Raising chickens in your backyard sounds really tempting and fun. Not only do you get the freshest eggs, but you can use the eggshells in your compost pile. Most of the time, chickens will also pick at grass, ridding of worms, beetles, and other pests in your background, making them an even more valuable companion to keep around.
But before you commit to raising chickens, here are a couple of things to consider.
Before Getting Chickens
#1. Check your local town ordinances.
Make sure that keeping chickens in your background is allowed in your area. There may even be a limit to how many chickens you can keep at once.
The last thing you want to do is invest your time and money into preparing for chickens, then finding out that all that effort has gone to waste.
#2. Have enough space for a henhouse or chicken coop.
A henhouse or full-size chicken coop has to hold a feeder, water containers, a roosting area, and a nest box for about three hens each.
When looking for a proper coop, it should be big enough that you could stand inside of it to gather eggs and shovel out manure comfortably. But a simple henhouse will be much smaller.
Also, make sure that any housing for your chickens will be sturdy enough to keep them safe from predators.
#3. Budget out the chicken’s needs.
Chickens need food and water daily, and feed is about $20 for a 50-pound bag. Prices vary according to location as will the quality of the feed.
And figuring out how long one bag will last will depend on how many chickens you decide to keep.
#4. Expect to collect a lot of eggs.
Through the spring, summer, and fall, hens will lay eggs as long as they have 12 to 14 hours of sunlight. Sometimes, you’ll be collecting eggs daily. Other days, you may need to collect eggs twice a day.
If you have too many eggs on your hands, you can always share with neighbors or loved ones. But be ready to anticipate a lot of eggs coming your way.
#5. Get ready to shovel manure.
Like with any living creature that you are caring for, there will be maintenance required. Make sure you’re ready to shovel manure and keep a good attitude about it.
It’s a year-round commitment so make it a positive one.
#6. Get a reliable chicken-sitter.
If you decide to go out of town, make sure you have a trustworthy sitter for your chickens while you’re gone. They’ll need care every day with or without you there.
Even before getting the chickens, ask around for local chicken-sitters. They can be hard to find.
Once you’ve gone over these steps and you’ve considered the responsibilities of keeping chickens in your backyard, take a look at these frequently asked questions to help inform your endeavors.
Frequently Asked Questions on Raising Chickens
How Many Chickens Should I Raise?
Chickens are social beings so it’s best that they have about three to six birds for company. This amount will ensure you a healthy supply of eggs. Remember that adult hens lay about two eggs every three days.
Chickens are the most productive when they’re young. In their first two years of life, egg production will be healthy and steady. But after that, it will begin to slow.
You might want to consider replacing your flock with younger birds if you start to depend on your egg supply. Young chicks can be bought easily.
This is highly recommended over hatching your own eggs with a rooster around.
How Much Space Do They Need?
The amount of space a chicken requires will depend on their breed. Generally, a medium-sized chicken will require 3 square feet of floor space inside of the coop minimum. Outside, they will need about 8-10 square feet.
For the most part, chickens are happier and healthier with more space at their disposal. Overcrowding in the coop can cause a higher risk for disease and feather picking.
With more space, chickens will also have the freedom to run around. Hens spend a lot of their time outdoors so they can find places to take a dust bath or take in the sun.
To ensure their safety, make sure that their space is fenced in. This will keep predators out, including some furry friends you might also be living with.
Chicken-wire is something you will want to have around readily.
How Much Does Raising Chickens Cost?
The materials needed to buy and furnish an appropriately sized chicken coop could be around $300 if you’re tackling this project yourself. This would include wood, fencing, and hardware for a 20×5-foot coop.
But if you’re not able to do this work by yourself, you may have to invest in a skilled laborer.
If that’s the case, you can expect the cost of raising chickens to be between $500 and $700 to get you started.
Prices may vary depending on your flock size, coop, and run.
Can I Still Garden with Chickens?
Yes! Most folks who keep chickens in their backyard are in it for the fresh egg supply. But chickens can also be great for maintaining a healthy garden.
Once your gardening season has wrapped up for the year, let your chickens run free. They’ll tackle any stems or stalks of weeds, eat any damaged or overripe vegetables that are leftover, and generally help clean up your gardening space in a sustainable way.
They’re the best at finding insects and worms in the ground, mixing up the soil as they root around enthusiastically.
They can also peck apart vegetable remnants including carrot tops, chard, kale, and broccoli stems.
Along with providing an endless supply of eggs, chickens can also provide you an endless amount of manure.
Chicken poo is great for compost. Over time as it ages, it can add to the garden and help foster a healthier and more sustainable soil.
You will have to clean their coop daily, but this will provide you the perfect opportunity to collect their manure and use bedding for compost materials.
For the best decomposition results, make your pile 2 parts poo and 1 part bedding. You can also include lawn clipping, fruit and vegetable scrapes, leaves, twigs, and shredded paper for a healthy compost pile.
Be sure to soak the pile and stir it regularly to add air. Give your compost pile about 6 months and you will have 1 cubic foot of manure per chicken.
For your composting endeavors, also be sure to maintain it at a temperature of 130 degrees to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature will eliminate bacteria in your compost.
Final Thoughts
Raising chickens can be really rewarding and fun.
There is quite a bit of maintenance that goes into raising them, building their coop, and keeping them fed, but in return, you’ll get fresh eggs, fresh manure, and gardening companions who will help clean up any scraps leftover.
Before getting chickens, make sure you’ve gone over all of their necessities to make sure you can provide them a comfortable environment.
by Misao McGregor