Egg prices are skyrocketing. Between the shortages and the bird flu, it might be tempting to think that keeping a few chickens in the backyard would solve a lot of problems. But that idea might not be all it’s cracked up to be.
I chatted with Beverly Veevaete, a long-time farmer whose family’s livestock count regularly includes about 60 chickens. According to her, keeping chickens is a lot more complicated than just feeding them scraps and collecting their eggs. Here’s everything you need to know before buying that chicken coop.
It Might Be Illegal In Your County
That’s right: depending on where you live, chickens might not be allowed. And even if it is legal, there may be specific rules or permits that you have to apply for before bringing the chickens home. For example, while keeping chickens is totally legal in all 5 boroughs of NYC, you apparently can’t keep roosters because they’re too noisy. Wherever you live, make sure you’re checking with your local government regulations before purchasing.
You Need To Buy The Right Breed From A Trusted Breeder
This isn’t a Craigslist type of purchase. Only specific breeds of chickens are good egg-layers, and not all breeds may live well in your particular climate, so you want to make sure you’re buying the right breed from a trusted source. Buying from a breeder will also help ensure your birds are healthy. This is especially important when there’s sickness going around in the bird world . . . like a massive avian flu outbreak!
They Need A Specific Home
You can’t just throw chickens inside any old cage and expect them to happily lay eggs. Chickens have specific housing requirements: they need room to roam, a place to feed and drink (more on that below!), and a dedicated place to lay their eggs.
A good coop (like this expert-recommended one) is also key to protecting the chickens: according to Veevaete, potential predators include everything from possums and foxes to raccoons and even some breeds of dogs. Veevaete says their chicken coop has heavy screens on the windows and a cement foundation so no predators can get into the coop by burrowing under the walls. (Yes, they will do that!) Other security features on small-scale commercial chicken coops include security nets and special animal-proof door locks.
They also need special bedding, like these expert-recommended pine shavings.
Purina Omega-3 Layer Pellets
They Also Need Specific Food
Chickens need to eat more than just scraps to turn out gorgeous eggs. According to Veevaete, they need a specific feed that’s been fortified with “minerals and proteins,” including a hefty dose of calcium so they can produce the egg shells surrounding the eggs. Veevaete’s farm makes their own feed blend to save on costs, but she recommends that people who only own a few chickens buy a manufactured blend from a supplier or feed store.
Of course you can still feed them scraps if you like: just make sure you’re supplementing with the feed so the chickens can get the adequate nutrition. Otherwise, according to Veevaete, the chickens won’t be as “productive” as they should be.
They Don’t Lay Every Day
A laying chicken produces around 250 eggs a year, which is about six eggs a week. Chickens also typically go through an 8-12 week molting period in the fall, where they stop laying eggs (or lay far fewer) and also lose their feathers. This is a totally natural occurrence, but it does mean that your egg count plummets. Backyard chickens do not equate to a continual, never-ending supply of eggs.
They’re A BIG Responsibility.
Chickens are a full-on commitment. They’re definitely more demanding than a house cat, and in a lot of ways they’re more work than a dog. (Do you have to protect a dog from predators in your back yard 24/7?) “It’s just like having a kid,” Veevaete said. “It’s a responsibility.” Is it worth not paying exorbitant egg prices at the grocery store? Only you can decide that question for yourself.
