How to get started raising backyard chickens

Love a perfectly boiled egg but full of simmering rage thinking about the cost of a fresh dozen? The solution might be to share your property with some treasured, feathered friends, but there’s a lot to consider before you set up your own egg production line. If you have the space and the inclination to raise your own chickens, that’s a good start … but only a start. It is possible, however, and not as daunting as you might think.

“Chickens are surprisingly low maintenance … until they’re not,” writes Anne Hinman of the Chicken Coop Company on their official blog. “While they don’t need constant attention, they do need a few daily and weekly chores to keep them happy, healthy, and laying. And the truth is, the best way to figure out what you’re willing to do — and how to make it easier — is by doing it.”

Fresh eggs sound great, but what else do you need to care for backyard chickens. Image: Adobe Stock

And to get started, first make sure it’s all legal. Check your local town ordinances to see if there are any restrictions in your neighborhood on raising chickens and, if so, if there are any regulations as to how many you are allowed to keep.

After that, you’ll want to assess your property to judge what size coop or containment area you’ll be able to safely and comfortably set up. A good rule of thumb is that the area must have space for a full-sized coop (big enough for you to stand in to retrieve eggs and shovel manure) or a henhouse (which can be smaller). The area has to hold a feeder and water containers, a roosting area, and a nest box for every three hens. And the structure has to be sturdy and protected enough to ward off predators.

According to the University of Missouri Extension, one medium-sized chicken needs at least 3 square feet of floor space inside the coop and 8-10 square feet outdoors. Since overcrowding can lead to disease, the more space you can give your chickens, the healthier they will be.

You also have to factor in cost. Of course,…