farm-fresh eggs.
Chickens make lively pets. When hand-raised, they are affectionate and gentle. Children, in particular, benefit from caring for these delightful creatures, but even adults (ahem – guilty!) enjoy sitting on a chair in the evenings and just hanging out with the ladies.
Chickens are excellent recyclers of food scraps and kitchen waste. They are surprisingly omnivorous and will eat just about anything, including meat (make sure it’s chopped fine). However to ensure healthy birds and strong eggs, make sure to give proper feed and just use kitchen scraps as a treat, not as their entire diet.
Chicken droppings can be composted and used as fertilizer. Since the manure is considered “hot” (rich in nitrogen), it must be composted before being used in the garden, otherwise it will burn plants. But composted chicken droppings make superb compost.
Chickens provide weed and pest control. They will happily gobble insects, worms, and other “biota.” Keep in mind they will instinctively scratch the ground searching for goodies, and while this practice helps keep the weeds down, it can also damage delicate garden plants.
And, of course, backyard chickens provide fresh, organic eggs. Studies have shown eggs from free-range birds are more nutritious than industry-sourced eggs, containing twice as much vitamin E and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, after tasting the eggs from your own backyard flock, you’ll never go back to store-bought ones.
If you have the ability, join millions of others who have benefited from a flock of backyard chickens. You won’t regret it.
