It has become increasingly popular for people to keep chickens at home since the start of the global pandemic, and it is an excellent way to ensure you and your family have plenty of fresh eggs. You will need to consider some factors and things you will need to do to ensure your home is ready for your new chickens and they have somewhere suitable to live. Below are some of the things you will need to consider and do so you are prepared to have lots of chickens at your home and enjoy delicious fresh eggs every day.
Research What Your Chickens Will Need
One of the first things you should do is research what you need to provide for your chickens to help them live comfortably and lay eggs productively. You will need somewhere for the chickens to stay safe from predators, and you will also need to provide them with a suitable diet. You can find all the information you need online, and the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) has everything you need to get you started. Once you know what your chickens need, it is time to start getting your home ready for them.
A Home For Your Chickens
You will need to ensure you have a suitable chicken coop for your hens, and there are many options available depending on the size of your flock. You can select a wooden chicken ark for your chicken or choose a poultry house with an added chicken run, and there are plenty of options to buy, but you can also build one yourself if you wish. You will need to ensure the chicken coop is secure and predators cannot get inside, or the chickens get out and have somewhere comfortable for your chickens to roost. You will also need to ensure that the coop is not too crowded and a suitable size for the number of chickens you are planning to get.
Be Careful Of Predators
You will need to try and safeguard your chickens from predators, and there may be predators in your local area you were unaware of until you started keeping chickens. There are many threats to your chickens and eggs, which can include:
- Ferrets & Weasels – These animals can cause chaos in your chicken coop and will kill birds and devour their eggs.
- Badgers – Badgers can cause a lot of damage when they get in a chicken coop and will often slaughter all the birds in it.
- Foxes – Foxes can also cause plenty of damage to your chickens, and they are intelligent and excellent problem solvers.
- Birds of Prey – If your chickens are part free-range, you need to be aware of the threat that birds of prey can have on your chickens.
- Cats – Not all cats will attack chickens, but many will, so you need to be careful and understand the threat they pose to your flock.
Once you know how to take care of your chickens and have a decent chicken coop built and run for them, you can adopt or buy your new chickens. There are plenty of places to get chickens, such as your local farm or the BHWT, and start keeping chickens that all the family can enjoy.
