Quick Guide To Raising Backyard Chickens

Chickens are a wonderful addition to any backyard homestead, providing eggs and endless entertainment. Cracking open a golden-yolked egg from your own flock is enormously satisfying. And you better believe that each one of those birds will end up with its own name — and a distinct personality. But how do you get started raising backyard chickens?

Browse our library of helpful articles to learn how to prepare for chicks, which breed to choose, what type of coop to set up, how to care for your flock, and how to prevent and treat common diseases. There are even some fun posts on different colored eggs! Whether you’re new to backyard chickens or have been raising them for years, you’ll learn something in this treasure trove of information.

Raising Backyard Chickens

Raising backyard chickens is extremely rewarding but also takes some work and know-how. We’ve got that last part covered! From which breeds to choose to how to treat bumblefoot, the guides below provide an A to Z guide for raising backyard chickens.

What you need to know before getting chickens

To raise backyard chickens, you need more than just, well, chickens. First, you should answer a few questions (Are chickens legal in your neighborhood?), learn a few basics, and make some decisions. Then, you’ll need to gather supplies and finally bring home your chicks. The cost of raising backyard chickens will vary depending on many of these factors, but we have some tips for how to save money.

• So You Want To Raise Chickens? What You Need To Know Before You Get Chickens
• The Cost Of Raising Chickens – What To Expect When Raising Your Flock
• The Basics of Raising Baby Chicks – From Brooder To Coop
• How To Care For Baby Chicks – Guide To Raising Chickens In Your Backyard
• Do You Need A Rooster In Your Flock? Your Questions Answered!
• How To Entertain Chickens During Snow Days

Chicken breeds

There are so many fun chicken breeds to choose from! Like other animals, chickens vary in size, coloring, and disposition. The guides below highlight some excellent breeds that you might consider for your flock and offer tips on how to care for them.

• Guide To Raising Buff Orpington Chickens
• Raising Bantam Chickens In Your Backyard (Favorite Breeds)
• Guide To Raising Black Australorp Chickens
• Golden Comet Chickens – What You Need to Know Before Getting Yours
• Top 8 Egg Laying Chicken Breeds

Here are a few pictures from our own flock.

These are our Easter eggers: Mel, Ollie, and Georgie (from left to right).  Mel lays the most beautiful blue-green egg, Ollie lays a light brown egg, and Georgie lays a grayish egg with hints of green.

This is Stormy, our Old English bantam rooster. So tiny! Yet so careful with his girls! He finds goodies (worms and bugs) and calls them, never eats any of the treats we give the chickens until all his ladies had their fill, and is the sweetest boy ever. But if he perceives you’re trouble to one of his girls, he’ll attack to protect her.

I love this little boy to pieces! We used to call him half-an-egg. Take a look at him below, at 3 or 4 days old: taking up just about a quarter of my hand.

The brown chicken in the center is a Golden Comet. We have 2, and they are the friendliest ones: as soon as they see us, they run to greet us. They are also great layers, producing around 320 brown eggs a year.

This is Ruby, a black Asian chicken. She’s gorgeous! And I LOVE her heart-filled chest. She lays around 300 light brown-pinkish, pointed eggs a year.

This is Miss Sage, our Silkie chicken. At nine months old, she decided to get broody. She is the sweetest girl ever, but also full of attitude! She lays the cutest cream-colored tiny egg.

Resources for new chicken owners

So you did your research, made all the necessary preparations, and brought your chickens home — now what? Learn how to differentiate between male and female chicks, what to do with molting chickens and broody hens, and tips on caring for your new feathered friends.

• A Hen Or A Rooster? How Do I Know What My Chick Is?
• What Is Molting In Chickens And How To Help Them Through It?
• So You Have a Broody Hen: What Now?
• Best Chicken Feed For Laying Hens
• Chicken Dust Bath: Ingredients, Tools, And FAQs

The chicken coop and run

Chicken coops come in all shapes and sizes and range from simple DIY options to fancy store-bought digs with all the bells and whistles. The articles below lay out what you need and what might be nice to have, along with other handy tips for keeping your flock safe and comfortable in their housing.

• 9 Chicken Coop Must Haves – The Basics And More
• How To Get Rid Of Flies In The Chicken Coop
• How To Predator Proof The Chicken Coop And Run

Chicken diseases

Does Henrietta seem a little off today? Learn how to prevent common chicken diseases from plaguing your flock and identify and treat illnesses if they do occur, from coccidiosis to worms.

• Scaly Leg Mites in Chickens: Symptoms, Treatment, And Prevention
• 6 Common Types of Worms In Chickens: How To Prevent, Detect, And Treat
• 7 Respiratory Diseases In Chickens And What To Do When Your Chickens Get Them
• What Is Bumblefoot In Chickens And How To Treat It
• How To Treat Coccidiosis in Chickens
• What Is Marek’s Disease In Chickens

Chickens that lay different colored eggs

I love opening a full carton to find a rainbow of eggs. White, brown, green, blue, speckled… even pink! Whether you want to gather a satisfying monochrome of brown eggs or a vibrantly varied palette from your coop, these articles will steer you toward the breeds you want.

• 5 Fun Breeds Of Chickens That Lay Blue Eggs
• 10 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds
• 11 Breeds Of Chickens That Lay Pink Eggs
• 5 Fun Breeds Of Chickens That Lay Green Eggs

Raising backyard chickens is fun and rewarding! After browsing the articles above, you should have all the mental tools you need to pamper your feathered flock properly. Enjoy your backyard chickens!

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