A simple guide to backyard chickens!
- Misty Schillaci
- Nov 7, 2022
- 3 min read
In the midst of Covid, more and more homeowners started owning backyard chickens. Whether it was to help pass the time, become more self-sustainable, or because they started to realize that chickens are more than food, they make amazing pets as well.
Blue Orpington – photo credit: The Happy Chick Coop
Now you’d like to start your own backyard flock but you haven’t a clue as to where to begin or even what chickens need. Look no further. Here’s a quick and easy guide to help you get started.
First and foremost, check with your town and your HOA (if you have one) to see if there are restrictions. I’ve heard of too many horror stories of people buying chickens and setting up their coop only to find out that they are not allowed to have chickens in their area (more on this on a separate post). DO YOUR RESEARCH!
2. Take a walk around your property and decide where you can place your chicken coop and their run. Unless you plan on having a chicken tractor and move them around, where you place them will likely be their permanent home.
3. Before you shop for chickens, decide how many your family needs (always be prepared for chicken math ALWAYS) and what the purpose of your chickens are (eggs, meat, dual purpose, pets?). If they are mainly for eggs, consider how many eggs your family will consume monthly.
4. Once that’s complete, start researching chicken breeds. There are so many to choose from. Your choice of chicken will reflect what their purpose and they should also be hardy in the climate that you live in. There are breeds that are known for being dual purpose. Meaning they are good egg layers and good meat birds but they aren’t necessarily excellent at both. There are breeds that are cold hardy and/or heat tolerant. There are ones that are specifically sought after because they are prolific egg layers. People who want backyard chickens as pets as well tend to search for calm, friendly and docile birds. The list goes on and on. I’ll cover all of these in a separate blog.
5. Now that you have the number of chickens you want and the breeds that you desire all picked out, now you’re ready to start with your coop and chicken run. You can purchase pre-made ones, purchase plans to build your own or if you’re handy, you can build one that suits your needs. However… as stated before…. ALWAYS plan for chicken math.
6. The next step is to decide if you want to start with hatching eggs, young chicks, pullets or adult chickens. Keep in mind the rules in your area for roosters as many areas restrict roosters. So if you are planning on hatching eggs or purchasing chicks unsexed, make sure you have a plan for the roosters. Even if you can have roosters in your area, there’s a 10 hens to 1 rooster ratio that helps keep the flock a cohesive unit. Too many roosters and not enough hens can cause a lot of unnecessary problems. Of course you could form your own rooster bachelor pad, if you have the space and if you are allowed to have them in your area.
7. The moment has finally arrived! You’re ready for chickens! Well almost. There’s the decision of where to purchase the chickens and gathering the supplies needed to care for your chickens. Speaking of supplies here’s a list of things you’ll need to care for them.
Partridge Cochin – photo credits: The Happy Chick Coop
8. Now that you are ready to purchase your chickens, you’ll need to decide where to purchase them. You could buy locally. For those, join Facebook chicken groups (there’s always posts listing all kinds of fowl. If you are looking for specific breeds that you can’t find locally or you want to make sure you only get hens, you could purchase from online hatcheries. There are several out there. For example @mypetchicken.com they have many breeds, hatching eggs, and sexed chicks. They also sell chicken products! There’s also Meyer hatchery, hoover & cackle hatchery to name a few others.
That’s it! It does seem like a lot of work but trust me… it’s so much easier doing all of this now instead of having to re-do it several times in one year like I did. I’ve bought 2 coops before I gave in and built one that fits my space, I’ve switched out my flock numerous times trying to find the right combination for myself and I’ve complicated the process so much more in the meantime. I’ve finally have a system down that works, a flock thats cohesive and now I can just enjoy them!
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