Kristen hails from Modesto, CA. She is self-employed, raises chickens in her backyard, and bakes her own bread.
Not too long ago, my boyfriend and I sat in our living room talking about how cool it would be to raise hens for eggs. We talked about it a lot over the course of several months, but it was always something we planned on doing later down the road—like, years from now.
The next thing I knew, we were walking out of the hardware store with four little baby chicks in our possession. Oops! It was time to do some serious research!
Boy, did I research! I spent several days reading blogs and talking with other people who raise their own chickens. Along with my research, we definitely learned some pretty hard lessons through trial and error.
Advice for New Backyard Farmers: What I Wish I'd Known
After about a year, our girls are thriving and popping out eggs on the daily! I've found that it's actually super easy to raise chickens. There are, however, a few things I wish I had known before I brought those chicas home that day. I'd like to share what I've learned with you!
- You probably don't need more than four chickens.
- . . . but don't get less than three.
- Your city probably has laws against backyard chickens.
- Chickens need more space than you imagine.
- Predators can be an issue.
- Hens can be loud.
- Chickens are messy and destructive.
- If they peck you, it can hurt!
- Chickens will eat anything.
- Research is crucial!
1. You Probably Don't Need More Than Four Chickens
We have four. My chickens each lay one egg per day. That's four eggs each day. That's 28 eggs per week. That's 112 eggs per month. Do you really eat that many eggs? I know we don't! We eat what we can, and share the rest with family and neighbors.
When we bought our chickens, we almost got six. We were told that "six is a good amount of chickens." In hindsight, I'm so glad we didn't! Six chickens would have produced 42 eggs per week, and there's just no way we could keep up with that. Also, we would have needed another chicken coop, as four already push the limits of a standard-sized coop.
2. . . . But Don't Get Less Than Three
Chickens do best in groups. The more, the merrier, really, but try to keep your headcount at three or more. Anything less than that and their natural flock hierarchies and behaviors are disrupted. They can get lonely and end up with some pretty unfavorable behavioral problems (like not laying eggs!).
3. Your City Probably Has Laws Against Backyard Chickens
Did you know that chickens are technically farm animals? I sure didn't. This means that when city ordinances are concerned, they are not treated like any of your other pets.
Before you bring chickens home, check your city ordinances to make sure you're following the rules. If you live outside of city limits, you should be fine, but if you live within the city (like me), you will be subject to certain rules and regulations.
My City's Regulations
For example, my city allows chickens, but only hens. No roosters are allowed (since roosters tend to be loud). No more than three hens are allowed, and the structure that they are housed in must be at least 40 feet from all surrounding houses. This means that they cannot be close to my house or my neighbors's houses.
Now, unfortunately for me, I had no idea that there were city regulations until long after I had purchased my hens. Obviously, since I have four, I am in violation of the three-hens-only rule. I am also in violation of the forty-foot rule since I keep their coop right against my house on the back patio.
Luckily, I live in a fairly small farm town. I have heard that the city only enforces the rules if they get complaints from neighbors. I make a point to give my neighbors free eggs with the hope that they won't complain about my chickens.
Please, learn from my mistakes! Check with your city before you get your chickens. That way you can make sure you are in compliance and won't risk any fines.
4. Chickens Need More Space Than You Imagine
I'm not exactly sure what breed my chickens are, but I do know they are much smaller than many full-grown chickens I've seen at feed stores. Still, trust me when I say they need more space than you think!
I purchased a coop online (from Wayfair) when my chickens were still really tiny. The coop was supposed to house up to six chickens, but now that my hens are full-grown, I can't imagine fitting six of them in there! Just the four of them are almost too close for comfort.
