There is nothing that says “I am a homesteader” more than having chickens in your back yard. Chickens are like the holy grail for anyone who is trying to be more self-sufficient. The chicken movement is strong and everyone seems to be jumping on it. If you are thinking about getting chickens there are a few tips I have for you that will help make your new adventure a success!
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Research Best Breeds for Your Needs
Did you know that there at are hundreds of different kinds of chicken breeds? It can get overwhelming trying to figure out which breed is right for you. So before you just go out on a whim and buy any old random breed there are a few things you should consider. First and foremost, are you looking for meat birds or egg laying birds? Yes there is a huge difference! If you buy meat birds thinking you are going to wake up to fresh eggs for breakfast every morning you might be a bit disappointed. If you are looking for chickens that lay eggs make sure you look for ones called “layers” or “Dual Breeds”. You can check out my Top 5 Best Chickens for Eggs here. Different chicken breeds have different average egg production, temperament, broody tenancies, loudness, etc. The list is endless. The best thing you can do is research so you get the chickens that best fits your needs.
Start With Chicks, Not Eggs
The thought of seeing these cute little chicks crack open their shells can be exciting. While it is an amazing thing to witness, it is always good to start off with chicks that have already hatched. Keeping an incubator at the right temp at all times is not a beginners task and it can be upsetting if the baby chicks never hatch. By starting off with chicks that come from a reputable hatchery, you have a better chance at keeping them happy and healthy.
Buy Supplies BEFORE you buy Chickens
I was so guilty of this when we bought our first chickens. We went to a local feed shop 2 days after moving to our farm to get dog food and came out with 15 chicks! We had to buy everything on the spot and we are not properly prepared! Make sure you have the essentials like feeder and waterer , cage to keep them safe, a heat lamp to keep them warm, bedding and food. Once you have the essentials, you will be ready to buy your first chicks!
Plan Out Your Coop Location
Planning out where your chicken coop will be on your property is really important. Chickens need to have access to plenty of direct sunlight but also have a place they can be in shade, especially on a hot summer day. It is my preference to be able to see my chickens from my house. Our coops are positions perfectly where I can look out my back door and check on my chickens without leaving the house. It is also a good idea to make sure the coop is close to a water source or have a hose that reaches the coop with no problem. This will really come in handy when you have to refill their water or you are cleaning out the coop.
Coop Ideas
This is where a lot of people get stuck. When I first started looking at coop ideas a was amazed at the different types of coops you can get. So many extravagant, palace looking mini estates that cost more than my own house! The truth is that chickens don’t require anything fancy. As long as they have a place that can protect them from predators as they sleep, that is all they need. You can make your own or buy a kit that you will only have to assemble. Whatever you choose please remember that your chickens will not care if it’s fancy. They only have two things on their minds: “Find the bug” and “It’s time to lay an egg!”.
Chicken Feed
Everyone has their own opinion on what type of feed is the best. There are three main different types of feed: Starter, Grower and Layer. Starter feed is for baby chicks. They stay on starter feed until about 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, you should move your chicks to a Grower feed. They should stay on grower feed until they start to lay. Once the chickens start laying you can move them to Layer feed. There are tons of different brands our there don’t get caught up too much on the chicken feed. Being as organic as possible is important to us, so we feed our chickens organic, Non-GMO feed. The type of feed you buy is completely personal preference.
Coop Bedding
There are so many different choices when it comes to choosing the right bedding for your chickens. I personally buy shredded pine shavings for our coop. It does a great job of keeping oder under control and the chickens love digging through it when you put a fresh bed down in their coop!
Discourage Predators
Repeat after me: “Everything wants to eat my chickens”. Now say that 100 times or until it sinks in. Hawks, owls, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, your neighbors dog, the scarecrow in your garden…ok maybe not that but it wouldn’t surprise me if it came to life and tried. Chickens taste good and most animals know this. I have not met a chicken owner who has not had at least one chicken either killed or really hurt but a predator. Please understand that you will need to be prepared for this but the great news is that you can do a few things that can discourage predators from terrorizing your flock. Making sure that their coop is secure with no way for any animal to get in is the number one way to keep your chickens safe. If you free range, it can be a bit more difficult to keep them safe at all times. One way to keep your free range chickens safe is added geese to your homestead. Surprisingly enough, as soon as we added our two geese to our poultry flock, we have never had another fox or hawk attack.
To Free Rang or Not To Free Range
Oh that is the famous question. I my opinion, if you have the space to free range, DO IT! Your chickens will be much more healthier and happier when then can forage around looking for yummy bugs and grass. You do not have to free range all day either. I know many working families who let their chickens out when they get home from work every day. That way they have a few hours every day to free range. The great thing is that once you have trained your chickens that the coop is home and it is safe, they walk themselves back into the coop every evening as the sun starts going down. We never have to go chasing after chickens in the evenings. They always know where to go.
On another note on free ranging, if you have a garden, they will destroy it. That yummy lettuce you have been dying to try all season will be down to the roots if you let the chickens in your garden. It is always a great idea to have a little fence around your garden so they can’t get in.
Don’t Over Complicate
My chickens are the most low-maintenance animal we have at the farm. As long as they have food and water they are happy little buggers. One of my favorite chickens keeping books is Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens…Naturally
Making the decision to add chickens to your back yard or homestead is exciting and is something that many people dream about! It absolutely was a game changer for our homestead. As long as you come prepared by doing your research you will be sure to a happy and healthy flock.
Until Next Time!
Much Love,
Eva
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