Thinking about starting your own backyard flock this year? Raising chickens is a fun hobby that gives you fresh eggs every single morning. It might feel a bit scary at first, but keeping birds is easier than you think. You just need a solid plan and some basic supplies before you bring your first chicks home.
Before you buy any birds, check your local town rules. Some cities do not allow roosters because they make too much noise. Other places limit how many hens you can own in your yard. Call your local city office to make sure you stay out of trouble with the law. Once you get the green light, you can start building your setup.
Choose the Right Chicken Coop
Your chickens need a safe house to sleep in at night. A good coop keeps out cold wind, rain, and hungry neighborhood cats. You should give each bird about four square feet of space inside the coop. If your chickens feel cramped, they might start fighting or stop laying eggs.
Every good coop needs nesting boxes and wooden bars for sleeping. Plan for one nesting box for every three or four hens. You also want to raise the coop a few feet off the ground. This stops rats and mice from hiding underneath the floorboards.
Feed and Water Basics
Feeding your flock is simple once you learn their age stages. Baby chicks need special food called starter feed for the first two months. Older hens need layer feed with extra calcium to make hard eggshells. You can also give them kitchen scraps like old lettuce and leftover rice.
Clean water matters more than anything else. Chickens drink a lot of water every day to stay healthy. Check their water bowl twice a day during the hot summer months. If you want to learn more about setting up your yard, check out this guide on How to Start Keeping Backyard Chickens for extra tips.
Keep Predators Away
Predators are the number one problem for backyard chicken keepers. Foxes, raccoons, and hawks love to eat fresh poultry. Chicken wire is not strong enough to stop a hungry raccoon. You must use hardware cloth instead of cheap wire mesh on your run.
Lock your birds inside the coop every single night without fail. Raccoons and foxes hunt mostly after dark when the sun goes down. A good lock on the coop door saves your flock from disaster. You can also read more about home projects on our homepage to find other fun outdoor ideas.
Raising backyard birds brings a lot of joy to your daily routine. Take it one step at a time and ask local farmers for help if you get stuck. Your new feathered friends will reward you with fresh eggs and funny moments all year long.
Daily Chicken Care Steps
Taking care of your new flock only takes about fifteen minutes of your time every day. You can follow three easy steps. First, open the coop door at seven in the morning to let your birds run around. Second, fill their water bucket with fresh water and throw a scoop of grain on the ground. Third, check the nesting boxes at four in the afternoon to collect your fresh eggs. Lock the door tight as soon as the sun sets to keep them safe from harm.
How to Handle Your Eggs
A young hen will start laying eggs when she is about twenty weeks old. You can expect about five or six eggs from each healthy hen every single week. When you gather the eggs, do not wash them with water right away. Eggs have a special invisible shield on the shell called a bloom. This natural shield keeps germs out of the egg. It allows you to store your eggs on your kitchen counter for up to two weeks without a fridge.