Preparing to Raise Chickens 101

Chickens are considered a gateway drug into raising livestock. It normally starts with an impulse buy from the local feed store that leads to what we call "Chicken Math." The four cute chicks you bought has turned into 15, 20, 50+ chickens running around your yard. But before you swipe your card for that impulse buy, there are a few things you need to consider as to whether or not you are prepared for chicken raising. These are the most commonly asked questions we see in forums about raising chickens from many people just like you (and me.)

Yes, that chick you are staring at is cute and fluffy. But remember, they don't stay cute and fluffy for long (maybe a week or two) then they are feathery miniature T-Rex's that love feed and treats. They are living creatures that need to be cared for and not self-sufficient so don't buy them as a gift. As a matter of fact, livestock poultry dealers and feed stores set minimum purchases (which the law requires) to prevent chicks from becoming throw away gifts that are neglected.

Now that we have covered the cute fluffball is a living creature, here are some basics of care-taking (we will go more in depth at a later time):

1. We are going to get this out of the way: chickens poop... a lot. We mean a lot. They spend most of the time eating, foraging, pecking, drinking, walking, and doing a tiny little squat to poop on everything. They will poop on you, you will have poop on the sole of your shoes, and one time Momma even found poop in her hair at the end of the day. We highly recommend having a pair of shoes just for your chicken chores due to the poop. Also, make sure you are prepared to be cleaning up poop at least once a week - if not everyday. Ammonia from the uric acid in their poop can cause burns on their feet and is very bad for their respiratory systems. (We think this is the most we've ever said poop in one paragraph and we will say it one more time for good measure-- POOP.)

2.This needs to be stated and we are going to make it short. Check with your local county ordinances for poultry ownership and consult your HOA. Also make sure your neighbor can be bribed with fresh eggs if they live close enough to complain even if it is legal. Everyday, we see someone getting upset because they did not check their local ordinances and have to get rid of their chickens. We know it sucks when the law doesn't let you have what you want, but it is the law for now and we hope you know your local laws.

3.Now you would think that your local feed store would only supply chickens that can survive and thrive in your climate, right? WRONG! They will have a nice mishmosh of chicken breeds and certain breeds are very sensitive to hot or cold climates. It's up to you to determine if the breeds can survive your Minnesota freezes or Texas heat. Do your research and even try posting pictures of the cute fluffballs for breed information to online forums (a lot of feed stores don't know the breeds but somebody out there can identify the cutiepie you are eyeing.)

4. If this is your first time getting chickies, they need heat. For the first week, they need 90 degrees with it decreasing by 5 degrees each proceeding week. Heat lamps are not advised since they are a huge fire risk and there are a lot of options you can use for heat sources. We prefer to purchase chicks in the summer when we don't have to worry about heat but most people advise at least waiting until the Spring - when warm weather is on its way- before purchasing your first batch of babies.

5.Make sure you have a brooder well set up. This can be a box with a heat source and bedding or a tiny baby coop in the middle of summer that has shade or even a space ship that landed in your yard and has temperature control. But do not brood inside your living space. Chickens poop (refer to #1) and create quite a bit of stink. They also cover everything in a thick layer of dust which combined with the mess and poop is extremely unhealthy for you and your family. The garage is a nice place to keep them.

6. Make sure you have a plan in place as well for the coop, if you are going to free-range or have them in a run (refer to #2 about local laws on containment), and the types of predators you have in the area and what you will do to keep them at bay. We recommend creating your own little cost efficient Fort Knox for chickens. It hurts when you lose a chicken you love to a mean predator.

7. Despite the myth, you don't need a Rooster or cockerel for your hen to lay. She will lay her eggs; they just won't be fertilized (speaking of which fertilized eggs are 100% safe to eat since there is no cell development until at least 2 days of incubation).

8. Understand the difference between pullets, straight runs, and cockerels. Pullets are female chicks, cockerels are male chicks, and straight runs are a mixed bag. By the law of probabilities, if you buy 6 chicks in a straight run, you will end up with 3 cockerels and 3 pullets. Whilst if you buy 6 pullets, you may end up with 5 pullets and 1 cockerel (sexing is only 80% accurate if the breed isn't autosexing.) We will get into ratios later but understand that getting rid of extra roosters is a chore especially if you want to make sure they are pets and not food. Due to ratios, nobody needs nor wants roosters unless they've lost one or they are a special breed. Be willing to understand that the cockerel you worked hard to raise may become someone's dinner.

Raising chickens is not hard work but you will have to be prepared just like getting a dog or a cat. They are a responsibility and you will need to take care of them and their health. In a few days, we will be covering chicken first aid kits and what you should have on hand for emergencies, injuries, and illnesses. In the words of Lola, "Have a good day and Cock-a-doodle-do!"