Let’s Talk Chickens
Years ago, we visited a friend’s home in a suburb. How surprised I was to see a small flock of chickens roaming their backyard! I couldn’t believe my eyes, surely these farm animals were too much work for me. But, the thought of fresh eggs and colorful birds roaming my yard was much too enticing to ignore. Not long after that, we brought home our first little chicks. I was too scared to hold them and I had no clue how to care for them. After raising hundreds of birds, I can now attest that chickens are the easiest, cheapest, and most valuable animal we own. A few minutes a day is all anyone needs to own a nice flock of birds that will provide eggs, meat if you choose, manure for your garden, and endless entertainment.
A few things to consider:
Time: Time is needed each day to feed, provide fresh water, and collect eggs. The coop needs to be cleaned periodically. Depending on how the chickens are housed, they will need to be let into a run or yard in the morning and locked back up at night.
Space: Chickens do very well on small homesteads. Of course, the hens will be happier with the more space they have. A good rule of thumb is four square feet per bird in the coop if they have access to either a run or free-range. If they are going to be confined to a coop, 10 square feet is desirable.
Legality: Some towns do not allow homeowners to keep chickens or limit the amount one can have. Some restrict keeping a rooster due to noise. Check your local ordinances to learn if it’s legal to keep chickens in your area.
How we keep chickens
After considering the time, space, and legal requirements for raising chickens, it was a no-brainer. Here is how we do it:
Time: Chickens only take a few minutes a day to care for. We are able to leave town for a few days. How can we manage this? With the addition of an automatic coop door opener. This was by far the best purchase. This door is light-activated. It opens in the morning from the sun, and closes at dark. The chickens learned the routine very quickly, and we have never had a hen miss the door closing. This allows us the flexibility to leave for a weekend, and the chickens can continue with their normal routine, roaming the yard or a run, foraging.
For food and water when we are away, we purchased a large waterer that holds five gallons. This is plenty to keep our flock of 30 or so chickens hydrated for a few days. In winter, a heated waterer is necessary to keep the water from freezing. A large food container can hold several pounds of feed.
Space: Our current farm is 1 .5 acres. The chickens very happily roam our yard, searching for bugs and fertilizing our lawn. Their coop is an old shed that is 15ft x 20ft. We do have an attached chicken run, a fenced-in part of yard connected to the coop. Their door opens into their run, and a gate separates the run from the yard. I leave the gate open for them to free-range, or shut it if we do not feel like having chicken company on the porch that day. There are no restrictions on chickens in our area.
Do you think you have the time and space for chickens at your home? Now it’s time to get chickens! Learn about my favorite chicken breeds and where to buy chicks below.
