So you’re thinking about keeping chickens…

Raising chickens has become increasingly popular in the past few years. Chickens are easy to care for, have fun personalities, and of course provide wonderful fresh eggs that are far superior to those you find in the grocery.

Starting a flock is relatively simple. You will need a coop, a feeder, a water container, some bedding, feed, and of course, some chickens! This article will give you a brief overview of what to consider when deciding if you want to raise chickens, and plenty of links to great resources to help you along the way.

Housing

The type of coop you choose will depend on where you live. In rural areas, roomy coops with large runs are no problem, but if you are a budding coop-keeper in a residential area, space will be a bigger concern.

There are stationary coops with enclosed runs, as well as “chicken tractors.” While a stationary coop obviously remains in one spot, a chicken tractor can be moved about, allowing chickens to forage for bugs and fertilize your yard, while keeping the birds enclosed and safe from predators. The City Chicken put together a great gallery of chicken tractors, with over 150 different styles.

Chicken coops vary from simple utilitarian designs to elaborate structures that look like little castles. Country Living has a great article about chicken coop designs. One of the most important things to keep in mind is adequate space and ventilation. You will need 2-3 square feet for every bird inside your hen house, and another 4-5 sq feet in their run. If you live in a rural area, you can let your chickens free range, but expect an occasional casualty from hawks, foxes, or even a neighboring dog. If you are raising chickens in a residential area, you’ll want to be sure they are secure at all times. Also consider how many nesting boxes and roosts you’ll need – both are important elements of keeping your avian friends happy and healthy.

Choosing your birds

Like any other domestic animal, different breeds of chickens have different characteristics. White Leghorns are prolific egg producers and have quirky, fun personalities. Buff Orpintons are another heritage breed known for their sweet personalities, and are dependable layers. Some people claim Plymouth Barred Rocks are aggressive, while others say they are docile. In reality, a great deal about a chicken’s personality depends on how much they are handled when they are young.

Another consideration for many people when choosing their birds is egg color. White Leghorns lay white eggs, as do Andalusians and Anconas. If you prefer brown eggs, consider Australorps, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, or Buff Orpingtons. Ameraucanas and Auracanas lay beautiful blue to green shades of eggs, and Easter Eggers also produce a rainbow of shell colors. These breeds are some of the hardier birds to start out with, but there are numerous varieties of birds to choose from.

The next decision is whether to raise chicks or to get older birds. If raising chicks seems daunting, or if you want hens that will produce eggs sooner, contact a local poultry farmer and inquire about purchasing juvenile birds that are four to five months old. Be prepared to pay substantially more for these birds. Chicks can be purchased in the springtime at local feed stores, Tractor Supply, or even from an online hatchery like Murray McMurray. Either way, be sure you understand ahead of time what you are buying. A “straight run” includes males and females, while ordering pullets means you will get all hens – at least in theory. Now and then a rooster slips by!

If you are raising chicks, you’ll need a few more items, like a brooder box and a heat lamp. Your chicks will need to be kept in a warm, draft-free environment until they “feather out” and are old enough to go outside. The Backyard Chickens website is a priceless resource, and includes forums where you can learn just about anything about chicks and chickens. Check out their article on how to raise baby chicks. The article even talks about incubating eggs, which is a terrific activity if you have children or grandchildren. Fertilized eggs can be mail ordered from online hatcheries, or contact your feedstore. There are many online tutorials for building incubators, including this video how-to.

Feeding

When chicks are first hatched, they need 20% protein in their diets. Commercial feeds like MannaPro Chick Starter provide them with a balanced diet and adequate nutrition. You have a choice of feeding medicated or non-medicated granules to your babies. If you choose non-medicated, you have to be on the lookout for coccidiosis. The medication is not necessary if you keep the brooder box very clean and dry, or if your chicks have been vaccinated for coccidiosis.

Switch to a grower feed at 8 weeks, such as Purina’s Flockraiser. Grower feed has just a bit less protein than starter feed. When your chickens reach an age of 18 – 20 weeks, you can start them on a layer feed, such as Layena. Some people also provide oyster shells as a source of calcium. This is not recommended if you have roosters. Then of course, there’s “chicken scratch.” The Chicken Chick calls scratch feed “chicken candy” and doesn’t recommend giving it to chickens at all! Free range chickens will get additional nutrients by foraging for bugs and weeds, but you may find your hens laying eggs in hidden nests around your property.

Chickens do not overeat. You can feed them twice a day, or you can leave a large feeder out so the birds can “free feed” as they please. Free feeding eliminates the inevitable feeding frenzy when you walk into the coop with feed. Having a voracious flock of birds rushing towards your bucket  can be frightening, especially for children.

Resources

If you decide to keep chickens as a new hobby, we suggest Backyard Chickens and The Chicken Chick as two great resources. To learn more about breeds, you can also look at the Murray McMurray hatchery. Let us know in the comment section below which breeds you prefer, good suppliers or hatcheries you have found, or experiences you’ve had raising your chickens. We look forward to hearing from you!