How to Raise Backyard Chickens: A Beginner's Guide

5/5 - (1 vote)

Do you take pride in living a healthy lifestyle?

If so, then you probably spend plenty of time and effort making sure the food you feed your family is as healthy as possible.

This can be challenging when you consider all the processed and chemical-filled foods at your local supermarket. That’s why it’s so important to look for ways to produce organic foods that taste great and promote good health.

This article takes a look at how to raise backyard chickens so that you can enjoy the meals you love without worrying about steroids and other substances that are injected into the average superstore chicken products.

Keep reading to get the inside scoop on raising chickens for beginners.

The Basics

How to Raise Backyard Chickens Raising chickens in your backyard doesn’t have to be complicated, but there are a few things you need to know.

For starters, you’ll need to provide shelter to keep them warm during the winter and plenty of space to roam around outside.

You’ll also need to provide plenty of feed and water so that your chicks will grow to be healthy and strong, which will make each chick a quality food source if that’s your intention.

You’d be wise to start with just a few clicks until you figure out how to raise them efficiently.

The Equipment You’ll Need

Before you buy chicks, you’ll need to build a coop, invest in a heating source, and create a source that can provide consistent food and water.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to spend a fortune starting out, but your chicks won’t survive long with proper shelter or nutrition.

Building Chicken Coops

How to Raise Backyard Chickens Building chicken coops shouldn’t be complicated or expensive. The key is to find simple plans and buy some cheap lumber. Scrap lumber is fine, just make sure the structure of the coop is strong enough to withstand wind and rain and keep out predators like dogs, foxes, and snakes.

A good chicken coop should consist of plywood, 2×4 studs, and chicken wire to keep the chickens in and predators out.

Here’s a place to find more info on building chicken coops.

Buying Chicks

Once you’ve decided to raise chickens for eggs, you’ll need to spend some time educating yourself about the basic chicken breeds. They include egg-laying breeds, meat breeds, dual-purpose breeds, and heritage breeds. Each breed serves a different purpose, thus you’ll need to buy chicks according to your intended use.

Temperature Control

If you live in an area that gets cold in the fall and winter, you’ll need to heat the coop to prevent freezing. Otherwise, you’ll be amazed at how quickly the cold will kill your birds. The best strategy is to invest in an affordable heating system that will keep your chicks warm without the risk of catching fire.