All About Chickens

Do I have enough room to raise chickens in my backyard?

The short answer: probably so! Chickens are relatively small birds, in turn requiring relatively little space. “You should plan to provide four square feet per chicken in the nesting coop (also called a henhouse), plus 10 square feet per chicken in their enclosed run,” says Country Living veterinarian Dr. Tricia Earley. For a flock of, say, six chickens, that translates to a 6′-by-4′ nesting coop plus a 6′-by-10′ run. (See below for more scoop on chicken coops.) In reality, the amount of room is rarely the deal breaker for backyard chickens. The bigger question is if they are permitted in your neighborhood. Before you get started, our experts advise checking with your homeowners’ association or municipality to confirm that it’s allowed. Surprisingly, many suburban and urban areas only have restrictions on the number of hens allowed or on the possession of roosters.

Are backyard chickens loud?

Though not as noisy as roosters, who actually crow at all hours of the day, hens aren’t always the silent type. “After they’ve laid their eggs, they will strut around and cackle,” explains but chicken expert and author Lisa Steele. “It’s thought they do this to lure predators away from their nest. But other than that, chickens aren’t terribly loud, and planting a row of tall bushes around the coop or erecting a solid fence can help alleviate much of the noise.”

Are chickens easy to raise?

countryfirsts chicken coop backyard chickens

Raising chickens is not hard, but Lisa says, “As with any pet or livestock, chickens are a serious time commitment and require daily attention.” But, again and again, owners say there’s also a “hen zen” that comes with keeping chickens. Part routine, part respite, starting and ending the day with some fresh air and labor can confer a kind of self-care. For a sample schedule of how much daily work will be involved, here’s Lisa’s round-the-cluck plan for tending your flock:

Morning: Let chickens out of their coop, giving access to the enclosed run. Give each a quick once-over, looking for bright eyes, red comb and wattles, steady gait, and shiny feathers—all signs of a healthy hen. Then supply fresh food and water, turn over and fluff coop bedding, and check for eggs.
Afternoon: Check for eggs again and give chickens their daily treat. (Optional.)
Sundown: Lock hens back inside their nesting coop to protect from predators. During the winter months, they’ll also appreciate scratch grains before bed because digesting them has a warming effect.
Once a week: Cleaning time! Take a moment to rake the bedding out of the coop and replace with fresh. Also scrub their feed and water dishes.

How many chickens should I start with?

“A good starter flock size is 5 or 6 hens,” says Lisa. Reason(s) being: you won’t need a coop much larger than a doghouse for this size flock, and, if something should befall one or two birds, there will still be enough to keep each other company. “Chickens definitely need companions,” adds Lisa, who also notes that you should be able to get about three dozen eggs a week from a group this size.

While your eggs may soon be homegrown, your chickens’ diet shouldn’t be. “A commercially prepared layer mash has been formulated by a poultry science nutritionist and will have the appropriate amount of calcium, calories, and protein to keep a hen healthy and ensure a good thick eggshell,” says veterinarian Dr. Victoria Drouet. While occasional treats are fine (mealworms or watermelon will get them clucking!), 90 percent of a chicken’s diet should come from store-bought goods. Plenty of fresh water is also vital and, because eggs are mostly composed of H20, directly tied to egg production. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar a few times a week to prevent bacteria.

How much does it cost to raise chickens?

Chickens’ needs are simple and somewhat inexpensive, especially when you factor in the return you see on those eggs! But they do require a small investment up front. Female chicks typically cost between $4 to $7 each. (You can get them for even less if you order an “assorted” flock instead of a specific breed.) A 50-pound bag of quality chicken feed costs approximately $25, which a flock of six will go through in about a month. Your biggest cost will be that coveted chicken coop, which can ring in for as little as $250 for a simple, sturdy DIY build (for quality on a budget, Lisa is a proponent of building your own coop over buying a lower-cost assemble-it-yourself coop kit) to upwards of $10,000 for a designer look. And just like any other beloved pet, don’t forget the occasional trip to the vet (find a listing of avian vets near you at tillysnest.com).

What are the best backyard chicken breeds?

illustrated grid of the best backyard chicken breeds

Illustrations by Melinda Josie

Araucana
Australorp
Buff Orpington
White Leghorn
Marans
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red
Silkie
Sussex

For more details, be sure to check out our guide to the best chicken breeds for backyard coops for breakdown of these top breeds by appearance, temperament, and egg production and color. (Hint: if you want those pretty blue eggs, the Araucana is the chicken breed for you!) Can’t make up your mind? Mixing different breeds in a single coop is no problem at all and will make your flock all the more alluring.

Where should I buy my chickens?

“Buying chicks online is a safe way to bring hens home,” says chicken expert and author Kathy Shea Mormino. But she advises to only purchase from a hatchery certified by the National Poultry Improvement Plan, such as Iowa’s Murray McMurray Hatchery. Local farm-supply stores, such as Tractor Supply Co., also often have chicks available seasonally, although usually with fewer breed varieties. Psst: Hens don’t start producing eggs until they are approximately 20 to 24 weeks old. If you don’t want to wait that long, consider a “started pullet,” which is a hen that’s 15 to 22 weeks old. Once accustomed to her new surroundings, she’ll begin laying eggs very soon.