In recent years there has been tremendous interest in keeping chickens at home. Long known as animals for farms and country estates, chickens are also becoming popular pets. Some people keep chickens just because they love having them around. Others are interested in the eggs and meat. At any rate, keeping chickens isn’t as hard as you might imagine.
Below are the top seven FAQs related to keeping chickens in a residential setting. If you are thinking about keeping chickens yourself, be sure to do plenty of research first. There is a lot to know.
1. Are chickens friendly?
Yes, chickens are generally friendly and social creatures. However, there are hundreds of breeds from all around the world. Some are more sociable than others. Some make very good residential pets while others do not. There are even some breeds that are especially great with little kids.
2. Should I buy chicks or adults?
It is pretty common for people to fall in love with chicks because they are so adorably cute. But experts say it’s best to avoid chicks unless you are a seasoned keeper and know what you’re doing. Why? Because chicks are unsexed. You will not know what you have until they mature. The last thing you want is a yard full of roosters.
3. What do chickens eat?
According to a company known as Talking Hens, chickens are not fussy eaters. They eat insects, scraps of human food, and other things. However, residential owners will need to find chicken feed for sale somewhere around town. There will not be enough in the natural environment of a residential neighborhood to keep them fed. You can find chicken feed for sale online if no one in your local area carries it.
4. Do chickens require vet care?
Chickens require considerably less veterinarian care as compared to dogs and cats. However, buying chicks may mean having to have them vaccinated. Vaccination requirements really depend on where you live. If you are willing to buy adult chickens instead, they will have already been vaccinated and they will have mature immune systems capable of fighting disease.
5. Do I need both a coop and a run?
In a word, yes. The chicken coop is what houses your animals and keeps them out of the weather. But understand that chickens need room to move and interact. That’s the purpose of the run. You could make your entire back yard a chicken run, but that doesn’t offer your chickens maximum protection against predators. As such, you are better off building a run attached directly to your coop.
6. How many chickens can I keep?
Numbers depend on several different factors. First and foremost, understand that chickens are social creatures. Keeping at least two is the starting point. How many you can add after that depends on your local regulations and the amount of space you have to offer. Do not attempt to keep too many in a confined space or you could have sociability problems.
7. How many eggs will I get from my hens?
Many people who keep chickens for the eggs anticipate having more than they can deal with. That may or may not be the case for you. Different breeds lay eggs at different rates. Bantams are good chickens for first timers because they are easy to care for and produce plenty of eggs.
There is more to keeping chickens at home than just finding chicken feed for sale. But chickens are fairly easy to care for. With some time, effort, and a reasonable financial investment, you can keep chickens in your own backyard.
