Tips for Keeping Backyard Chickens for Beginners

Having a new flock of chickens can be a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, especially for beginners.

It takes years to learn the ins and outs of good chicken keeping.

If I could go back and start over, there would be a handful of things I wish I had known as a beginner.

These tips will help prevent confusion and heartache for the new chicken owner.

 

What You Need To Know Before Keeping Chickens

Have you finally decided to take the plunge into raising backyard chickens?

It’s a beautiful yet challenging experience, and many chicken owners can attest to that.

There are many things to consider, especially that these birds are quite sensitive and you only want what best for them.

Still, reaping the rewards after months of effort and commitment feels like a cherry on top!

Not to mention, you get to enjoy the delicious, organic eggs from your layers for your meals or for profit.

If this is your first time keeping chickens, here are a few tips and factors to consider before getting started:

Keep It Simple, Take It Slow

It can be almost too exciting when you go out to get your first chickens, but beginners (or the casual keeper) should strive for simplicity.

Don’t rush into it, because the mishmash you may create can take the fun out of poultry keeping.

Quite a few people have impulse-bought some chicks at the feed store, but then later realized they were strictly meat birds, would not lay many eggs and would die young.

Don’t make those kinds of mistakes!

Building your own coop is a great way to customize your setup, but you need to plan for the extra time and money.

A store-bought coop can also be an excellent choice.

After factoring in the time it takes to build, the waste of supplies, and the new tools you’ll likely need, a homemade one could end up being more expensive.

Do your research well in advance of bringing home your first birds.

If you have a brooder full of chicks and nowhere to put them, you might end up rushing things or cutting corners.

A well-thought-out setup will be easy to clean, and the inhabitants will be easy to care for.

Make a plan for a coop and run that are the appropriate size for the number of birds you want.

Most importantly, make sure the coop is easy to access and clean.

It’s best not to put it at a low point of your property where water collects and is close enough that you won’t dread making the trip in inclement weather.

Keep the Coop and Hens Dry

Many people don’t take this into consideration, but I feel that it’s one of the most important factors for poultry success.

Chicken coops and runs can get smelly, and that smell can travel!

You don’t want a bunch of angry neighbors if you live in a more urban area.

Also, no one wants to go sit out in the yard in the evening with the smell of chicken poop wafting over them.

One of the best ways to keep the smell down is to keep it dry!

If the rain saturates the run and mixes with spilled feed and feces, the smell will be horrendous.

The odor of a dry run will be a lot more manageable.

Clean chickens are also healthy chickens.

The chance of disease or parasites is greatly diminished by keeping their home neat and tidy.

Collect eggs at least once a day to avoid hens accidentally breaking eggs or worse – a rotten egg explosion.

They really do explode, and it’s worse than you think.

The coop should have decent ventilation to stay cool and dry, so make sure the one you buy or make takes this into consideration.

Ensure Coop Security

If you live in the city, you may feel like you are exempt from worrying about predators.

Unfortunately, animals like raccoons, opossums, dogs, cats, and hawks are all present, and would like to make a snack out of your birds.

You might skirt by for a while without any losses, but once the local wildlife learns they can get your chickens, they’ll keep coming back.

Plan on having a secure coop and cover all windows and vents with hardware cloth.

Make sure the doors and nest boxes can be latched and locked well enough to keep devious little raccoon hands at bay.

You should also be prepared to spray the coops for wasps seasonally and make sure there are no holes larger than ½”, otherwise you might find some snakes hanging out.

Runs should also have security that extends below the ground.

Some animals will dig under fences to get to the other side, but buried hardware cloth or a concrete foundation can stop them in their tracks.

If you’re not into making serious trenches in your yard, you can run hardware cloth from the run-out about a foot to discourage diggers.

Chickens should return to the coop at night, and it should be tightly locked.

A majority of predators come out at night, and by tucking everyone in, you can avoid losses.

ALSO READ: 21 Tips: Keeping Your Chickens Safe From Predators

Find Your Ideal Breed

Don’t pick chickens based only on looks!

If you have a family with small children, you should find a calm breed with a gentle disposition.

Some breeds or lines within breeds can be flighty, neurotic, or aggressive, which can ruin the appeal of even having backyard chickens.

You should also take your climate and space into consideration.

Some breeds are prone to frostbite or can’t tolerate high heat levels.

Some need a lot of room to be happy, while others are perfectly content to stay in a run.

Most people with backyard chickens want eggs, so make sure the breed you pick lays enough eggs of the correct size.

Some fancier, novelty breeds lay small eggs or lay very few eggs, so they would not be a good choice.

Stick to Pullets

Most chicks (and all hatching eggs) are sold straight run, which means you end up with roughly 50% hens and 50% roosters in the end.

With small numbers of birds, this can quickly become skewed in the worst possible ways.

I’ve got 90-100% cockerels from small groups of hatching eggs or straight-run chicks.

Once I ordered 15 chicks, and 10 ended up being male!

If you are starting off, make sure you read our guide on raising chicks to get your feet wet.

Roosters have more potential to be aggressive and can do quite a bit of damage. Most urban areas also ban roosters, because they crow.

They don’t just crow in the morning, either.

Hens do not need a rooster to lay eggs, and they would prefer not to have one if he’s a jerk.

If you buy all pullets (either sexed chicks or older birds), you don’t have to worry about a rooster attacking your kids or relentlessly chasing the hens.

You also don’t have to worry about what you’re going to do with all those extra boys!

Tips for Keeping Chickens

Now that you know what needs to be considered before getting chickens, you will need to research on the next step.

That is, how to take care of them in the best way possible!

The tips and guides below are well-researched methods and true-to-life experience and guidance from chicken owners themselves.

So, if you’re looking for the best tips for keeping chickens, there’s nowhere else to look but by reading below:

Feeding and Watering New Baby Chicks

Bringing home a box of peepers is one of the best feelings in the world.

Opening the box and seeing the new chicks bouncing around, stopping only to study you with their large inquisitive eyes, is nothing short of breath-taking.

Until the panic sets in…they need to eat now!

Hatchery chicks will most likely arrive a day or two after they have hatched.

They are dry and fluffy.

When they arrive at their new home, they need to eat and desperately need to be re-hydrated.

Some smart chicks will know what to do almost immediately, some have no idea, and some may be too weak to figure it out on their own.

To assist a chick in taking their first drink of water, I simply take them in my hand, hold them firmly but gently, and lightly dip the tip of their beak in the water— just the tip to wet their whistle.

I then watch them swallow awkwardly and set them back down.

That little bit of water is often enough to make them instinctively go for more.

To feed, I tap my finger on their food dish or at food on the bottom of their brooder.

Watching them rush to see what my finger is tapping on is amazing.

It’s as if my finger were a mother hen pecking at tasty ground treats.

It works like a charm every time!

Chickens Are Not for Chasing

Sometimes, a chicken needs to be handled to be moved or receive medical attention.

Chasing a chicken is not a productive way to get a hold of them, nor is it meant to entertain neighbors as mush as it usually does.

This is usually a lesson all new chicken owners learn quickly.

Chickens are wired to run…fast.

They are extremely swift and agile.

So, instead of chasing my chickens, I wait until dusk when they roost to make my move.

Chickens become almost lethargic and tired at night.

In most cases, a predator can pluck a chicken from its perch in the middle of the night with no issues.

This is a time to consider clipping their wings as well.

Protecting from Predators

Whether kept in confinement or free-range, chickens are at risk of attack from predators large and small.

One of the most effective ways of preventing attacks is to lock the chickens in their coop at night, even if they are free-range.

If this is not possible at the end of every day, automatic chicken coop doors lock and/or close on their own.

Chickens are intelligent and love to roost in the same place every night.

Like clockwork, they will come home around the same time at the end of the day (based on the season).

If there are aggressive predators, please check your local and federal laws before culling predators.

Some may be endangered or protected.

To Crow or Not to Crow

Roosters!

Yes, roosters, to some, are considered a pain. They can be noisy, and some can be mean.

But they are great for protecting their hens from aerial predators.

After a few years of losing hens to hawks, I decided to add a rooster to my flock, and I haven’t lost a hen to an aerial predator.

Not all towns allow roosters so it’s important to check the local ordinances before adding a roo.

I remember the first time my rooster signaled all of his hens to rush to the cover of the forest, I was at my kitchen table looking out the window.

Literally, minutes later there was a brown tailed hawk scanning for prey.

I still do not know how the rooster detected or sensed the hawk over the cover of the forest, but I have high respect for the diligent roosters who protect against predators.

Dust Baths Are Normal

It’s easy to think that a chicken taking a dust bath is distressed or hurt.

They wriggle and fluff about, and it almost looks like they are injured.

However, dust baths are good for chickens.

It helps them eliminate excess oils, preserve their feathers, and prevent mites and other unwanted hitchhikers.

Confined chickens should be provided with an area to take a dust bath.

They are completely happy with a pile of dirt from the garden.

Free-range chickens will find their particular spot, usually a beloved flower bed or landscaping mulch-like, at my place!

We are working on a solution to get them from returning so we can stop brooming our sidewalk.

Molting Happens Every Year

At first, a molting chicken looks like it could be sick or injured. However, it is something that each chicken goes through at least once a year.

Molting can be stressful for chickens, so they must have a place to stay safe and warm during this time.

You can also feed them additional protein to give them the energy they need to get through the stress of a long and embarrassing molt.

Choosing the Right Breed of Chicken

Most people want to add chickens to their homestead for the eggs or to be entertained by their delightful antics.

It is important to research chicken breeds rather than running to the feed store and grabbing whatever is in the water tank.

Some chickens lay more eggs than others.

Some are better suited for cold climates than others, and some are friendlier.

Other things to consider:

Meat or Eggs

Some birds are bred as meat birds and do not lay eggs often, if at all.

This breed was not meant to live a long life.

They grow very fast, and if left unprocessed, they often die due to heart conditions or the inability to carry their weight.

Color of Eggs

Various beautiful eggs range from white to light pink or blue to brown and chocolate.

Size of Chicken

Bantams are small chickens, which means they lay small eggs.

These little mini-me’s are best suited for people who may not have a lot of space to keep chickens.

Ornamental or Functional

Some chickens may lay very few eggs but are lovely to look at.

Chickens Lay Eggs Everywhere

Even the most inviting nesting boxes are no match for the warm, sunlit, just-out-of-reach nook under the porch.

Nothing is more frustrating than finding a clutch of old eggs in an area you can’t reach.

This often happens if chickens are free-range upon arrival or have been free-range for an extended period.

They have their preferences, so sometimes, you must retrain them to lay their eggs in a more accessible area.

To remind a hen that the nesting box, which was so thoughtfully created for her, is the best place for her to lay eggs, she should be confined with the nesting box for at least a week and then re-released.

She will most likely continue to return to her nesting box to lay her eggs.

Chickens are wonderful creatures of habit…stubborn but wonderfully predictable.

Want chicken breeds that lay lots of eggs? Check this out!

The Importance of Good Feeders and Founts

Unfortunately, chickens are messy little critters.

Throughout the brooding period and into adulthood, having the right containers keeps chickens clean and healthy.

Chickens scratch at the ground throughout their entire lives, which means they are also very messy in small areas.

Water founts or waterers will often accumulate shavings, droppings, and feed as the chicks peck, scratch, and carry on as chickens do.

A dirty fount or waterer is an excellent place for bacteria to grow, especially in brooder or humid weather.

Founts and feeders that restrict the amount of waste that enter the trays are ideal for chickens.

Also, it is wise to keep feeders off the ground, preferably raised or hanging.

This minor adjustment can keep chickens from making a huge mess and putting their health at risk.

We have a very in-depth guide on waterers/founts and feeders.

Stop the Egg-Pecking Please

While it sounds strange, chickens tend to eat their eggs.

It is frustrating to expect fresh eggs on the breakfast table, but none were collected from the coop.

Usually, a telltale sign of egg-eating is when production seemingly stops, and there are no signs of illness.

Egg-eating often starts when an egg cracks under the weight of a hen.

The hen becomes curious and pecks at the cracked egg, quickly realizing its deliciousness.

Unfortunately, the rest of the flock takes note and also wants to try the egg. From there, the problem spreads like wildfire.

It is like an epidemic and extremely frustrating.

The good news?

The egg-pecking can be cured!

First and foremost, ensuring the flock has the grit and calcium they need is of the utmost importance.

If the chickens don’t have what they need, they will seek the calcium they crave in their eggs.

Then, simply add a dummy egg. Usually, a porcelain egg, or golf ball, to the nesting boxes will be enough to deter egg eaters.

Pecking at the fake egg is uncomfortable and unproductive for the chickens, who will usually give it up after a while.

Need more help on this topic?

Check out our complete guide on egg-eating prevention.

Tips for Keeping Chickens: Before You Go…

These tips help keep chickens healthy and prevent early losses for beginner chicken owners.

Chickens can be confusing and stubborn at times, so understanding their quirks and needs early on will ensure many years of delicious eggs and humorous backyard antics— that hopefully don’t include a chase between a human and a chicken.

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