how to prepare for chickens
Get the details on how to prepare for chickens so you can get their home set up and ready before you bring your first chicks home. Know what they need for housing, food, and care so you can start this journey on a more positive note.
Raising chickens begins when you decide to get started. Bookmark this article so you can ensure you have everything ready to go giving everyone a smoother transition.
There is nothing better than a breakfast of eggs and toast on a weekend morning, especially when you know the eggs you are eating came right from your own backyard.
Backyard chickens are a wonderful way to live a life that is more self-sufficient. When you can raise and grow the food you eat, it makes everything taste better.
If you have been considering getting chickens but are not sure you know what your role is in their care, this guide will help you make a decision that is best for you.
Raising chickens is relatively easy, but with anything new, there is a learning curve. It is understandable that you have questions you want answered before shopping for baby chicks.
If so, you are in the right place. I hope to answer many, if not all, of your questions and give you a list of what you need to have so you can start raising healthy chickens from day one.
How to Prepare for Chickens
What you need to have for chickens is going to be different than what you need to have for baby chicks. In this article, we are going to talk about chickens specifically.
Chicks require different care in the beginning, so you will want to read that information over as well. Here are a few guides to get you started.
Housing for Chickens
Chickens require a safe and comfortable shelter to protect them from predators as well as the weather in your area. This shelter is called a chicken coop, and it should have enough room for the number of chickens in your flock.
A coop is where your chickens will sleep, eat, drink, take dust baths, and lay their eggs. With so much going on in such a small area, you will want to be sure you have enough space and that you have things set up efficiently.
How much room do you need in a chicken coop?
You will want to have 3-4 square feet of space for each chicken in your flock, with extra room in case you get more chickens later on. I would add 5-10 additional square footage to accommodate your growing flock.
You can purchase a coop that is ready to go, buy coop plans online to build your own, or turn an existing shed into a new chicken coop. The last option is what we did and that same coop we made our of our shed over 18 years ago is still doing its job great today.
What do you need to have inside a chicken coop?
This is a common question so let’s go over a list of basic parts inside of a coop.
- Nesting Boxes – for laying eggs.
- Chicken Roost – to sleep on at night.
- Water and Food – hanging to keep clean.
- Dust Bath – optional and where your chickens will clean themselves.
Nesting Boxes
Chickens need a quiet and private space to lay their eggs; these are called nesting boxes. You can purchase nesting boxes, but they are really easy to make using materials you might already have lying around.
When choosing the style of box, be sure it is large enough to hold 1-2 birds at a time. Chickens tend to lay their eggs in the same box. Even if you have a nice collection, you may still find most if not all of your eggs in one box.
You will also want to choose a container that will keep the eggs protected until you are able to collect them. This means having room for soft bedding as well as something to keep them from rolling out and falling to the ground.
Finally, make sure your boxes are easy to clean. You will need to clean them every month to remove any dirt or dust. This will help keep not only your coop cleaner but also the eggs. You will want to choose a material that is easy to clean. I suggest plastic, but wood will work as well.
What can you use for nesting boxes?
I mentioned earlier that you might have what you need to DIY your nesting boxes. All you need is sturdy, easy to clean, and large enough to hold a chicken comfortably.
- Milk crates – this is what we use and prefer as they are open and allow for good airflow.
- Buckets – these are great because they are deep.
- Wood boxes – you can build them or purchase online.
- Wash tubs – can be purchased at the dollar store.
- Kitty litter boxes – can also be purchased at the dollar store.
Chicken Roosts
Roosts also known as perches, are where chickens sleep at night. Since chickens have a hard time seeing in the dark, they like to be up off the ground where they feel safe and secure. Ladders are a common roost style and an easy one to add to your coop.
If you do not have a ladder, you can make a roost that resembles one. Be sure to have 10-12″ of space for each chicken in your flock.
Chicken Roost/perch ideas:
Food
Chickens require a balanced diet made up of protein, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins and minerals. You can either purchase commercial chicken feed or make your feed using a combination of whole grains, seeds, legumes, and greens.
We prefer to purchase a good quality feed locally and supplement it with kitchen scraps from the kitchen.
You can purchase a hanging poultry feeder to ensure your chickens can always access food. It is important to hang the feeder to keep it clean in the coop. Use a chain to hang the feeder from the ceiling or from a nail on the rafter.
A good level is neck high of your bird. This is low enough for them to access the food easily yet not so low that bedding, dust, and manure can get into the food.
Water
One of the easiest ways to raise healthy animals is to ensure they have access to clean and fresh water at all times. Just like with their food, you can purchase a hanging poultry waterer that will keep things neat and clean.
Can you use a plastic waterer in the winter?
We prefer using a rubber feed bowl in the winter months that we set up off the ground. To keep it from tipping over we keep a large rock inside.
This set up works better for us as the rubber is more durable to withstand the frigid cold winters in our area.
Since water freezes quickly, it can crack a plastic waterer. The rubber can withstand freezing, making it a good option for the colder months.
Read our guide on How to Keep Chickens Warm in the Winter Without Electricity for all our best tips.
How often should the water be replaced in the chicken coop?
Over the years, I have found that if you want a healthy flock that lays loads of amazing eggs, you will want to be sure everyone is drinking plenty of water. To help encourage more drinking, change your water daily so it is fresh and clean.
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Bedding
Bedding serves as a cushion between your chickens and the ground and also absorbs their manure and urine, keeping the coop smelling better. Use natural and non-toxic materials like straw, wood shavings, sand, or sawdust to provide your chickens with a comfortable and sanitary environment.
We prefer to use wood shavings in our coop as we find it more affordable and easy for me to use without having to ask for help.
Spot-clean the coop weekly and refresh the bedding as needed. The soiled bedding can be put in your compost bin to use later in your garden.
How often should you clean out a chicken coop?
The frequency at which you clean out the coop will depend on the weather in your area. Where we live, it is very wet and muddy in the fall and spring, so we need to do a full clean-out in those seasons with smaller clean outs as needed.
A full cleaning requires emptying the entire coop out and cleaning it from ceiling to floor. This is a big job, so if you have kids, I suggest enlisting their help.
A clean coop will reduce dust and amonia, which can lead to respiratory issues if left unchecked.
Coop cleaning tips:
- DIY chicken coop all-purpose cleaner
- How to Deal With a Wet Chicken Run
- Homemade Chicken Coop Deodorizer
First Aid Care
Accidents and illnesses happen even with chickens and having common tools and medications on hand will help you to stop something before it gets out of hand.
Chickens tend to mask things that are wrong so well that you may not notice there is an issue until things have progressed.
Watch your flock when they are healthy so you can better catch issues when they are acting off. We have a health care checklist you can download and print out. This valuable resource will help you know different things to watch out for and what you can do to help.
Know the signs, what tools to have on hand for treatment, and how you can care for not only one sick chicken but your entire flock.
More Chicken Health Guides:
What should be included in a basic first aid kit for chickens?
We like to have 2 first aid kits for our chickens, one to handle any injuries or wounds and one to help when one or more of our chickens gets sick.
A basic first-aid kit:
- Antiseptic ointment
- Wound spray
- Bandages
- Gauze
- Scissors
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A sick chicken kit:
You will also want to have a dog crate or kennel to keep your sick or injured chickens in until they are healed and ready to return to the flock.
Keeping chickens is a rewarding and fulfilling experience, but it’s important to provide them with the care and attention they need to thrive. Always remember that happy and healthy chickens produce the best eggs and meat.
By following these tips on how to prepare for chickens, you can give your chickens the best possible life and ensure your journey as a chicken owner is successful. With some knowledge and patience, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a pro at chicken parenting.
