Chickens: The Gateway Farm Animal
Chickens are often considered the gateway farm animal. Many get into it for “free” eggs or because the are an easy start into homesteading. That’s what drew me into it over a decade ago. Plus, they are a fun way to get kids involved in farm life and teaching about where food comes from. I remember how nervous and excited I was going to the feed store a buying my first chicks ever. I had done a ton of research, and I still wasn’t sure I was ready. Now, many years later, I have come to the conclusion that it is much easier than most people make it out to be.
When prospective chicken owners come to me and ask questions they tend to overcomplicate things. I get questions about mites, bumblefoot, different feed options and more. I always say to keep it simple. Start with adult chickens, a safe shelter, food and water. That’s all you need at first. I am not saying that you shouldn’t do some research and be prepared. However, you won’t need to know everything all at once. You can learn as you go. I have never had to deal with mites and only had bumblefoot happen once. You won’t be thrown all the problems at once, so you have time.
I’m not saying don’t think hard about getting chickens. You should be doing research before jumping into it. Once very important thing is to check your towns rules and ordinances about chickens. It’s heartbreaking how many social media posts I see of people who have chickens being told by their town that they have to get rid of them. You may be thinking that you won’t get roosters so you don’t have to worry about your neighbors hearing them and complaining but hens can be very loud as well. They like to loudly sing an egg song when they lay eggs every day and if they feel threatened, they can squawk at an alarming level. Humans for the most part don’t like to cause conflict so you may have a neighbor who says they are ok with you getting chickens but will turn around and make an anonymous complaint to your town. Plus, chickens can fly up to 10 feet in the air so they can get over almost any fence you put them in.
Another question I get asked is what breed of chicken is the friendliest. And in truth it really doesn’t matter. The more socialization you put into the chickens the friendlier they will be. There is not really any “beginner friendly” birds. I do recommend starting with adult chickens and not chicks. Yes, chicks are cute and cuddly, but they are more likely to die for no reason and they are very sensitive to cold temperatures. Chicks need to be kept at 95 degrees their first week of life and it only drops by 5 degrees each week. By starting with older birds, you don’t have to go through the trial and error of keeping babies. Older chickens are also more forgiving to beginner mistakes.
The chicken coop you get is probably the most important purchase or build you will make. The biggest beginner mistake is using chicken wire to keep predators out. The name chicken wire is misleading. It is meant to keep chickens in, not keep anything out. A raccoon or a fox can break through chicken wire easily. It’s important when making your coop to use hardware cloth. That is much stronger than chicken wire. Another beginner mistake, especially in the winter, is not providing ventilation. Unless you live in northern Canada or some arctic climate, you do not need to wrap your coop or run in plastic or provide heat. Chickens need ventilation so that the moisture from their breath can escape the coop. They keep themselves warm with their feathers. Providing heat can be dangerous because if you provide them with a heat source, their bodies will not get used to the cold. In the event of a power outage where they loose that heat source they can die from not be acclimated to the cold. Also heat lamps are notorious for starting fires. Every winter I see people post on social media about coop fires where they lost their entire flock. Keep it simple and the chickens will be happy.
Whenever I hear someone say they are getting chickens for the free eggs, I laugh. Unless you are getting 100s of chickens and buying feed and bedding in bulk, it is almost impossible to get free eggs or make a profit from selling eggs. By the time you buy or build a coop, feed chicken through the 16-20 weeks it takes to get them to egg laying age, and invest in the purchase of your chickens, you have spent hundreds, if not over a thousand on the chickens. Not to mention the time and effort you put into your chickens.
Even though free eggs are a myth, chickens are still worth it. You get the satisfaction of raising a source of food for your family, endless entertainment and a way to teach kids about responsibility and the food chain. If you are thinking of getting started with chickens and have questions, please reach out. Haxton Homestead is all about education and helping the next generation of homesteaders. You can reach us by email haxtonhomestead@gmail.com