Clucking Good Times: A Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Chicken Keeping
When my husband and I decided to purchase our first home in Aberdeen, one of the first things on our to-do list was to build a coop and start raising chickens. Keeping backyard chickens had always been a dream of ours, and we were thrilled to finally have the space to make it a reality.
Over the past 7 years, we’ve learned a thing or two about the joys and challenges of backyard chicken keeping. From hatching our own chicks to building multiple coops and runs, we’ve navigated the ups and downs of this wonderfully rewarding hobby. And let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of cracking open a fresh egg from your own feathered friends for breakfast.
If you’re considering joining the backyard chicken movement, you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my top tips and lessons learned to help you get started on your own poultry paradise. Whether you’re a seasoned homesteader or a total newbie, by the end of this article, you’ll be clucking with confidence as you embark on your chicken-keeping journey.
Coop Sweet Coop: Designing the Perfect Chicken Home
Before you can welcome any feathered friends into your backyard, you’ll need to make sure you have the proper housing set up. A secure and comfortable coop is an absolute must for happy, healthy hens.
When it comes to chicken coops, size really does matter. The general recommendation is to provide around 4 square feet of coop space per bird. So, if you’re planning on keeping a flock of 6 chickens, you’ll want a coop that’s at least 8×8 feet. And if you’ll be keeping your chickens confined to the coop rather than allowing them to free-range, you’ll need even more space – around 10 square feet per bird.
In addition to ample square footage, your coop needs to have the right features to keep your chickens safe and content. This includes:
- Nesting boxes: Provide 1 nesting box for every 3-4 hens, filled with clean, soft bedding like straw or pine shavings. Hens will use these private spaces to lay their eggs.
- Roosting bars: Give your chickens a place to perch off the ground at night. Roosting bars should be around 4-6 inches off the floor and allow 8-10 inches of space per bird.
- Ventilation: Proper airflow is crucial to prevent respiratory issues. Make sure your coop has windows or vents to allow fresh air to circulate.
- Predator-proof design: Use sturdy, secure materials and reinforce any potential entry points to keep predators like raccoons, foxes, and hawks out.
When it comes to the coop itself, you have several options. You can buy a pre-made chicken house, convert an old shed, or even design and build your own from scratch. If you’re handy, I’d recommend the DIY route – it’s often more cost-effective and allows you to customize the perfect setup for your flock.
My husband and I have built a few different chicken coops over the years, and we’ve learned that having a covered run attached to the coop is a game-changer. This gives your chickens ample outdoor space to roam, scratch, and dust bathe, while still keeping them safe from aerial predators. Just be sure to provide at least 10 square feet of run space per bird.
BackyardChickens.com has a wealth of coop design ideas and plans to inspire your own backyard chicken palace. And if you’re feeling really ambitious, you can even find instructions for building an automated, predator-proof chicken door – a lifesaver for lazy chicken parents like myself!
Chick Chat: Raising Chickens from Day-Old to Egg-Laying
Once you’ve got your coop and run all set up, it’s time to decide whether you want to start with day-old chicks or fully grown laying hens. Both options have their pros and cons, but for first-time chicken keepers, I usually recommend going the chick route.
Raising chicks from a young age allows you to bond with them and get them acclimated to human interaction from the very beginning. This can result in a flock of friendly, easy-to-handle birds. Plus, watching those fluffy little peeps grow into mature hens is an incredibly rewarding experience.
When your chicks first arrive, you’ll need to set them up in a warm, safe brooding area – we use a large plastic storage bin with a heat lamp and plenty of cozy bedding. Chicks require supplemental heat, clean water, chick-appropriate feed, and grit to help them properly digest their food.
It’s important to handle chicks gently and teach family members, including little ones, how to properly interact with them. Chicks are delicate creatures, and improper handling can lead to injury or even death.
Healthline has a fantastic video that covers everything you need to know about setting up a brooder and caring for baby chicks. I highly recommend watching it before your feathered friends arrive.
Once your chicks are fully feathered, usually around 6 weeks old, you can move them outside to their permanent coop and run. Just make sure the weather is warm enough to support their transition.
Laying hens, on the other hand, can be a great option if you’d like to skip the chick-raising process. You can purchase fully grown hens from a local farm or reputable hatchery. This allows you to start collecting eggs right away, but you may miss out on the joy of watching your flock grow up.
Regardless of whether you choose chicks or laying hens, it’s crucial to do your research and select breeds that align with your needs and preferences. Factors like egg production, temperament, and cold-hardiness can vary widely between chicken breeds.
Roots and Refuge Farm has a great overview of some of the most popular backyard chicken breeds to help you make the right choice for your flock.
Feathered Friends: Caring for Your Backyard Chickens
Now that you’ve got your coop set up and your flock settled in, it’s time to dive into the day-to-day care and feeding of your new feathered friends. Don’t worry, it’s easier than you might think!
The most important things your chickens need are a balanced diet, clean water, and a safe environment. We use a high-quality layer feed, supplemented with a source of calcium like crushed oyster shells to support strong egg shells. And of course, fresh water must be available at all times – even in the winter, you’ll need a heated poultry waterer to prevent freezing.
Chickens are natural foragers, so if you have the space, allowing them to free-range during the day is ideal. This gives them the opportunity to scratch, dust bathe, and hunt for tasty bugs and greens to supplement their diet. Just be sure to provide a secure coop for them to return to at night.
Manna Pro has a great list of top chicken-keeping tips, including the importance of offering your flock a dust bath. Chickens love to roll around in dry dirt or sand to clean their feathers and keep parasites at bay.
Of course, with any livestock, there will inevitably be some challenges and setbacks along the way. Chickens can fall ill or get injured, and even the most well-built coop isn’t impenetrable to determined predators. That’s why it’s crucial to have a trusted avian veterinarian in your area and a well-stocked first aid kit on hand.
Over the years, we’ve had our fair share of ups and downs with our backyard flock. We’ve lost a few chicks to illness, had to re-home a rooster or two, and even had a close call with a hungry hawk. But through it all, we’ve learned that with proper preparation, diligent care, and a little bit of patience, raising chickens can be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable hobby.
Egg-cellent Rewards: The Joys of Backyard Egg Production
Perhaps the best part of keeping backyard chickens is the fresh, nutrient-dense eggs they provide. There’s simply nothing that can compare to cracking open an egg from your own flock and knowing exactly where it came from.
Healthline notes that backyard chicken eggs are far superior to their store-bought counterparts in terms of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Hens that are allowed to forage and roam freely produce eggs that are richer in omega-3s, vitamins A and E, and beta-carotene.
Once your hens start laying, you can expect around 4-5 eggs per week, per bird. Of course, production will slow down during the winter months and as your chickens age. But even with a smaller flock, you’ll have more eggs than you know what to do with!
We’ve found endless ways to enjoy our backyard bounty, from making fluffy scrambles and rich quiches to baking decadent cakes and custards. And nothing beats the satisfaction of gathering a fresh basket of eggs each morning, knowing that they came straight from our feathered friends.
If you find yourself with an abundance of eggs, you can always share the wealth with friends, family, or your local ABC Home store. They’d be thrilled to feature your homegrown eggs in their on-site cafe or market.
Clucking Around: Lessons Learned from a Backyard Chicken Keeper
Over the years, my husband and I have learned a thing or two about the joys and challenges of backyard chicken keeping. From navigating predators to hatching our own chicks, we’ve experienced it all.
One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is the value of investing in an automatic chicken door. These nifty devices use motion sensors to open and close the coop at dusk and dawn, ensuring your flock’s safety without you having to remember to do it manually. It’s a total game-changer for lazy chicken parents like us!
We’ve also discovered the hard way that finding a local vet who treats chickens isn’t always easy. But it’s crucial to have that resource on hand, just in case one of your feathered friends falls ill or gets injured. Do your research ahead of time so you’re not scrambling in an emergency.
And while a heated coop might seem like a good idea in the dead of winter, we’ve found that it’s actually better to let your chickens acclimate to the cold. Providing plenty of deep bedding, wind-blocking walls, and a reliable water source is usually sufficient to keep them comfortable and healthy.
One of the most rewarding aspects of backyard chicken keeping has been watching our flock’s distinct personalities emerge. From the bossy, no-nonsense Orpington to the friendly, chatty Cochin, each hen has her own quirks and endearing qualities. Spending time with them and getting to know their unique behaviors has been an absolute delight.
The r/preppers subreddit has a great thread with additional tips for new chicken owners, including the importance of practicing good hygiene when handling your flock.
Whether you’re just starting to consider backyard chickens or you’ve already got a coop full of feathered friends, I hope this guide has provided you with the information and inspiration you need to embark on your own poultry adventure. With a little preparation and a lot of patience, you too can enjoy the unbeatable benefits of homegrown eggs and the endless entertainment of your very own backyard flock.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get clucking!
