Backyard chickens can be wonderful companions. Interest in keeping them has grown as part of the local, sustainable, and organic food movements.
The HSUS supports measures that reduce animal suffering. Every family that gets their eggs from backyard hens is likely reducing or eliminating their purchase of eggs laid by hens who were confined to crowded cages on factory farms.
Chicken care considerations
Chickens are energetic, inquisitive, and friendly animals who are a joy to watch. However, the decision to keep them should not be made lightly. There are many important issues to consider before acquiring a backyard flock.
Many municipalities prohibit residents from having backyard chickens. Contact your local government to ensure chickens are legal in your area before you bring them home.
Cockerel conundrum
Within city limits, many municipalities that permit chickens still limit the number of chickens that one household can keep. Roosters are generally banned, as their crowing can disturb neighbors. This creates an ethical conundrum, because when chickens are purchased as young chicks, it's not possible to accurately determine their sex. (Unless they're "sex linked," meaning they've been bred for traits that make their sex obvious on hatching.)
Chicks purchased through online mail order or commercial farm supply outlets may be sold in groups separated by sex, but sexing is inexact. As the birds grow, families often find they have one or more male birds when they were expecting to have only females. Many young roosters are being relinquished to shelters and sanctuaries, organizations already overburdened with unwanted animals. Worse, these roosters are sometimes simply abandoned or killed.
The adoption option
For these reasons, we recommend adopting adult birds whose sex is already known. Adult hens can usually be located through your local humane society or animal control. Chickens end up in traditional shelters more often than people realize, and adopting from a shelter is a great way to save a life. You might even ask to be put on a waiting list to be contacted about hens as they come into the shelter.
If your local shelter has no chickens available, you can adopt a "retired" hen from a factory farm. Some rescues or sanctuaries adopt these birds out. Although they may lay fewer eggs than younger hens, for many of these chickens, it will be the first time they've experienced an enriching home that allows them to express their natural behaviors. You can find a list of adoption agencies near you by visiting sanctuaries.org or petfinder.com.
Alternatively, you may want to look at flyers posted in your local farm/feed stores, join local chicken forums on Facebook or other social media sites, or scan websites like craigslist.org to find chickens who need good homes. Just be aware of basic biosecurity practices to avoid the spread of parasites and disease between birds.
Note that many people buy chicks through online mail order or commercial farm supply outlets. These chicks are sent in the mail at a day old and often die in transit. Anecdotally, many backyard keepers report that chickens from commercial hatching facilities die young. We strongly recommend looking to shelters, rescues and local breeders for your hens instead.
Chicken care essentials
- Chickens are heat- and cold-sensitive
Like dogs and cats, chickens must have shelter to protect them from temperature extremes. Hens and roosters with large single combs are prone to frostbite in cooler climates, and all chickens need shade and cool water during periods of heat. It's important that the shelter is both insulated and well-ventilated. Straw bedding will add comfort and warmth to a shelter's floor space, but it should be replaced regularly with new, clean straw. Some backyard keepers prefer to use hemp bedding or sand in their coop and run for added cleanliness. - Predator protection is vital
Chickens need absolutely secure shelter at night or they can easily fall prey to urban wildlife like foxes, raccoons and opossums. Dogs may also attack chickens. They must be completely enclosed in a safe henhouse, with four solid walls and a sturdy roof, every night. Many keepers use an automatic coop door to make sure they never forget to secure their chickens at night. Predators can also dig under fences and walls, so all chicken structures should have an L-shaped footer of welded wire buried around its perimeter. During the day, chickens should be kept in a fully-fenced enclosure or yard with proper protection from aerial day-time predators, neighborhood dogs and free-roaming cats. - Hens need an appropriate environment
Hens need an enclosed nesting space (a "nest box") in which to lay their eggs. They also need an elevated roost on which to perch at night; this is where they prefer to sleep. Hens need loose substrate such as dirt, sand, or peat for dust bathing, and they should also have free access to grass and other vegetation to engage in natural pecking, scratching, and foraging behaviors. Often-used areas may become denuded, and it is important to provide plenty of space, giving chickens as much room as possible to express natural behavior outdoors. Keep areas clean for the health of the chickens and the food safety of the eggs. - Chickens will require veterinary care
While it may be tempting to think of a backyard flock as a source of inexpensive eggs, hens, like cats and dogs, require periodic veterinary care. Chickens can become ill or get injured, and vet exams and treatment can easily cost over $100 per visit. These expenses should be carefully considered before the decision is made to keep backyard chickens. Not all avian veterinarians are experienced with chickens, so be sure to locate a trusted poultry vet in your area ahead of time. - Vacation help is a must
Since chickens require daily care, a designated caretaker must be arranged for vacations and other periods away from the house. Someone must be present to feed and water the hens and to put them inside their secure shelter every evening. - Chicken nutrition is important
It's a common misperception that chickens can be fed corn or kitchen scraps alone. Chickens need a balanced diet, a source of calcium (to form egg shells) and a source of grit (to help them digest their food). Commercially available feeds have been carefully formulated specifically for chickens at every stage of their life. The protein requirements of chickens change with the birds' age, so it's important to feed an age-appropriate diet.
Laying hens also need free access to a supplemental source of coarse calcium, such as oyster shells, and grit. Both are widely available online and at farm/feed stores. Search for "chicken calcium" and "chicken grit."
Chickens enjoy fresh fruits, grains and vegetables in addition to their regular feed, but some plants can be toxic. Avoid raw green potato peels, dried or undercooked beans and avocados.
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System has a detailed page on the feeding requirements for backyard chicken flocks throughout their lives. - Prevent disease
Chickens can carry and become ill from a variety of infectious diseases. It is important to keep the hens' environment clean with regular manure removal, and by washing the feed and water containers. You should also avoid mixing birds from different flocks. Temporarily quarantine any new birds for two weeks and watch them closely for signs of illness or parasites before introducing them into an already established group. Don't share equipment with neighbors (each chicken house should have dedicated tools, wheelbarrows, buckets, etc.) Diseases can spread to chickens from wild birds, so keep wild bird feeders away from your flock. - Give your birds plenty of attention
If you spend time watching and interacting with your chickens, you will find that each one has a unique personality, and they are friendly and curious when treated kindly. They display interesting behavior patterns such as dust bathing and foraging, and their complex social interactions are entertaining to observe. Enjoy their antics, and remember that your hens are completely dependent on you for protection and for responsible, committed care for their entire lives.