In terms of expense, keeping chickens is relatively cheap compared to other animals. [2] X Research source However, chicken feed is a necessary and ongoing expense, and vets’ bills can add up if one or more of your chickens falls ill. You may also need to invest in a brooder and/or a coop if you are raising chickens for the first time. Chickens are not terribly time-consuming, but you will need to feed and water them daily, keep their coop clean (which involves shoveling manure) and collect their eggs once or twice daily. If you are planning on going away for more than a couple of days, you will need to seek out a chicken-sitter, which can be tricky. If you let eggs accumulate in the nest boxes, the hens may become broody, which is where they will peck or cluck at you if you attempt to collect the eggs. To discourage this, look into a broody box.
Some communities also require permits, signed agreements from neighbors, or an appearance before the zoning board, while others have ordinances that restrict the size and placement of outbuildings.
In addition, hens typically lay 5-6 eggs a week, so four birds will provide you with almost two dozen eggs per week. [5] X Research source The more chickens, the more eggs!
For dependable egg production, choose “layer” breeds, such as Black Australorps, that were bred to lay reliably. Leghorns, also, produce about 325 eggs a year. [6] X Research source Dual-purpose breeds (which provide eggs and meat), such as Buff Orpingtons and Laced Wyandottes, and Plymouth rocks, are bigger than layers but have better egg production than “broilers” (Cornish Cross) or (White Rock Cross), which are breeds used primarily for meat. Research your breeds on Google. For starters, I would lean towards Americaunas, Orpingtons, Silkies, Brahmas and Austalrops. I would stay away from “butcher breeds” which are more aggressive and have a shorter life span.
Place your order in spring. You don’t want to be ordering in the middle of autumn or winter. Colder weather can hold you back and be much harder to care for your chickens. If you order at the start of spring it’ll be easier for you and the chicks. Besides, most chicks are only available to order in spring. If you only want three or four chicks to start off, consider combining your order with the orders of other local chicken breeders or farmers to overcome the minimum shipment requirement. Alternatively, you can ask a farm-supply store if they will include your order in their own. [5] X Research source If possible, specify that you want all females when you place your order. Roosters can be loud and aggressive and are not recommended for first-timers. The hens will also lay better without roosters around. [5] X Research source
Once grown, chickens don’t necessarily need a whole farmyard to run around in, in fact, city and suburban chickens are becoming increasingly popular amongst those who have even small-sized yards. However, you will need some semblance of a yard, preferably with grass for the chickens to peck around in.
The brooder should be placed indoors or in a garage - somewhere that is free from drafts. [9] X Research source Keeping the chicks warm is essential. The size of the brooder is not overly important, as long as the chicks are not overcrowded and there is enough space for a feeder and water. The walls also need to be high enough to prevent them from hopping out once they get a bit bigger.
Cleanliness is very important at this stage of the chicks’ development as baby chicks are prone to a number of diseases, most of which can be avoided with proper sanitation.
Alternatively, you can tell if the brooder is warm enough by how the chicks behave. If they are panting and/or huddling in corners farthest from the light, they are too hot. If they huddle together in a ball under the light, they are too cold. You can adjust the temperature by altering the distance of the light or changing the wattage of the light bulb until it’s just right.
Special waterers are available at farm supply stores, they are inexpensive, light-weight and can’t be overturned by the chicks. Any shallow bowl will also work, but you need to watch that it remains upright and free of poop. Even baby chicks will naturally scratch at their food, so a feeder that keeps all of the food in one place is helpful. Special feeders made of galvanized steel are available in farm supply stores, though any shallow bowl will do.
Although the baby chicks get all the sustenance they need from their feed, it can be fun to feed them treats. After the first week or two, you can give them a worm or a bug or two from your garden to play with and eat. However, greens are not recommended just yet, as they can cause diarrhea-like symptoms which can be dangerous to small chicks. You should also wipe the chicks’ butts, because their poop can become crusty and cause infection, use a napkin with lukewarm water on it. Once the baby chicks are about a month old, you can place a low perch in the brooder. The chicks will jump on it and may even begin to sleep there. Just don’t put the perch directly under the light as it will be too hot. Make sure to wash your hands with warm water and soap after touching the chicks. Watch children carefully around chicks to make sure that they don’t hurt them. Chicks can be very fragile.
Run space: All coops should have enough space for chickens to forage and get some fresh air. In terms of size, a chicken coop with a footprint of 4x8 feet should comfortably house 3 to 5 chickens. Elevated roost: Though open-air roosting coops are an option, you should really provide your chickens with an elevated and enclosed roosting space, if possible. As with most birds, chickens have a natural roosting instinct and are partial to roosting in high areas. The roosting area should also include a roosting perch where the chickens can sleep. A perch should be 2 inches (5. 1 cm) thick and 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) long for each chicken. Nesting boxes: All coops should have nesting boxes in their roosting area. These are just little 12”x12”x12” spaces for hens to lay their eggs. One box will do for every two chickens, as they don’t mind sharing. You can line the nesting boxes with straw or wood shavings. Cleanliness: You should clean your chicken coop once every 4 months, and change the straw and floor shavings every week and a half.
Make sure that the wire goes down about 6 inches (150 mm) under the coop so that predators cannot dig up into the coop.
You should also place a bowl of gritty sand in the chicken coop. The chickens need this sand to grind up and digest their food, as they have no teeth. [5] X Research source You can also give them a crushed oyster shell supplement from your local farm supply store to provide extra calcium for strong eggshells. [5] X Research source Leave the chicken feed in a durable chicken feeder and make sure to clean it regularly. You should also check the feed itself every other day to may sure it isn’t mouldy or wet. Remember to give the chickens access to plenty of fresh, clean water. Large waterers can be purchased which don’t need to be filled as often and heated waterers can be used in winter to prevent the water from freezing.
Hens will lay through the spring and summer months and into the fall, as long as they have 12 to 14 hours of daylight. In the fall, their egg production will dwindle, before increasing again the following spring. You can expect to collect eggs daily, or even twice a day. The larger the chicken, the larger your eggs will be. Although hens can lay as long as they live (8 to 10 years isn’t uncommon), they start producing fewer eggs after 3 to 5 years.
