Have you always dreamed of having your own flock of backyard chickens? Maybe you live within city limits and think have keeping backyard chickens is out of the question? It’s true that many cities don’t allow backyard chickens or other farm animals but there are many cities which do allow the keeping of urban chickens. If you are lucky, you may find your city does allow backyard chickens.
Backyard Chicken Regulations
While many cities do allow the keeping of hens (female chickens) most do not allow the keeping of roosters (male chickens). Even the nicest and most well behaved roosters are know to crow at all times of the day and night. Before you go out and get hens or order chicks online, make sure your city does allow the keeping of backyard chickens. You don’t want to be breaking in laws.
If your city allows chickens as backyard pets, you need to figure out what you want to keep backyard chickens for – companionship, eggs, or meat. You will likely find, you really will not save any money on eggs, if you are having to buy layer feed for your hens. People think you can save a bunch of money on eggs by keeping backyard chickens but this simply isn’t true. Chickens need to eat every day. Hen’s love table scraps and free ranging in the backyard but you will still need to purchase a layer feed for them.
What Do Backyard Chickens Require?
If you have decided to take the plunge and get your own flock of backyard chickens, you will need to get ready to bring them home. Your hens will need a chicken coop, even if you are going to let your hens have the run of the backyard, they will still need a place to sleep safely (a roost), nesting boxes, water access and or course feed. Definitely put some thought into the chicken coop design. Little details can make all the difference. If you live in a colder climate, you will need to also provide a warm safe place for your hens out of the elements.
Spacing is an important consideration when designing your backyard chicken coop plans. Chickens should have 2′ to 3′ per bird minimum, more space is even better. Adequate spacing helps prevents over crowded conditions, the spread of chicken illnesses, and gives weaker or less dominant chickens a chance to run away from the bully hens. When building the chicken coop, you should also include an attached outdoor yard. Having a yard, will give your urban chickens more room and will allow the girls to get more sunlight. Location is another thing to consider. Where will you be putting your hens? You should choose a spot which will not get flooded during heavy rains and an area which gets a lot of sunlight. Locating your hens in a shady spot will reduce the amount of eggs they will lay.
Cold Climates and Backyard Chickens
Living in colder areas, you will need to insulate your hen house so your backyard chickens will stay warm in the worst of weather. On the flip side if you live in a region where the summers are especially hot, you will need to provide your flock with adequate shade.
Ventilation is another concern for backyard chickens. Chickens do not pee, they only poop and their poop is very high in ammonia. Fumes can get intense if the coop isn’t properly ventilated. This could cause your backyard chickens to fall ill.