For the past six years, my family and I have owned a few backyard chickens, and by a few, I mean anywhere from 6 to over 100. We primarily keep them because we eat a lot of eggs; however we have also raised and butchered some for meat. If you have considered having your own flock, what follows is some of the do’s, don’ts, and lessons learned from my personal experience. And as it isn’t intended to be a comprehensive guide to keeping chickens, I have included a number of links to excellent sites that have been helpful to me. For example, a great resource for all things related to chickens can be found at Mother Earth News.
What breed of chicken is best?
If your goal is egg production, I would suggest one of the following heritage breeds: Rhode Island Reds, Leghorns, Barred Rocks, and Plymouth Rocks to name a few. If you want to raise a few chickens for meat, I highly recommend Freedom Rangers from J.M. Hatchery. This breed gains weight quickly and are good foragers (unlike commercial breeds). Don’t make the mistake I made and raise chickens that are supposedly “dual purpose breeds.” These chickens don’t lay eggs well, take forever to gain weight, and aren’t very good foragers.
Should I start with chicks or full grown chickens?
Raising baby chicks can be a wonderful experience, especially if you have kids; however chicks require a totally different type of shelter vs. grown chickens. Baby chicks will need a heat source and protection from a wider range of predators. If you decide to purchase baby chicks, you can order them from hatcheries that will ship them via mail, or you may be able to purchase them from your local animal feed store. Some hatcheries with good reputations include: McMurray, Mt. Healthy, and Welp.
Robert Plamondon’s Poultry Pages and his book Success with Baby Chicks are great resources in helping with your chick raising journey.
With respect to full grown hens or hens that are nearly ready to begin laying, I have had good luck in purchasing them on craigslist. However I would recommend against buying chickens from multiple sources as the likelihood of introducing disease drastically increases.
Do I need a rooster?
In general the answer is no unless you want or need fertilized eggs. However, if you have more than a handful of hens, a rooster is incredibly important to the social structure of the flock. I have heard (not verified) that sometimes when a flock does not have a rooster, one of the hens will try and establish herself in that role.
For some of you that live in town, or in close proximity to neighbors, keeping a noisy rooster may not be an option. And their noisiness isn’t confined to daylight hours – during our first ever family campout in our backyard, we found out that our roosters like to start crowing around 3am.
Lastly, sometimes roosters can be less than friendly. Of the two that we own, one is very laid back and the other waits patiently for me to turn my back so he can jump into the air and try and scratch me. My feed bucket has served as a defensive weapon on many occasions.
What do chickens eat?
First and foremost, chickens are NOT VEGETARIANS. If you give them access to the outdoors, they will eat as many bugs, worms, fly larva, etc. as they can find. And they will eat quite a bit of green grass as well. In a well-managed pasture, I would estimate that chickens can forage for 30% or more of their diet. For the remainder, I feed my chickens a pelletized mixed grain ration from my local feed store. If it is important to you to avoid feeding your soy to your chickens, it is possible; however the feed is substantially more expensive. In addition, the primary protein source will likely be from fish meal which can impart a less than desirable flavor to the eggs.
How should I house my chickens?
I am extremely partial to keeping chickens outdoors in a movable coop, sheltered from the worst weather and protected from predators. Here is a picture of my setup:
It is approximately 8 feet square at the base with two 16 feet long “cattle panels” providing the structure for the roof. Cattle panels are made from heavy gauge wire and are available at most livestock feed stores. This shell is covered with chicken wire and a tarp. Cost to build is about $150-$200 and it will house up to 30 full grown chickens.
Keep in mind that this is where the chickens are at night. During the day they are allowed to range away from the coop and are protected by an electric netted fence. You can find this fencing at Premier1.
How long do chickens produce eggs?
During the year, my chickens typically produce eggs for about 10 months with a break during December and January. This break is somewhat due to the cold weather but much more as a result of the short days. Commercial egg producers keep lights on so the chickens keep right on laying; however this is a horrible practice as it prevents the hens from recharging their bodies.
Chickens can lay eggs for many years, but their production drops after about 2 seasons of laying. When I first started keeping chickens, I bought a few 2 year old hens from a farmer friend who was replacing his flock, and they did well for me for two more seasons.
If you have additional questions, I am happy to try to answer them in the comments below.
Good luck.
I’d love to be able to keep chickens and have fresh eggs, but unfortunately my landlord has other ideas…
We started keeping chickens a few months back, mostly to give the kids something to get them outside more, and to take responsibility for. And for the eggs of course. What I hadn’t predicted is just how much fun chickens are. You can’t be out in the garden for more than a few seconds before they come over to check out what you’re doing, and you can forget about doing any digging – they’ll be in your way before you can get more than a spadeful turned over.
They’re also pretty low maintenance in that with a big multi-day feeder and waterer you don’t have to tend to them much if you don’t want to, other than removing eggs and cleaning up a bit. And we worked out the other day that they pay back their cost in about 3 months after purchase (based on 15GBP per bird when they lay most days).
We let our birds roam all day every day, although I have read that many people don’t for fear of predators. Touch wood, we’ve had no problems with bitey beasts yet.
And the eggs, of course, are amazing. Although making a hard boiled egg with a truly fresh egg is a bit of a nightmare because they just won’t peel! Chickens. Highly recommended.
Roger-
If you boil eggs with about 1/2 cup of salt, they peel a lot easier. I started getting eggs from a local woman this spring and was so disappointed my first batch, that didn’t make for months. Then I asked her if she ever did, and she shared her trick. So much easier!!
Magic, thanks Sue, that will make mornings much easier!
That is a great setup to house the chickens! Where could I find a supply list and plans to make one? I have been toying with the idea of backyard chickens for a while. I think it may be time to act!
Hi Heather,
I guess the design for this coop is mine, and I created based on some pictures I saw on the internet (i.e. the design is in my head). If you don’t mind a rough recipe, here is what you need.
– (2) 2x4x10’s treated
– (2) 2x4x8’s treated
These make up the base. If you tack the base together so that the interior of it makes a square that is 8’x8′ you will be ready for the next step.
– (2) 48″x16′ cattle panels.
Place the ends inside the base of your frame and staple (field fence staples) them to the inside. This will make what looks like a hoop house.
Add diagonal bracing (as seen in photo) for stability.
– (3) sheets of plywood.
– approximately (8-10) 2x4x8’s
One sheet will be to make your nest boxes and 1.5 sheets for the back. Before you attach the plywood to the back, you will need to build what looks like a door frame at each end of the coop. These two door frames are joined end-to-end at about knee height and along the roof with 2×4’s.
Build a door for one end, and cover the other end of the coop with the plywood (cut to fit curve of the coop).
– 50’x3′ roll of chicken wire.
– Cover cattle panels and front of coop with wire to keep out predators.
– 8’x12′ tarp
Attach to keep out rain/snow/ice etc.
Let me know if you have more questions.
…Tim
Thanks! I think i can work with this!
Mother Earth News has designs for chicken homes. and i believe that Permaculture Activist (the main Permie magazine) does. Just google their names and search hen or chicken coops.
There are akso designs for chicken “tractors”, which are just chicken coops on treads or wheels.
Also, when i took the permaculture course, they had chickens, and i learned that chickens will voluntarily go into their coop at dusk.
What do you do with the chickens when the cease laying eggs? Are they edible?
Henrietta,
They are edible, but typically not as a roaster or for frying. These are considered “stew hens.”
…Tim
My question exactly – how do you “dispose” of chickens once they no longer lay eggs?
It’s not very pleasant, but it is necessary. Rather than give you the play-by-play, here is a link to instructions at Mother Earth News: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/processing-your-backyard-chickens.aspx
I found the website planetwhizbang.com to be helpful about processing chickens. Good pictures for each step. They have instructions for a plucker you can build & other helpful advice.
Also, if you’re lucky enough to have access to a good County Extension Agent, they can be quite helpful. Our guy here has equipment to loan and even came to my house to show me how to go about it.
Thanks for the good info! Especially about the meat birds. I have tried dual purpose birds (Buff Orpingtons)–lively, fun birds, but scrawny little carcasses when butchered. Also raised the popular Cornish Crosses. Nice meat capacity, but it’s so discouraging how many keel over dead the week you were planning to butcher! I’d love to try that Freedom Ranger breed next year. How old are they when they’re ready to process?
Tena,
At 12 weeks is when they are typically processed (carcass of about 6-7 lbs).
…Tim
Thanks! We have super-short summers here in the mountains of Wyoming. Timing is everything-don’t want to freeze them out on either end!
And the customer service at JM Hatchery is FABULOUS!!! I never raised so much as a parakeet and they helped me order and set up 100 birds and answered all the questions I had. And I had a lot. I’m from NYC!
Also, backyardchickens.com is priceless. And free 🙂
I would also like to know how you built your coop. We have 16 chickens right now and our coop isn’t bad, but being able to move one around would be a lot better and this one looks perfect.
Hey Michele,
See if my answer to a similar question above is enough to get you going.
…Tim
Thanks! Perfect timing for me. We are under contract for a house and I’ve been dying to have my own chickens, but clearly couldn’t do that in our apartment. In Denver we are allowed to have 8 chickens total, no roosters. It seems like it’s hard to be self-sustaining without a rooster, though I can totally understand why they aren’t allowed in the city.
Well, hopefully I’ll get this stuff figured out and have my own delicious eggs and meat soon enough. Fresh eggs are so much more delicious, I can only imagine how much better the meat is. Already I’ve overwhelmed with how much yummier grass fed organic beef and free range organic chicken is compared the the crappy meat I grew up on…maybe that’s why I became vegetarian for 15 years? It could also be the way my parents cooked meat….
We had a female start protecting the flock and crowing at about a year old. She also started to look like a rooster, although, that may be what that breed looks like. Hard to tell because she is the only Japanese Black we have. When we got a rooster she stopped.
I thought that was the case. Thanks for the anecdotal evidence.
On my family’s farm we would always incorporate oyster shells into their feed, it make the egg shells stronger, which can produce bigger eggs. Bigger eggs = more deliciousness.
Do NOT feed them chicken egg shells, however, as they will develop a taste and start eating their own offspring, which is both weird and provides less eggs for you. Oh, how the mighty dinosaur has fallen….
Definitely. Some type of supplemental calcium in very valuable indeed.
Actually, if you crush the shells and mix it in with their food, it shouldn’t be problematic. it’s only when they see the shells.
Chickens are really PROFOUNDLY stupid. When I had birds, they’d walk over to the hawk to see what he was eating. Dude, that’s a HAWK. RUN!!!!
We’ve had chickens virtually all my life. Nothing compares to pasture-raised eggs 🙂
Been planning on how to get started once I get some land of my own, great beginner’s guide.
I love my backyard chickens! (oh, and their eggs, too…) 😉 We currently have 3 hens, and I am looking for at least 2-3 more, in our small dirt backyard here in the busy metropolis of Phoenix. You really can have chickens anywhere! I’ve seen people keep them in their 3rd floor apartment! (giant cockatoo cage, and walks lol) We feed ours table scraps and organic feed, and a couple times a week I let them out to forage in the front yard and under the bushes. (Under close watch, however – one time I didn’t, and a neighbor up the street tried to steal them…long story!) Nothing gives me more pride than watching one of my hens hunt down and eat a cockroach! Great Article, thank you!
Do you have any estimates on how many eggs a year you can expect to get from a bird? And how much it costs to feed the bird for a year?
Trying to figure out the cost of a dozen eggs compared to in stores.
Hey Kyle,
These are estimates based on my limited experience:
1 full grown chicken will eat 100lbs of feed per year = $30
Cost of a ready to lay hen (3 years of eggs) = $15/3 = $5
Cost of coop + fencing (over 5 years)with 30 hens = ($400/5)/30 = $2.57
So considering you will have some losses, the yearly cost per bird is $40.
A good result for eggs each year would be about 250; therefore an average cost per dozen eggs would be about $2.
And obviously this doesn’t account for your time.
…Tim
Hmmm… Tough call on whether that’s worth it or not. There are other benefits like getting outside, and the chickens helping out with a few things in the garden… But not a huge savings!
Any thoughts on using chicken droppings as fertilizer for a home garden?
Matt,
Chicken poo is fantastic fertilizer! It is extremely high in phosphorus and nitrogen and as such you need to be a little careful that you don’t apply too much (or leave the chickens in an area for too long). If you don’t have chickens in a movable pen (and have to collect the poo), it is a good idea to let the manure compost for 6 months to reduce the impact of the nitrogen.
…Tim
Did you know that rabbit manure can be used straight out of the bunny without aging?
I am buying a house and just found out you can have 6 chickens within fort collins city limits which is awesome. Thanks the advice
I learned a lot from this post, much appreciated!!
Helpful Post – Thank You I’ve been thinking about backyard chickens for sometime because we eat a lot of eggs. I’m in the “educating myself” phase, because I don’t want to invest a bunch of $$$ without thinking it through. I am thinking about either a mobile coop or setting up several coops and rotating them every week or so. Seems like it would be better for foraging and a cleaner alternative to keeping them in the same coop 24/7.
Do the chickens naturally go into their coop at night?