How to Raise Backyard Chickens

Have you thought about getting chickens but don’t know where to start? In this post, you will learn the beginner’s guide to chicken keeping.

Chickens can be a great addition to your backyard or homestead. Their eggs provide a source of protein, they eat many pests, like ticks, and their droppings are great for composting.

They can also make fun pets when you have a sweet and docile breed, like my Barred Plymouth Rocks. I enjoy hanging out in my backyard with my chickens and so will you!

This post is about raising adult chickens; a post on how to raise baby chicks is coming soon!

What You Need to Raise Healthy Chickens

Shelter, safety, food, water, and first aid are basic things chickens need to be raised successfully. Then, you can add in things like cleaning, a dust bath, treats, boredom busters, and more.

There is work that goes into chicken keeping. They must be fed, protected, and treated for illnesses or injuries. Read on to learn how to keep a healthy and happy flock.

Providing Shelter for Your Chickens

A safe shelter for your chickens is crucial in keeping them alive. Without one, they risk being attacked at night by predators. This will be a coop in which they will sleep at night and lay their eggs in a nesting box during the day.

You can either build your own inexpensive coop and nesting boxes using plans found online or buy one premade from Tractor Supply or a local builder.

There was already a chicken coop at our house when we bought it, which saved us a lot of time and money than building one ourselves. We did have to fix a few things on it but it has kept our chickens safe from predators and bad weather.

You’ll need to size your coop for the number of chickens you want. There needs to be about four sq. ft. per chicken. For instance, six chickens will need a coop that is around 24 sq. ft., and twenty chickens will need one around 120 sq. ft. They will need around 8 sq. ft. per chicken for run space, which is a protective outdoor enclosure.

There must also be enough nesting boxes for how many chickens you have. One nesting box for every four chickens is sufficient. For instance, three boxes would be enough for twelve chickens.

The coop must be well-ventilated to decrease the risk of disease and illness. This will also help them stay cooler on hot summer nights.

Recently, we built a mobile coop with the plans we bought from Green Willow Homestead. This way the chickens can have fresh grass on days when they cannot be out of the run.

We repurposed used materials so we had to tweak the plans for our coop but it turned out great for our needs. It also saved us a lot of money because we only had to pay for the wheels!

Protecting Your Flock

Make sure no large holes are in the coop to prevent small predators like minks from getting in at night. You can just add hardware cloth to keep things out and it would help with more ventilation.

I have a run made with chicken wire for my chickens to keep them safe during the day when I’m not home. When I am home they are allowed free range in my fenced-in backyard.

However, I only let them out after 2:00 p.m., when the risk of a hawk attack is lower. Hawks usually hunt in the morning so letting them out later makes it much safer for your flock. My dog is also out with them for added protection. She loves her chickens!

We dug a trench around the run of our old coop and added chicken wire before filling it with dirt. This can prevent predators from digging their way under the run.

Feeding Your Chickens

Keeping your flock healthy requires proper nutrition from good quality feed. Since I have only laying hens, their feed is specifically made for their needs. I use the Purina Layena Pellets Layer Poultry Feed.

It’s a complete feed with oyster shells to help with egg laying. I would like to try an organic feed but this feed works great for my chickens and my budget for now.

Your chickens will also need to eat grit, which helps them break down their feed so it can be digested properly. Add this to their feed or offer it on its own.

I give my chickens treats like sunflower seeds, herbs, mealworms, oats, squash, watermelon, strawberries, and leafy greens like kale and Swiss chard.

There are many snacks you can give chickens from your garden! Learn how to start seeds and start growing a garden today!

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Chickens need plenty of fresh, clean water throughout the day. During the summer, I like to add ice cubes and mint. The mint is thought to help lower their body temperature naturally. I also add apple cider vinegar or an electrolyte supplement powder to hydrate them on the hottest days.

Summers in Tennessee can be very hot and humid, so I do what I can to keep my flock from overheating. I even set a box fan outside the run and they love to sit in front of it to cool off.

Chicken Health and First-Aid

It’s important to keep first aid products on hand for your chickens. They can become sick or get injured more easily than you think. A few items I own are Vet RX, Veterycin, and Apple Cider Vinegar.

I use the Vet RX as a preventative for various illnesses and as a treatment for respiratory issues. It can also be used to treat scaly leg and eye worms. I add it to the water to make it easier to give to my flock.

I add Apple Cider Vinegar to the water daily. It is known to help keep the chickens hydrated, aids in digestion, and can boost the immune system. Veteycin can help treat wounds and skin irritations.

I also give my chickens herbs as a preventative for many health issues. Chickens need to take dust baths, which can prevent mites and lice. The dust bath can be as simple as plain dirt or a mix of dirt with ash, sand, and diatomaceous earth.

Keeping the Coop Clean

Another way to keep your chickens healthy is to keep their coop and run clean. I deep clean every few months unless it needs it sooner, and I light clean every few weeks or sooner if needed.

The light cleaning consists of removing any heavily soiled straw from the coop and nesting boxes and replacing it with new straw. I wear a mask or face covering when cleaning the coop to prevent inhaling any dust.

Make sure to clean the water bowls at this time so they can have clean water. I will spray a DIY peppermint deodorizing spray to help deter pests and give the coop a nice smell.

I will remove more soiled straw from the coop and nesting boxes. Then I sprinkle an odor refresher on the coop floor before adding new straw at the monthly cleans.

I kind of use the deep bedding method, but I like to remove the heavily soiled straw to help with the smell and prevent respiratory issues in my chickens.

How to Raise Backyard Chickens

There you have it, the beginner’s guide to chicken keeping! I hope this post helps if you are just starting with chickens or thinking about it. This post will be updated over time.

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