Chickens can be raised anywhere they are legal, providing fresh eggs and valuable compost. They do not require fancy housing and they will eat pretty much anything. You won’t get rich raising a few hens, however. The cost of feeding and caring for your hens will cost about the same as buying grocery store eggs, in the long run, but there are other benefits.
Why Chickens?
|
Unlike cattle or pigs, chickens are easy to manage. They do not need a pasture or a barn and they make little demands on your time. In exchange for fresh water, clean bedding, and healthy food, hens will provide you with years of fresh eggs and compost at a moderate price.
There is simply nothing like walking out to your coop and collecting the freshest possible eggs. The yolks are a much deeper, richer color and the whites hold together better than store bought eggs. Some people say they taste the same as store bought eggs, while others (myself included) feel the taste of fresh eggs is significantly better. With our first egg, we did a side-by-side comparison and the fresh egg held its shape better and tasted richer than the store bought egg. |
One week-old chick
|
In addition to providing high protein eggs and nutrient-rich compost, raising hens reduces your carbon footprint. Store bought eggs involve the use of commercial barns, transportation, factory processing, storage, packaging, and advertising. You also control the level of chemicals in your family’s food supply, save money on watering, and reduce the amount of trash produced.
According to the US Composting Council, 20% of compostable materials were being diverted from landfills in 2013. That’s a big improvement from the 2% of 1990, but there’s no reason why 100% of compostable waste can’t be used to improve soil quality. Compost contains important nutrients and microorganisms that promote soil structure and plant health, as well as reducing the need for water. Most kitchen and landscape waste can be made available to hens. What they don’t eat will still be broken down into compostable materials that improve soil quality. Chicken manure contains the highest level of nitrogen of any animal manure and it makes the rapid composting process even faster.
So, what do chickens need? Chickens need a safe space, fresh water, healthy food, grit, and immunizations.
According to the US Composting Council, 20% of compostable materials were being diverted from landfills in 2013. That’s a big improvement from the 2% of 1990, but there’s no reason why 100% of compostable waste can’t be used to improve soil quality. Compost contains important nutrients and microorganisms that promote soil structure and plant health, as well as reducing the need for water. Most kitchen and landscape waste can be made available to hens. What they don’t eat will still be broken down into compostable materials that improve soil quality. Chicken manure contains the highest level of nitrogen of any animal manure and it makes the rapid composting process even faster.
So, what do chickens need? Chickens need a safe space, fresh water, healthy food, grit, and immunizations.
Getting Started With Chickens
|
The first thing you have to do before acquiring hens is to check the legal status in your area. Many urban and suburban municipalities have rules similar to San Jose, CA, where it is legal to have up to six hens without a permit, up to 12 hens with a permit. No roosters allowed. All it takes is a quick phone call to your local authorities.
If you live in the country, no one will care. If you live anywhere else, it won’t matter how cool your rooster looks, someone is going to want to kill him sooner than later and you’ll probably be happy to provide the barbecue sauce! Be sure to talk with neighbors ahead of time, because they will hear your hens and no one wants to live near a noisy, dirty chicken coop. Keeping the coop clean and surprising neighbors with occasional deliveries of free eggs will keep everyone happy. |
My Polish rooster 'Elvis'
|
All Cooped Up
|
Once you know your legal status and have cleared it with neighbors, it is time to prepare a space for your hens. You can have just a coop, where the hens stay all the time, or you can have a coop and a “run” that provides more space and sunshine during the day.
Commercially, chickens have been treated pretty poorly when it come to space. Hens raised on corporate farms often have nothing more than turning around room. By raising your own hens, you can change that. Also, the more space given to the hens, the less trouble there will be with things like cannibalism, egg eating, and digging out. Don’t bother wasting money on a fancy ready-made coop unless you love spending money. That doesn’t mean you can’t get creative, just realize that chickens are pretty close to lizards in their mental processes and they care far more for crickets and your zucchini plants than upscale housing. They do need a securable place to sleep, however. Rather than building something new for my hens, I transformed an old shed into a coop. Glassless window holes were covered with chicken wire, the roosting perch and some nesting boxes were made from scrap lumber, and I created a guillotine-style door that separates the coop from the run at night. Note: While it may be tempting to let your girls have free run of the backyard, keep in mind that chickens are messy and destructive. They can and will destroy your garden in short order. Also, I learned the hard way, you can’t herd chickens. Nesting boxes need to help your girls feel secure. Nesting boxes only need to be big enough for a hen to get into. It’s a good idea to have a lip on the lower open side to keep bedding in place and to prevent eggs from rolling out. (For some unknown reason, hens will sometimes push another hen’s egg out of the nesting box and onto the floor, so keep the straw or pine shavings on the floor thick enough to prevent breakage. It also makes cleaning the coop easier.) There are many simple nest box designs available online. Hens will choose one or two nesting boxes in which to lay their eggs, no matter how many you provide - they will also choose one or two nesting boxes to poop in, but that makes cleaning the coop easier! |
Pre-coop storage shed
Me and my new chicken coop!
Nesting boxes for the girls
|
Chicken Hawks
A view of the chicken run
|
Chickens are extremely vulnerable to nighttime hunters. This is especially true with raccoons, foxes, coyotes, large rats, opossums, dogs and even a few pumped up kitties, so it is important that the girls are well protected. Naturally, at night, hens will look to roost up, away from predators, so you need to provide a roosting perch that is up high. I used the trunk from an old Christmas tree mounted on shelving brackets about 4’ off the ground, inside the coop. Ideally, the chicken run will be fenced on all sides, to prevent escape and to protect against predators. This is not always an option and it does increase costs.
|
My hens’ run is the space between the side of my house and the fence that separates our property from the house next door. The fence blocks the street end and I built an above ground “tunnel” to connect the run to the coop, allowing free access to both areas during the day. You can be as creative as you want in constructing your hens’ abode. Many people use netting on top to deter hawks and to prevent escape. I didn’t at first because the fence is 8’ tall and the run is only 5’ wide. Most hawks won’t feel comfortable flying into such an enclosed space, but there are no guarantees!
Eventually, I designed a system that hinges overhead wire panels to the fence. The panels are held up by removable posts. If we need to wash windows or paint the house, we simply remove the posts, fold down the overhead panels, and do our chores. This method keeps predators out and exuberant hens in.
Eventually, I designed a system that hinges overhead wire panels to the fence. The panels are held up by removable posts. If we need to wash windows or paint the house, we simply remove the posts, fold down the overhead panels, and do our chores. This method keeps predators out and exuberant hens in.
|
Note: Some hens are more coordinated than others, so be sure to provide a ramp for them to get up to the roosting perch and to the nesting boxes. I have one “chicken” chicken, Crew Cut, who needs to be lifted down off the roosting perch each morning, unless we want to hear her fuss and complain for two hours while her roost-mates are already outside scratching for goodies. She’s just not coordinated enough to fly down and she can’t quite seem to figure out the ramp. What are you gonna do?
|
Hens gathering in the tunnel that connects the coop to the run
|
Hydrate Those Hens!
|
Before acquiring your flock, you will need to decide on and install a watering system. Water is critical to healthy hens and checking the water everyday can
be a pain, especially when you are not at home. While you can certainly put out a shallow pan of water, your hens will fill it with mud and poop faster than you can fill it. Inexpensive watering nipples can be attached to inverted plastic bottles, but these need frequent filling. The most reliable way to ensure that your hens always have access to fresh, clean water is to install a chicken drinking fountain (right). This system costs approximately $100 and is worth every penny. The chicken fountain is mounted to a wall or fence and attached to a lead- free garden hose. It never runs out and only rarely needs any sort of cleaning or maintenance. NEVER LET YOUR CHICKENS GO WITHOUT WATER |
Chicken drinking fountains make watering hens easy
|
Stocking The Larder
Stock up on food, a food dispenser (galvanized metal is your best bet), and grit before your hens arrive. Chickens use oyster shell, crushed egg shells, and grit in their gizzard to pulverize food into digestible bits. While they will get some grit as they scratch in the dirt, they will be much healthier with a ready supply of supplemented grit.
When chicks are young, they should have free access to chick mash. Once they start laying, you will want to feed them laying mash or laying pellets. I use and recommend organic feed. Chickens also enjoy a wide variety of table, garden and yard scraps. They will eat pretty much anything, but rhubarb leaves should be thrown out as they are toxic.
When chicks are young, they should have free access to chick mash. Once they start laying, you will want to feed them laying mash or laying pellets. I use and recommend organic feed. Chickens also enjoy a wide variety of table, garden and yard scraps. They will eat pretty much anything, but rhubarb leaves should be thrown out as they are toxic.
Decisions, Decisions
Now you are ready to decide on chicks or hens. It is surprisingly easy to find adult hens at little or no cost. Local community gardens are often the unwilling recipients of abandoned chickens. Generally they are happy to let you have whatever you can catch, just be sure to ask first. The downsides of adult hens from questionable sources are age and illness. Unless you are a veterinarian with a lab, you can’t be sure the hens are healthy. Commercially raised layers are normally culled (killed or kicked out) at two years of age, having been pushed to maximum production with lights that extend daylight hours. Most hens produce significantly less eggs after 2-3 years of age. This can make acquiring adult birds a bit of a gamble.
It is far safer to buy day-old chicks from a reputable seller. These chicks are guaranteed to be healthy and vaccinated against common diseases. Chickens are very susceptible to Marek's Disease, a highly contagious respiratory virus with 100% mortality and Coccidiosis, a common, rapidly reproducing parasite that eats the intestinal walls of poultry. Both of these immunizations are acceptable in organic production and an excellent way to prevent your hens from suffering.
You can also adopt hens from organizations, such as Clorofil, who rescue hens from horrible conditions and bring them back to good health. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
It is far safer to buy day-old chicks from a reputable seller. These chicks are guaranteed to be healthy and vaccinated against common diseases. Chickens are very susceptible to Marek's Disease, a highly contagious respiratory virus with 100% mortality and Coccidiosis, a common, rapidly reproducing parasite that eats the intestinal walls of poultry. Both of these immunizations are acceptable in organic production and an excellent way to prevent your hens from suffering.
You can also adopt hens from organizations, such as Clorofil, who rescue hens from horrible conditions and bring them back to good health. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
Note: All chickens can carry Salmonella. It doesn’t hurt them, but you don’t want it. Be sure to wash your hands after handling your hens or cleaning the coop. Just sayin’...
Caring For Young Chicks
|
If you purchase day-old chicks, it will be up to you to play mother hen to the little darlings. This means keeping them warm and out of drafts. Just imagine hanging out under a giant broody hen for a couple of months. For my mail-order chicks, I constructed a 4’ cube out of scrap lumber and chicken wire and surrounded it with a cardboard barrier. I then lined the floor with several layers of newspaper and added some grass clippings. Until the chicks learn to feed themselves properly, it is a good idea to keep bedding to a minimum. Do not use cedar or treated wood chips or sawdust with young chicks. Sawdust is too small and the chicks may eat it by mistake. As the newspaper becomes soiled, simply pull up the top couple of layers and add them to your compost pile. After 3 or 4 days, add more bedding.
|
One week old chicks on their first outing!
|
Day old chicks under a heat lamp
|
A heat lamp is very useful in keeping the chicks warm. Hang the heat lamp approximately 18” from the floor. For the first week, temperatures should be 90-95 degrees. The temperature can then be reduced by 5 degrees each week until you hit 70 degrees. Red colored bulbs have been shown to cause less pecking than white bulbs, but be sure to provide light during the day.
For the first 8 weeks, commercial chick starter is the best nutrition available. Fill the galvanized metal feeder (above, on the left) and sprinkle chick starter on the floor of the enclosure. After a few days, you can “salt” their floor food with baby grit (available at feed stores and most pet food stores). Don’t offer too much or they may fill up on grit instead of food. |
If you are using a shallow pan for watering, it is crucial that you dip their beak into the water before releasing them into their new home. If you opt for inverted plastic bottles with nipples, hold each chick to the nipple and help them get the first taste of water before you release them. Most poultry suppliers will include a packet of vitamins and electrolytes that should be added to the water. You can also add 3 tablespoons of sugar to the water for the first couple of days to give the chicks an extra boost.
The Daily Routine
Chickens are creatures of habit and they don’t like surprises. On days when I use power tools, egg laying is significantly lower or nonexistent. Before you begin, you must understand that raising hens is a time commitment. While they may not care if you ever visit with them, they do need daily attention. You will also want to collect eggs daily. Eggs left uncollected are vulnerable to jealous hens, ill-placed feet, and potty splats. This should only take 10 minutes out of your day.
Note: Some people create entire wardrobes for their hens, providing them with bustles, bonnets and bibs, but most hens prefer being left to their coop-mates. The decision to treat your hens like pets or livestock is between you and your hens. Too much disturbance can and will interrupt egg-laying. To avoid Salmonella poisoning, do not kiss your hens (CDC).
Chickens are early risers. If you’re not, you may want to design an automatic coop door opener to the run or completely enclose their space securely. As a matter of routine, be sure to check food and water daily. Hungry or dehydrated chickens are brutal toward one another. You don’t want to see it.
At day’s end, your girls will contentedly put themselves to bed just before sundown. If the space is not completely enclosed, you will need to lock them in. Neglecting this task can result in a predator attack, which you do not want to see. It’s not worth the risk to your girls or the nightmarish mess you will ultimately face. It’s a good idea to have a backup plan (or two) in place ahead of time. Who will care for your hens while you are on vacation? You can always pay your helpers in fresh eggs!
Note: Some people create entire wardrobes for their hens, providing them with bustles, bonnets and bibs, but most hens prefer being left to their coop-mates. The decision to treat your hens like pets or livestock is between you and your hens. Too much disturbance can and will interrupt egg-laying. To avoid Salmonella poisoning, do not kiss your hens (CDC).
Chickens are early risers. If you’re not, you may want to design an automatic coop door opener to the run or completely enclose their space securely. As a matter of routine, be sure to check food and water daily. Hungry or dehydrated chickens are brutal toward one another. You don’t want to see it.
At day’s end, your girls will contentedly put themselves to bed just before sundown. If the space is not completely enclosed, you will need to lock them in. Neglecting this task can result in a predator attack, which you do not want to see. It’s not worth the risk to your girls or the nightmarish mess you will ultimately face. It’s a good idea to have a backup plan (or two) in place ahead of time. Who will care for your hens while you are on vacation? You can always pay your helpers in fresh eggs!
Keeping' It Clean
The more often you pick up soiled bedding (straw or pine shavings), the nicer your coop will smell and the more your neighbors will forgive the occasional early morning squawk or joyous cacophony.
When I go in the coop to collect eggs, I bring an egg basket, a bucket and my garden claw. The hens are usually outside because I toss a treat of broccoli leaves, or a handful of wild bird seed or laying pellets into the run before entering the coop. I use the claw to scoop soiled bedding into the bucket, which I then throw into the run for further scratching and pecking fun for the hens. Yes, they’re weird that way.
Periodically, it is a good idea to spend an hour and completely empty the coop of all bedding materials and sweep out all the dust and dander that have collected. This helps prevent respiratory problems for you and your hens. Take my word for it, you’ll want to wear goggles and a bandana across your face for this job. Personally, I dump all this into the chicken run for the hens to scratch around in and for later addition to the compost pile.
When I go in the coop to collect eggs, I bring an egg basket, a bucket and my garden claw. The hens are usually outside because I toss a treat of broccoli leaves, or a handful of wild bird seed or laying pellets into the run before entering the coop. I use the claw to scoop soiled bedding into the bucket, which I then throw into the run for further scratching and pecking fun for the hens. Yes, they’re weird that way.
Periodically, it is a good idea to spend an hour and completely empty the coop of all bedding materials and sweep out all the dust and dander that have collected. This helps prevent respiratory problems for you and your hens. Take my word for it, you’ll want to wear goggles and a bandana across your face for this job. Personally, I dump all this into the chicken run for the hens to scratch around in and for later addition to the compost pile.
Egg Management
|
Nothing beats the excitement of discovering your very first egg! It simply feels amazing! (Tastes pretty darned good, too!)
Hens are born carrying all the eggs they will ever lay. That is why a rooster is not needed to get eggs. Now, if you want fertile eggs, well, you’ll just need to move to the country and get yourself a rooster. Most municipalities forbid roosters and with good reason. They are very noisy, and not just in the morning. Hens are called pullets for their first year or until they start laying eggs. Most breeds start laying eggs at 20 weeks of age. Some breeds take longer to get started. Depending upon the breed, food and water supply, personality, light levels, and external noises, eggs will be produced anywhere from once a day to once a week. |
The first egg is very exciting!
|
The average egg takes 27 hours to reach lay-able status. When deciding how many hens to raise, it is a good idea to be realistic. Six standard breed laying hens can be expected to produce well over two dozen eggs a week in the summer. That turns out to be a lot of eggs!
Eggs are naturally protected with a cuticle that keeps out bacteria, including salmonella, for weeks or even months. If eggs are dirty, they can be washed, but then they must be refrigerated. Once refrigerated, the eggs should be kept that way. Bringing cold eggs out of the refrigerator into a warm room causes condensation and sweating that can wash off the protective cuticle. It is a good idea to wash your eggs just before using. Since Salmonella can occur within the egg, the CDC recommends cooking to a temperature of at least 160°F (71°C). Again, be sure to wash your hands after handling your hens, their bedding, or their eggs.
You will also need to decide what to do with a hen who no longer lays eggs. Will you let her live out her years in the coop or will you toss her in the stock pot? It’s a personal decision.
Eggs are naturally protected with a cuticle that keeps out bacteria, including salmonella, for weeks or even months. If eggs are dirty, they can be washed, but then they must be refrigerated. Once refrigerated, the eggs should be kept that way. Bringing cold eggs out of the refrigerator into a warm room causes condensation and sweating that can wash off the protective cuticle. It is a good idea to wash your eggs just before using. Since Salmonella can occur within the egg, the CDC recommends cooking to a temperature of at least 160°F (71°C). Again, be sure to wash your hands after handling your hens, their bedding, or their eggs.
You will also need to decide what to do with a hen who no longer lays eggs. Will you let her live out her years in the coop or will you toss her in the stock pot? It’s a personal decision.
Flying The Coop
Most hens won’t bother trying to escape if they have enough room, food, water and dirt to scratch in. If you have one or two that keep flying the coop, you can clip their wings. Clipping wings is like clipping fingernails. It does not hurt the hen and it is not permanent. Unlike pinioning, which is the surgical removal of part of the wing, clipping is simply a matter of trimming back the biggest (primary) feathers on only one wing. If they try to fly, they will be off balance and unable to get enough lift to get over a decent fence. To clip a hen’s wing, get a friend to help or tuck the hen under your arm and extend one wing. Using sharp shears, trim the biggest feathers (primaries) back in line with the next set of shorter feathers. That’s it!
Composting 101
The basic rule of thumb for composting is: 50% green + 50% brown = healthy soil
Some people are surprised to learn that “green” material includes plant material that has already dried out, but only if it was cut off the plant while still green. Kitchen waste and yard waste make excellent additions to your compost pile, but chickens make the job even easier.
Whether you use a bin, a pile or one of those fancy money-wasters, composting is simply the method by which plant material breaks down into nutrients available for other plants to use. By allowing your hens to begin the process (and reduce your feed bill), you will keep the hens entertained and speed the breakdown process.
In addition to soiled bedding, I toss all my kitchen and yard waste into the chicken run (sans rhubarb leaves). The hens eat what they want and scratch up everything else. As the food passes through their digestive system, it gets super-charged with nitrogen. While fresh chicken manure will burn your plants, you can harness this valuable resource by aging the material from your run.
Every couple of months, I remove everything from the chicken run and place it in a pile at least 3’ deep. (Afterwards, I dump everything from the coop into the run and add fresh bedding to the nesting boxes and coop floor.) Next, I water the compost pile enough to be moist, but not soaked, and cover it with a tarp. You can help the process along by turning the pile every few days and watering as needed. In a couple of months, you will have some excellent aged compost/mulch to add to your garden.
If you place a thick layer of your aged bedding and other debris on top of the soil, it is called mulch. Mulch reduces the number of weeds that come up and cuts the amount of water needed by your garden. If you dig the aged bedding in, it is called compost. Compost greatly improves your soil, feeding your plants with a variety of yummy nutrients. It’s a win-win either way!
Some people are surprised to learn that “green” material includes plant material that has already dried out, but only if it was cut off the plant while still green. Kitchen waste and yard waste make excellent additions to your compost pile, but chickens make the job even easier.
Whether you use a bin, a pile or one of those fancy money-wasters, composting is simply the method by which plant material breaks down into nutrients available for other plants to use. By allowing your hens to begin the process (and reduce your feed bill), you will keep the hens entertained and speed the breakdown process.
In addition to soiled bedding, I toss all my kitchen and yard waste into the chicken run (sans rhubarb leaves). The hens eat what they want and scratch up everything else. As the food passes through their digestive system, it gets super-charged with nitrogen. While fresh chicken manure will burn your plants, you can harness this valuable resource by aging the material from your run.
Every couple of months, I remove everything from the chicken run and place it in a pile at least 3’ deep. (Afterwards, I dump everything from the coop into the run and add fresh bedding to the nesting boxes and coop floor.) Next, I water the compost pile enough to be moist, but not soaked, and cover it with a tarp. You can help the process along by turning the pile every few days and watering as needed. In a couple of months, you will have some excellent aged compost/mulch to add to your garden.
If you place a thick layer of your aged bedding and other debris on top of the soil, it is called mulch. Mulch reduces the number of weeds that come up and cuts the amount of water needed by your garden. If you dig the aged bedding in, it is called compost. Compost greatly improves your soil, feeding your plants with a variety of yummy nutrients. It’s a win-win either way!
The Cluck Stops Here
So, if it is legal where you live, you can create a secure space for your hens that includes fresh water, healthy food, grit, nesting boxes and a roosting perch in exchange for delicious fresh eggs and amazing compost!