How to Get Started With Chickens

Adventures in Sustainable Living

Episode 127

As you well know, I am a big fan of being as independent and sustainable as possible. A big part of that is managing my own food supply. But most people would consider that to be well beyond their personal abilities. However, it is actually much easier than you think and I am going to give you one easy way to do just that. So stay tuned for how to get started with chickens.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E127 which is called How to Get Started With Chickens.

With how I grew up in Tennessee and Georgia, I am always surprised just how disconnected people are these days with where their food comes from and that is especially true with their meat. In fact I would venture to say that some people even believe that their meat comes from the supermarket. They cannot even fathom that someone has to raise the animals, provide them with proper care, and in the end process them to where they can end up in front of you at home or on your plate in a restaurant. For most people that tasty chunk of meat with steaming vegetables, a nice garnish, and a side salad are as far removed from the farm as Mars is to the planet Earth.

The only thing that most people see is meat in a clean plastic wrapper on the shelf. Consequently, we are completely disconnected from the source of our food and what it takes to actually get it on our dinner plate. Could this be why we have little appreciation for what we eat?

Furthermore, on a global basis approximately 60% of us live in urban areas. But in the US that is as much as 80%. This even further disconnects us from the natural world. I often wonder if this is why we are so cavalier about wasting a significant portion of our food. We don’t see all the work and effort that goes behind what we purchase. The only thing we see is the price tag.

Now you might think what I am about to say is a bit gross, but I often think about these sorts of things when I am cleaning out our composting toilet. If more people were forced to actually deal with their own waste the world just might be a better place. But the same is true for many other aspects of our lives. If more people had to supply their own water, they would use it more conservatively. If more people actually had to produce their own electricity, they would be much more conscientious about what they consume.

The same is true with meat production. If people had to raise their own animals, provide them with proper care throughout their life span, slaughter them, butcher them, and put them in the freezer until dinner time, people would not only appreciate the effect it takes to do such a thing but also they just might eat a lot less meat. Additionally, I think people would have much more of a tendency to waste a lot less food.

That said, at the very heart of self sufficiency and sustainability is being responsible for everything you choose to do and everything you choose not to do. That includes having some means of control over your food source. But if this is not what you are accustomed to, I have fantastic news. Even if you live in suburbia, doing something simple such as raising your own chickens is one of the easiest steps to take toward self sufficiency. But if you are inexperienced, have no fear. I will show you how easy it is to get started with chickens.

But just in case you did not know, there are several choices for getting started with backyard farms animals. For example, chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, pigs, and goats. However, chickens are commonly the first choice for most people. This is because they are easily available and start up cost is generally low.

Not only are chickens truly fun and amazing animals to raise they also provide a host of benefits to the family. Additionally, raising and producing a certain amount of your own food will help to restore a close connection to where your food actually comes from, the realization of which is too often lost in our modern culture. But if you are not yet satisfied with that explanation, then stay with me and let’s see if I can convince you to give chickens a chance.

Now before we dive into this, I want to just say that in the podcast episode I am simply going to cover some of the major highlights. I will provide a transcript of this episode as always. However, the first part of the transcript will be what I am covering in this episode. If you simply scroll to the bottom of that transcript you will find what will be labeled as Blog Post Transcript. That portion of the transcript will cover a lot more detail about getting started with chickens than what I have time to do in the podcast episode. It will also contain a link to the original blog post in the event that images get distorted, are missing or whatever the case may be. The point here, is that this is a lot of information and I want to give you several points of access so you get the full benefit.

So, that said, let’s dive in by first talking about some good reasons and fantastic benefits for raising your own chickens.

Fresh, organic eggs: Lots of research has been conducted on the health benefits of fresh, organically produced eggs. They have a much greater nutritional value, are loaded with numerous vitamins, and are higher in fatty acids.
Source of fresh meat: Chickens also provide an easy source of fresh meat.
Sustainability: Chickens live an average of 8 years. Consequently, they are a great addition to a sustainable homestead.
Natural pest control: Chickens will eat almost anything.
Natural weed control: Chickens also love to eat fresh greens. They are a great way to control weeds in the garden.
Free fertilizer: Chicken poop makes great fertilizer. Throw it in the compost pile and use it on the garden the following year.
Teaching Your Children Basic Responsibilities: Raising animals and treating them well takes time, dedication, and responsibility. Keeping chickens is a great way to teach your children these basic principles about life.
Reducing your environmental impact: We already know that our agricultural activities result in a significant environmental impact. By producing a certain amount of food at home, you are able to avoid most of this.
Go local: We hear so much these days about going local. Well it doesn’t get more local than your own backyard. Food production at home prevents the environment impact associated with shipping and storing food that is involved with commercial production.
Free entertainment: Chickens rarely get due credit for their great personalities. They are actually very intelligent animals with great memories. They can actually be very funny to watch. If we play music while cleaning the barn, some of our chickens will even dance which is absolutely hysterical.

Tips for Raising Chickens

The next thing I want to discuss is some basic tips and guidelines on raising chickens that I think will help you get started.

Know the Local Laws

First and foremost, you need to know the local laws on keeping backyard farm animals. Even if you live in an urban area, you may be surprised what type of farm animals you are allowed to keep. That said, it is also important to know what is not allowed. For example, you may be allowed to raise chickens but not a rooster. If you are allowed to have chickens, there may be a limit on the number you can keep.

Fortunately, chickens are generally quiet, peaceful animals. The home that I used to own in South Carolina was in an urban area. I had chickens for quite some time before my neighbors even knew they were there.

My best advice, contact your local municipality. I would even contact your local animal control officer since they are the ones that enforce the rules. They can give you some guidance. If you live in a covenant controlled community then you need to check with your home owners association as well. I have some good friends that live relatively close to us and the by-laws of their covenants prohibit them from having chickens. Personally, I think this is ridiculous because it is a mountain community.

Also, if your neighbors are close at hand, talk to them and let them know your plans. It does not make any sense to start unnecessary conflict. I once had to deal with an irate neighbor over a baby chick that turned out to be a rooster. Now this guy was in fact being very unreasonable. But, to keep the peace I had to get rid of the rooster. The take home message here is that if you live in an urban area you must be considerate of your neighbors.

One other thought on this topic. Once our chickens started producing lots of extra eggs, we started sharing eggs with the neighbors. Some of those folks had really large gardens so we would often trade eggs for fresh produce. It was a really nice mutually beneficial arrangement.

Decide Why You Want Chickens

Once you figure out your local laws, next on the list here and just as important is to decide why it is that you even want chickens. Additionally you need to weigh the pros and cons of different types of birds. The reason this is important is because it makes a difference in what type of bird you acquire. For example, if you simply want egg laying hens, purchase birds that pump out lots of eggs. This is also important if you have any aspirations of starting an egg business. Often times, the best egg layers are not necessarily the best meat birds. When they are older the best you are going to get is chicken soup.

Likewise, the birds that have sufficient mature weight for butchering are not always the best egg layers. If your goal is to produce your own meat, then purchase birds that have a mature weight greater than the average egg layer.

There are also dual purpose birds. These guys reach a mature weight in about 20 weeks but are also moderate egg producers. So, if you want both meat and eggs and you are not trying to start an egg business, then go this route.

If your desire is to hatch your own chicks to grow your flock, then be sure to have birds that are good brooders. This means they will actually sit on the eggs until they hatch.

In the transcript of this episode I have provided a short list of the best eggs layers, best meat production birds, as well as the best dual purpose birds. So, be sure to check that out for some quick guidance. This list is by no means complete. But it is a good place to start.

Before making you final decision on what birds to start with it is just as important to purchase birds that are appropriate for your geographical region. Mostly this has to do heat and cold tolerance. Additionally you will have to consider your elevation. I point this out only because I live at 10,000 feet and have learned the hard way that heavy bodied birds DO NOT tolerant high elevation. If your chickens are not tolerate of your particular environment they will fail to thrive, potentially develop congestive heart failure, and at the very least have a diminished life span.

Also, if you are new to raising chickens, it is easier to initially stick with one plan such as egg layers or meat birds. Start small. As you gain more experience then increase the size of your flock, add different breeds, and try raising meat birds.

I would encourage you to visit the website of a major hatchery. They have loads of information on the different breeds of chickens. Most websites have statistics on egg production, heat and cold tolerance, mature body weight, etc. This will provide you with all the information you need to make a decision on the right breed of chicken. The hatchery that I use most frequently is Murray McMurray. They have a lot of great information on their birds and it will help you to decide on what breed is best for your particular goals. There is a lot of good information out there so take advantage of those resources to help guide your decision.

Basic Chicken Husbandry

Build or Purchase Proper Housing

Proper housing and suitable space for each chicken is key to preventing numerous husbandry problems. Cramped living space can cause stress and disease. Additionally, it can cause pecking, cannibalism, unnecessary competitive behavior and even death.

Housing will be somewhat dependent on the goals of your chicken operation, local climate conditions, and how many birds you decide to purchase. Different types of chickens have different mature body weights. Bantams, which are smaller birds, need less space than a Jersey Giant.

But before choosing your housing, it is also important to decide on the location. Place the coup in a convenient location with easy access. Location may also depend on whether or not you need running water and electricity in the coup.

At any rate, housing needs to provide protection from inclement weather, proper ventilation, heating or cooling as needed, nest boxes, perches, and protection from predators. Additionally, there should be room for waterers and feeders in the event your birds spend a lot of time indoors in the winter.

At an absolute minimum, coup space must be 2 to 3 square feet per chicken. Yard space or outdoor run space must be 8 to 10 square feet per chicken. Free range space should be 250 to 300 square feet per bird.

When most people first start to raise chickens, they under estimate the space requirements. People tend to err on the side of too many birds. I would encourage you to first determine the space that you have, then decide on how many birds you can acquire. I would also encourage you to leave yourself some flexibility. For many reasons you may decide at a later time to add more chickens to your flock.

The bottom line with housing, the more square footage you can allow the better. It is better to have fewer birds that are happy and healthy than to end up dealing with illnesses related to over crowding and poor husbandry. If you are going to raise chickens, keep them happy.

I would also advise that you set a realistic budget for yourself. The less expensive route is to look at various coups and build something yourself. You can also purchase kits and assemble them at home. Just be aware that if you purchase a pre-made coup you are going to pay top dollar. Take your time, plan ahead, and save yourself some money. After all, this is supposed to be a self sustaining project.

Appropriate Bedding

Bedding for the chickens serves multiple purposes. In planning proper housing to raise chickens, it is just as important to consider the proper bedding. Bedding serves as a place of comfort for chickens to rest and lay eggs. It also provides a method of absorption and odor control. When choosing the type of bedding to use, ease of cleaning needs to also be considered. A dirty, humid coup serves as an excellent breeding ground for parasites and disease. Use of the proper bedding keeps chickens clean, healthy, and odor free. If you use a type of bedding that is easy to clean up you will be encouraged to clean more frequently.

There are several choices in the type of bedding to use to raise chickens. Each type has its pros and cons. Here are a few things to consider.

Generally your choices are straw and hay, wood shavings, saw dust, sand, grass clippings, recycled paper, as well as other materials. Again, each of these has their pros and cons. I go over this in detail in the transcript so be sure to check it out.

Whatever type of bedding you decide to use, you will save yourself time and money by using a dropping board or tray in your coup. This is simply placed under the roosting area in the coup. Chickens produce most of their droppings while roosting at night. These droppings are caught on the dropping board or tray which makes it super easy to transfer this to the compost area. Doing this will also reduce the amount of waste that ends up on floor of the coup. Consequently, you will save yourself some time and money when is comes to clean up.

I purchased inexpensive cement mixing trays at a local hardware outlet. These things are like a giant litter pan. They are very durable and can easily be sanitized which makes barn clean up easy and fast.

Fresh Water Source

Fresh water daily is an absolute must. If you are an urban homesteader then this may not be an issue. Either run a hose to the coup or fill the waterers and carry them to the chicken coup. If you are in a rural location and the chicken coup is some distance from the house, you may have to carry 5 gallon buckets.

On the other hand, if you are off grid you may have to be a little creative. For example, my chicken barn is about 75 yards from the cabin. I have a 75 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank fitted with a water faucet. I can easily fill the chicken waterers at the barn and I do not have to carry five gallon buckets.

As a general rule, three to four chickens will consume about 1 quart of water per day. So that will give you an idea of how many waterers you need based on your number of chickens.

Keep in mind that if you have a waterer that needs to sit on a flat surface, it needs to truly be level. Otherwise it will leak out the side. Also, waterers that are closer to the ground get soiled much easier. Personally, I prefer hanging the waterers. They have a tendency to stay cleaner, stay level, and it is easy to adjust the height as the birds mature.

It is also a good idea to have multiple waterers so that the less dominant birds have easy access without competition.

If you are housing birds throughout the colder months of the year, you will need to use a heated waterer. Otherwise, the water will have to be changed on a regular basis due to freezing.

Vaccinations, Medicated Feed and Proper Nutrition

If you are just starting out, feed a balanced commercial ration that is species specific. Protein and nutrient requirements vary depending on the type and age of bird. For example, chickens, turkeys, and ducks all have different nutritional requirements. Keep in mind that it is much more difficult to make a “homemade” diet for any animal. Consequently, in the beginning I would stick to commercially prepared feed.

There are a variety of factors that are going to affect the amount of feed consumption per bird. Weather, ambient temperature, and access to other food sources such as pasture, as well as worms and insects from free ranging. Free ranging will ultimately reduce your feed cost. It also provides a lot of variety in their diet which tends to result in a higher quality egg.

Baby chicks need to be started on a proper grower feed. There are approximately 38 nutrients that they need every day as well as probiotics and prebiotics. Starter-grower feed needs to start at day one and continue through week 18 or when the first egg arrives. Medicated versus non-medicated feed depends on the vaccine status of the chicks.

As a practicing veterinarian I have repeatedly seen animals die from preventable infectious diseases. I am sure you have heard the old saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Numerous clients that I’ve dealt with in my career have spent thousands of dollars treating a disease that could have been prevented with a $15 vaccine.

That being said, in the transcript for this episode I explain the pros and cons of vaccinating chickens versus the use of medicated feed. I also discuss some of the more common diseases. So, read this for further information and after that it is up to you to make your own decision.

Feeders and Feed Buckets

Chicken feeders are very inexpensive. The size of the feeder is going to depend on the mature weight of the bird and the number of birds. New born chicks need smaller feeders relative to pullets and mature birds. The number of feeders you have depends on the size of the flock. Review the feed consumption rate above compared to the volume of the feeder and this will give you a good estimation of what you need.

Proper feed storage

It is imperative to keep feed clean and dry. Damp feed promotes the grow of mold which can potentially be toxic to chickens. Insect invasion can potentially ruin the feed and result of losses. Also, keeping feed secure can prevent loss due to rodents, squirrels, deer, bear, and wild birds.

Five gallon plastic buckets with lids make great, inexpensive feed storage. These can easily be purchased at your local chain hardware store. If you prefer to use food grade buckets, visit the bakery in your local supermarket. They typically have a large supply of food grade buckets that you can get for free.

Grit

In general chickens need grit in order to grind up food for digestion. Natural grit consists of fine sand, small pebbles, or similar hard objects that chickens consume naturally by pecking on the ground. The grit accumulates in the gizzard which is a strong muscular organ used to grind food. Over time, even the grit in the gizzard gets ground up and needs to be replaced.

There is some debate as to whether or not chickens need grit supplemented in their diet. Birds that are confined and fed only crumbles and pellets do not really need grit. Their saliva is enough to soften the food for digestion. Confined birds can even be fed grains and will manage without grit. Chickens that are allowed to forage naturally pick up grit from the environment to help grind up any fibrous plant material they consume. So, make a choice on supplementation based on how your chickens live.

Calcium (Ca) Supplementation

Ca supplementation is important for birds that are near or at egg laying age. The Ca is needed for them to form strong egg shells. There are several options for supplementing Ca.

Recycled egg shells are a great way to feed back the Ca. Once the egg yolk is used, rinse the interior portion of the shell and allow it to dry for several days. Crush the egg shells in any manner you wish but make certain the particles are small enough that the chickens will not recognize it as an “egg”. If chickens recognize the egg shell they may start eating freshly laid eggs because it is a tasty snack.

Commercially prepared crushed oyster shell is an excellent choice for Ca supplementation. Plan on about 1 pound of oyster shell per 100 pounds of feed.

Commercially prepared layer ration is the best way to supplement Ca. Egg laying birds that are fed a layer ration free choice have no need for additional Ca supplementation.

When Not to Supplement Calcium (Ca)

Too much Ca can be toxic. Over supplementation can lead to renal (kidney) failure, cause growth disorders, and interfere with bone development. As stated above, Ca should not be supplemented for roosters, growing chicks, or older chickens that have little to no egg production.

Dust Bath

Most people would never think that some animals have to get dirty in order to stay clean. There are numerous animals that do this including elephants, horses, pigs, numerous types of birds, as well as chickens. When an animal takes a dust bath it is their version of a shower.

For chickens the dust bath serves several purposes. It helps to remove excess dirt and oil and it helps to control external parasites such as lice and mites. It also helps their feathers to maintain water resistance.

Chickens naturally scratch around in the dirt. While doing so, they will also hallow out a small depression for dust bathing. They crouch in the small depression, wiggle around, flap their wings, lay and roll around creating a big cloud of dust. And sometimes they lay in their dust bath to take a nap in the sun. It is really entertaining to watch.

Chickens that free range, or have a large outdoor fenced area, will find any area with loose dirt and make their own dust bath bowl. But if your chickens are confined to a coup or they have mostly grassy areas, you will need to provide a dust bath.

Choose a dry area is a nice sunny spot. You can provide a large box of dust bath material made out of lumber or use an old plastic bin. But the dust bath area can simply be surrounded by logs, blocks of wood, fencing, or pretty much anything.

Bust bath ingredients can be a combination of dry loose dirt, wood ash, sand, and food grade diatomaceous Earth. You can also add herbs if you wish.

Brooder

A brooder is used to raise small chicks. This is where you can get a little creative. Brooders can be made of almost anything. A small wooden box, livestock water container, livestock feed containers, pet carriers, dog kennels, or any other enclosed container of your choice.

Whatever you choose, keep in mind that there must be adequate ventilation and the brooder must be enclosed to help with heat retention and to prevent escape. There must be adequate room depending on the number of chicks. Space is also needed for feeders and waterers.

There must also be room for a supplemental heating source. The type of heat source depends on the size of the brooder and the number of chicks. The brooder must be large enough to allow the chicks to warm themselves and move away as needed in order to cool off. It also is very beneficial to set up the brooder in a room that is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat Lamps versus Radiant Heating Plates

Baby chicks need supplemental heat for the first 4 to 6 weeks of life. That being said, a mother hen does not sit on the chicks 24/7 for 4 to 6 weeks. So, to a certain degree you need to think like a mother hen.

There are several options for providing supplemental heat for chicks:

Keep them in a warm room: You can simply place the brooder in a warm room and keep the room temperature around 70 degrees.

Use a heating lamp: Heating lamps are 250 watts. They get very hot very quickly. This is the type of supplemental heat that most people think about. They are certainly easily available but must be used with caution.

Obviously these lamps are high wattage and consume a lot of electricity. They are also a fire hazard. Placing a heating lamp in close proximity with flammable bedding is not a good idea.

At one time, I was very fortunate that my barn did not catch fire due to an accident with a heating lamp. Now I joke about how my chickens tried to commit suicide. Ha!! But I was using a heat lamp in the barn for supplemental heat for some younger birds. Apparently one of the birds knocked the heat lamp to the floor. The lamp burned a hole completely through the floor of the barn. Fortunately the excess heat shorted out the bulb and the electricity turned off and nothing happened. I simply had to patch the barn floor. That was the last time I every used a heating lamp.

Radiant heating plate: Personally I think this is the best option. These heating plates vary in size depending on the number of chicks. They have adjustable height and are low wattage, which is perfect if you live off grid and produce all of your own electricity. In addition to that, you greatly reduce the danger of fire relative to a heat lamp.

Summary

Now, I know this likely sounds like a lot of information. But, if you want to get started with chickens it is truly much easier than you think. Just follow the guidelines I give you here and you will be well on your way.

I wound strongly encourage you to download the transcript of this episode. It contains a lot more information. Additionally, I discuss a little bit about some of my own mistakes, I give you a check list for getting started, and I talk about the most frequently asked questions. So please take advantage of that resource.

Well folks, I know this has been a bit of a longer episode. But I also hope it encourages you to take the first step toward producing some of your own food. After all, managing your own food supply is one of the best ways to be self sufficient and sustainable because in many ways you are the one that is in control.

Well, I think that is about it for this week. I truly hope you will join me again next week for another informative episode. Until then, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.

Patrick

How to Get Started with Chickens

Not only are chickens truly fun and amazing animals to raise they also provide a host of benefits to the family. The obvious benefits are fresh eggs and meat. Additionally, they provide manure for fertilizing the garden, loads of entertainment, as well as companionship. Raising you own food source will also restore a close connection to your food supply, the realization of which is often lost in our modern culture. But, if you are new at this, then this post will help you to get started with chickens.

Having grown up with two working farms in my family, raising and processing our own food was a way of life. In fact, I never really gave it much thought. I figured this was what everyone did. It was not until I was in my teenage years that I realized it was actually more common for people to purchase their meat and other staple items from a supermarket. In fact in our modern culture, people think their meat comes from the supermarket, not the farm. Consequently, it never occurs to most people to raise their own meat and they never think much about how to get started with chickens.

Most people these days are completely separated from where their food actually comes from. That said, at the very heart of self sufficiency is having some means of control over your food source. If this is not what you are accustomed to, then I have good news. Even if you live in suburbia, raising chickens is one of the easiest steps to take toward self sufficiency. But if you are inexperienced, have no fear. I will show you how easy it is to get started with chickens.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) REASONS TO RAISE CHICKENS

2) REASONS TO USE THIS GUIDE TO GET STARTED WITH CHICKENS

3) KNOW THE LOCAL LAWS

4) DECIDE WHY YOU WANT CHICKENS

5) BUILD OR PURCHASE PROPER HOUSING

6) APPROPRIATE BEDDING

7) VALUABLE TIPS FOR BEDDING

8) FRESH WATER SOURCE

9) VACCINATIONS, MEDICATED FEED AND PROPER NUTRITION

10) FEEDERS AND FEED BUCKETS

11) GRIT

12) CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION

13) DUST BATH

14) BROODER

15) HEAT LAMPS VERSUS RADIANT HEATING PLATE

16) TYPICAL CHICKEN CHORES

17) CHECKLIST FOR CHICKS

18) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

19) SUSTAINABLE FLOCK AND SELF SUFFICIENCY

20) MY MISTAKES RAISING CHICKENS AT THE CABIN

21) FINAL COMMENTS

22) RELATED POSTS OF INTEREST

Reasons to Raise Chickens

Fresh, organic eggs: Lots of research has been conducted on the health benefits of fresh, organically produced eggs. They have a much greater nutritional value, are loaded with numerous vitamins, and are higher in fatty acids.
Source of fresh meat: Chickens also provide an easy source of fresh meat. Depending on the type of bird you purchase, meats birds mature anywhere from 14 to 20 weeks.
Sustainability: Chickens live an average of 8 years. Consequently, they are a great addition to a sustainable homestead.
Natural pest control: Chickens will eat almost anything. They love fresh insects and will help keep them under control. This is also helpful if you have a garden.
Natural weed control: Chickens also love to eat fresh greens. They are a great way to control weeds in the garden.
Free fertilizer: Chicken poop makes great fertilizer. Throw it in the compost pile and use it on the garden the following year.
Teaching Your Children Basic Responsibilities: Raising animals and treating them well takes time, dedication, and responsibility. Keeping chickens is a great way to teach your children these basic principles about life.
Free entertainment: Chickens rarely get due credit for their great personalities. They are actually very intelligent animals with great memories. They can actually be very funny to watch. If we play music while cleaning the barn, some of our chickens will even dance.

Reasons to Use This Guide to Get Started with Chickens

There is an old proverb that states “When planning a trip, never take advice from someone that has never left home.” In my opinion, it is always best to learn a new skill from an experienced person. It is even better to learn things from an expert.

For most of my life I have raised various animals for food. In addition to that, I’ve been a practicing veterinarian for over 25 years. Not only do I know animal husbandry, but I am also familiar with the medical aspects of raising my own animals. I’ve also spent many years dealing with client owned animals. Based on that, I think I can provide you with a definitive guide on raising chickens.

If you closely follow the steps in this guide, you will be well on your way to having your own chickens. That said, let’s take a closer look at the steps involved in raising chickens.

1) Know the Local Laws

First and foremost, know the local laws on keeping backyard farm animals. Even if you live in an urban area, you may be surprised what type of farm animals you are allowed to keep. That said, it is also important to know what is not allowed. For example, you may be allowed to raise chickens but not a rooster. If you are allowed to have chickens, there may be a limit on the number you can keep.

Fortunately, chickens are generally quiet, peaceful animals. When I had chickens while living in an urban area, my neighbors never knew they were there.

My best advice, contact your local municipality. I would even contact your local animal control officer since they are the ones that enforce the rules. They can give you some guidance. Also, if your neighbors are close at hand, talk to them and let them know your plans. It does not make any sense to start unnecessary conflict.

Just a quick word from my personal experience. On one particular occasions, I ordered some chickens from a hatchery that I commonly use. This particular hatchery gives you a “mystery” chick if you order enough birds. Months later my mystery chick started crowing. Where I was living at the time it was illegal to have a rooster in the city limits. I spoke with all of my neighbors one of which was an animal control officer. No one had any issues except for one neighbor. He was literally irate that I had a rooster. So, I found another home for the rooster which happened to be a farm. All ended well.

2) Decide Why You Want Chickens

At first you need to decide why you really want chickens and you need to weigh the pros and cons. This is important because it makes a difference in what type of bird you acquire. For example, if you simply want egg laying hens, purchase birds that pump out lots of eggs. This is also important if you have and aspirations of staring an egg business. Often times, the best egg layers are also not the best meat birds. When they are older the best you are going to get is chicken soup.

If your desire is to hatch your own chicks to grow your flock, then be sure to have birds that are good brooders. This means they will actually sit on the eggs until they hatch.

Here is a list of different types of chickens to give you some ideas. This list is by no means complete. But it is a good place to start.

Best Egg Layers

Australorp breeds
Rhode Island Red
Sussex breeds
Leghorns
Plymouth Rock breeds
Marans
Buff Orpingtons
Ameraucana breeds
Barnevelder

Best Meat Production Birds

Cornish cross
Jersey Giant
Freedom Rangers
Bresse
Orpingtons
Brown Leghorns

Best Dual Purpose Birds

Rhode Island Red
Buff Orpington
Plymouth Rock
Australorps
Wyandotte

Before making you final decision on what birds to purchase, it is just as important to purchase birds that are appropriate for your geographical region. Mostly this has to do heat and cold tolerance. Additionally you have to consider your elevation. I point this out only because I live at 10,000 feet and have learned the hard way that heavy bodied birds DO NOT tolerant high elevation. If your chickens are not tolerate of your particular environment they will fail to thrive, potentially develop congestive heart failure, and at the very least have a diminished life span.

If you are new to raising chickens, it is easier to stick with one plan such as egg layers or meat birds. Start small. As you gain more experience then increase the size of your flock, add different breeds, and try raising meat birds.

How to Get Started With Chickens

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