The (Cock-A-Doodle) Dos and Don’ts of Raising Chickens

Chickens can make great outdoor pets – they don’t require too much space and have entertaining personalities, plus they can provide you with free fresh eggs. They’re also fairly low maintenance compared to many animals. Of course, there are certain rules when it comes to raising chickens that are important to understand before you buy your first birds. Below are just some of the important do and don’ts to consider before you start raising chickens.

Don’t buy a single chicken

Chickens are social animals – they feel safer and happier in a flock. As a result, you should plan to raise at least three chickens. Your chickens will be less stressed and are likely to produce better quality eggs.

You can buy a mix of hens and roosters, although one rooster is usually all you need. While roosters enjoy hen companionship, they may fight with other roosters.

Don’t start with chicks

Chicks are very cute and much cheaper to buy than adult hens. However, they’re much harder to raise than adult hens as they require more regular feeding, cleaning and a warm environment (which typically means keeping them indoors at first). It’s usually better to start with adult ready-to-lay chickens and then try raising chicks – many first-time chicken owners end up selling their chicks because they weren’t prepared for the challenge.

Of course, if you’re used to raising baby animals or more challenging pets, opting for chicks straight away could be fun. Make sure that you buy all the right equipment including the right chicken feeder and waterer and some starter feed, and set up a space indoors to keep your chicks warm before transferring them outside as they get older.

Do find a reputable breeder

Whether you do decide to buy adult chickens or chicks, it’s important to choose a breeder that you trust. This will ensure that your chickens have been sexed correctly and raised in a healthy environment.

You can search online to find breeders in your area. Look out for good reviews and visit breeders to view chickens in person.

Don’t forget to check local restrictions

Keeping chickens in your backyard is perfectly legal in most areas across the country. However, there are some neighborhoods that may have restrictions against roosters due to the noise they create. In other cases, you may need to apply for a permit – which may include proving that you have enough space to raise chickens. Do your research into this before you decide to adopt a bird.

Do make sure you have enough space

Chickens don’t need a lot of space, but there are certain minimum requirements you will need to meet. Firstly, within their coop, each bird should have at least 4 square feet. They then need to have an outdoor run that provides at least 10 square feet per bird. There are coop and run kits that you can buy and build yourself.

Provided that they have a coop, chickens can be allowed to roam free around a backyard. Just make sure that the perimeter of your backyard is secure – some chickens are escape artists and will find their way over a low hedge or through a hole in a fence.

Don’t feed your chickens too many scraps

While chickens do eat everything, that doesn’t mean that you should give them all your food scraps. Many human foods are very fattening for chickens and could lead to your birds getting overweight and developing health problems.

It’s best to limit scraps as a treat and avoid giving them anything too salty, sugary or fatty. Leftover fruit and veggies are the best treats for chickens. Contrary to what many people think, bread is not good for birds and should be avoided.

Do consider their calcium intake

A healthy calcium intake can help to produce eggs with harder shells. This reduces the amount of eggs that may get broken before you have a chance to cook with them.

Most chicken feeds contain a good amount of calcium, however it could be worth supplementing your hens with some extra calcium during egg laying periods. You can buy specialized feeds with extra calcium for these periods. Alternatively, you can buy calcium supplements for chickens such as crushed oyster shells.

Don’t forget to clean out their coop

It’s important to regularly clean out your chicken coops to prevent illness. This includes replacing bedding and cleaning feeders – ideally once per week.

A deep clean of your chickens’ coop could be worth doing twice per year. This could include completely hosing and scrubbing down the floor and walls to get rid of dirt, excrement and loose feathers. This guide offers some great tips to cleaning out your chickens’ coop.

Do look into predator protection measures

Predators like foxes often prey on chickens. It’s therefore important to keep your birds secure against these animals – especially if you live somewhere quite rural where there are likely to be more predators around.

Start by making sure that their coop is secure – being able to lock the coop at night is recommended. If they have a run, make sure that this has high fences and a mesh roof. If your chickens roam free, consider raising fences (with neighbors’ permission) to keep out predators.

Other measures like security lighting can help keep predators away. Owning a flock with a rooster can also reduce attacks – a good rooster will warn hens of attacks and even try to fight predators/sacrifice themselves to protect the rest of the flock.

Do consider a specialist vet

Your local vet may not have much experience with chickens. Even if they do agree to take a look at your birds, they may not have the best knowledge to deal with any chicken-specific health problems.

A specialized poultry vet is harder to come by, but can provide a better level of care. These vets have a better understanding of all the health problems that affect chickens and know exactly what to look for. Your local vet may be able to recommend a specialist. Alternatively, you may be able to look for specialist vets online (these vets are typically more common in rural areas).