If you’ve ever dreamed of gathering fresh eggs from your backyard, raising chickens might be the perfect first step into homesteading. Chickens are a great “first animal” for newbies, offering a rewarding and manageable introduction to animal husbandry. However, before diving into chicken ownership, it’s important to consider some factors to ensure its a good fit.
1. Assess Your Setting
The first step in your considerations is to assess your setting; is it urban, suburban or rural?
URBAN: Many cities have ordinances allowing backyard chickens, but they orten come with restricitons on the number of birds and whether roosters are allowed. Check your local reuglations to ensure you can comply.
SUBURBAN: Suburban settings can be ideal for chickens, but homeowners’ associations ( HOA’s) may have rules against keeping them. Always review your HOA guidelines.
RURAL: In rural areas you generally have more freedom to raise chickens; however, they may present challenges such as predators that will need to be managed.
2. Count the Cost
You will need to consider both initial set up costs and ongoing maintenance costs. The cost of the chicks is a minimal investment. However, you will need to have some supplies ready when you bring them home, such as a heater plate to keep them warm, a feeder, waterer, chick starter feed, bedding, and enclosures to house them in (the size of the enclosure will change as they grow). When they are old enough to be placed outside, you will need a coop for them to move into and if they are not going to free-range, they will need an enclosed run. These can vary in size and expense according to your particular preference.
Alternately, you can purchase adolescent or even adult chickens. This eliminates the time investment that is typical for chicks. It also eliminates the need for indoor housing until they are old enough to go outside.
Maintenance costs will include feed, treats, bedding, and the possible veterinary cost, although that is rare. Look into the costs for these items and project a monthly budget you will need for them.
3.time committment
Time committment will depend upon how much you want to relate to your ladies. If you start with chicks, their care over the first few weeks requires more of your time than if you start with full grown hens. The advantage to the time you spend with them is they will relate you to their food and you become their best friend! This will translate to them being familiar with your voice and touch, enabling you to handle them much more easily than if you hadn’t bonded with them.
You will find that they are a joy to be around, and their soft clucking sounds quite soothing. Your budgeted time may be exceeded out of pure pleasure !
Daily chores will include providing clean water, food, collecting eggs, and securing the coop for the night, which can be accomplished in 10-15 minutes. Depending upon the size of the hen house and the method of bedding you choose, the bedding will need to be refreshed weekly, or maybe more frequently. Checking the perimeter of the chicken coop and run for security from predators needs to be a regular practice. It can be incorporated into the daily or weekly chores.
4. health and welfare
Chickens are generally hardy animals, but they can encounter health issues. Common issues can include parasites (usually mites and lice), respiratory illnesses, and egg-laying problems. Regular health checks and maintaining a clean living environment can prevent many issues. Be sure to locate a veterinarian familiar with farm animal care, especially chickens.
There are many valuable articles on the care of chickens on Pinterest. Be sure to avail yourself of these valuable resources.
5. ABsences
We all have times that we are away from home, either for a couple of days or maybe for a vacation. You can set up automatic feeders and waterers and even set up your nesting boxes so the eggs are secure without your presence. Of course the optimum is to have someone come by daily. They can collect the eggs, refresh the food and water, and to check the perimeter of the coop and run for security from predators. There are websites such as www.rover.com for hiring someone to check on your girls.
So what do you think?
Raising chickens can be a fulfilling and enjoyable pursuit. They provide fresh eggs, natural pest control, and delightful companionship. Their personalities can be charming and watching them scratch and peck around the yard is a simple pleasure. Now that you have some points for consideration, you are better equipped to decide if this is for you.