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I’m excited to share my personal journey and insights on raising backyard chickens! I’ve discovered that there’s more to these loving creatures than meets the eye. I will be covering everything you need to know to raise happy, healthy chickens in your own backyard.

Research and Planning
Before bringing my chickens home I spent many hours researching different breeds, housing options, supplies needed and local regulations for these feathered friends. Some breeds are better for egg-laying, while others are more suitable as pets. The first 6 I chose was the Rhode Island Reds, Dominque’s, Golden Laced Wyandot and New Hampshire Reds for their friendly nature and consistent egg production. My flock has sense grown to 19 strong with many other breeds that I love.

Housing and Security
A safe and secure coop is an absolute must. Our 1st DIY coop for the 6 was 4’x6′ with 3 nesting boxes, roosting bars, and plenty of ventilation. We also installed a secure run, predator-proofing the entire setup with hardware cloth and latches. When I was outside I would let them free range in the backyard.

We have sense moved and as mentioned our flock has grown to 19 chickens! Our DIY coop is 14’x12′ with 8 nesting boxes, natural roosting bars from a tree we cut down and added windows for ventilation. Our girls have a 80′ x 40′ area to roam with our 2 pot belly pigs, 9 ducks and 4 American Buff Geese. Having the geese and pigs with our chickens and ducks helps to reduce an hawk attacks. We have a ton of hawks around that definitely try to get close but the geese do their job and scare them off.

Coop Cleaning & Maintenance
To ensure a healthy living environment for our flock I remove any wets pots around the water bucket each day as the ducks share the coop with our chickens and they tend to make a mess. Every 3 days I remove all bedding from under the roosting bars, push the shavings from the front of the coop back and new shavings to the front of the coop.

Each week I wipe down all the walls/windows to remove any dust and apply first Saturday lime to the stall mats. Twice a year a pressure wash the entire coop inside and out. We never have issues with odor or bugs inside the coop keeping with this cleaning schedule!

Nutrition and Health
Feeding your chickens a balanced diet is crucial for their overall health. We provide layer feed, romaine lettuce and fresh water daily. Grit and egg shells are always available to aid digestion and provide necessary calcium. Each week we do a health check on each bird by picking them up, feeling their weight, and checking them over for any issues. Bug control is also essential to keeping your chickens healthy as fly strike can be very deadly among many other things.

Social Interaction and Enrichment
Chickens are social creatures, so it’s essential to keep them entertained! Our girls love to explore the yard, sunbathe and take a dust bath. They always have access to their coop! We also spend time interacting with them each day and provide enrichment toys as often as possible. A toy are girls really like is the vegetable hanging feeder and scratching for scratch grains!

Egg Collection and Handling
One of the greatest rewards of raising backyard chickens is collecting fresh eggs for breakfast each morning! We collect our eggs daily, and store them in the fridge. My favorite egg basket is the little giant basket and remember to always wash your hands after handling eggs to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Dealing with Challenges
Raising backyard chickens isn’t always easy and can be very sad at times. We’ve faced challenges like losing 2 of our girls to predators when they jumped the fence and wander to far into the woods without us knowing until it was to late. Illnesses from one with sour crop to one with ascites it’s good to have a vet lined up before your bring your chickens home incase illness strikes. Being prepared for these challenges and connected to chicken-keeping communities is vital in overcoming these obstacles.

Raising happy, healthy backyard chickens has been one of the is a very rewarding experience for my family! The fresh eggs, companionship, and connection to nature are just a few of the many benefits I’ve personally enjoyed. I hope this ultimate guide helps you on your journey to a thriving backyard flock.