As a new chicken tender (one who tends to chickens), you may be amazed at the enormous amount of information there is out there about chickens. From chicken coops, chicken fencing, and chicken feed to chicken swings, chicken toys and, even chicken diapers and clothing, it’s very easy for a newcomer to become lost and unsure of what is really needed to raise happy healthy chickens.
Chicken clothing is totally not needed – feathers are plenty enough and are always in fashion.
We are all new to the wonderful world of chickens at some point and we totally understand how difficult it is to wade through the overwhelming overflow of information. That’s why we’ve made a list of essentials for you to follow. The best advice is to start small, with a few chickens and the basic essentials. You’ll grow your flock and your affinity for all the extras as you go.
Chicken Coops, Chicken Runs, and Free-Range Chickens
We’ll start with space. Chickens need a space to roost at night and keep warm in the winter, a space to cool off in the heat of summer and space to scratch around in the dirt as nature intended them to do.
Whether you keep your birds in a chicken run or allow them to free range, they will need an enclosure to stay in at some point. It’ll come in handy if you need to contain them for any reason and it’s much better than putting them in the garage or shed. Chickens are messy and have no shame in where or on what they poop.
You don’t need a fancy chicken coop to make your hens happy.
A chicken coop is ideal because it can be closed, it keeps your birds safe from predators at night, keeps them warm in winter and can include nesting boxes. Inside the coop should be a solid floor that’s easy to clean, openings or windows to allow good air circulation (even in very cold winter months) and a roosting bar. This can be made into a purchased coop, or you can add a thick dowel rod or even a 2×4 piece of lumber. No need to show the chickens what to do – roosting is natural and they will roost in the evening whether you ask them to or not. Inside the coop, each chicken needs at least 3 square feet.
A chicken run is kind of like a fenced chicken yard. It’s an enclosure that’s mostly or fully open to the elements, allows the chickens to scratch around in the grass and dirt, but it safely enclosed to keep them contained and safe from predators. Each chicken needs a minimum of 15 square feet in the run. Overcrowding can lead to illness.
What kind of predator goes after chickens? Dogs (yours or strays), raccoons, skunks, and opossums are the usual predators, but snakes will come after little chicks and eggs. The only safe way to prevent your chickens from becoming a happy meal for a predator is to use hardware cloth. Chicken wire will safely contain chickens, but it will not keep predators out.
Raccoons are crafty little devils and can pull chicken wire apart to reach in and hurt or kill your hens. They will also dig underneath your fence to have a free-for-all in your run. Some people bury wire underneath the ground a few inches before building the fence of the run. It depends on your area and what kind of predators you have as to how far you’ll need to go to protect your flock.
Chicken wire works for chickens, but won’t keep predators out.
If you have space to free-range your chickens, that’s the best way for them to live happily. You’ll still need a coop for them to stay in, although if you live in a mild climate, you don’t have to have an enclosed coop. The main concern for free-range chickens is predators. Stray dogs, raccoons, bobcats, and hawks can take out your flock faster than you may think. Besides building a fortress or sitting guard each time your chickens are out in the field, think about getting a Livestock Guard Dog, or LGD. There are several breeds, like Great Pyrenees or Anatolian, but they are all bred to keep your livestock safe. That includes chickens.
Chicken Feed
You may think this one is a no-brainer. Of course, chickens need chicken feed! But if you’re new to chickens and head over to the feed store for chicken feed, you may be surprised at how many choices there are. There’s chick starter, chick grower, medicated chick feed, non-medicated chick feed, laying pellets, scratch, whole corn, cracked corn…the list goes on and on.
The type of feed you need depends on the age of your chickens and what kind of pen you keep them in. For newly hatched chicks on up to 10 weeks, you need chick starter, also found as chick starter/grower. Starter has between 10%-20% protein. This feed gives chicks the nutrients they need to grow and be healthy. They grow so fast!
You will also find a choice between medicated and non-medicated chick feed. This is for fighting a chicken disease called coccidiosis. This is actually found in the environment but can make chicks sick. If you’ve ordered your chicks from a hatchery, check to see if the chicks were vaccinated. If your chicks are vaccinated for coccidiosis, do NOT feed medicated feed, as this will “cancel out” the good of the vaccination. Once the chicks are outside scratching around in the dirt, they will become immune to the area and shouldn’t have issues.
**If your chickens do contract coccidiosis, there is treatment available.
Chickens love to free range and pick up their own dinner
Once they reach around 10 weeks, they move on to chick grower/finisher. This feed is a transition between chick feed and adult chicken feed and has around 15-16% protein.
Once your chicks are 18 weeks old or start laying eggs, they should get a layer feed. Layer feeds have around 16% protein and include calcium for good eggshell development.
If your laying hens are pecking and eating eggs, they probably need more calcium. You can give them a little handful of oyster shells added to their feed or crush up eggshells and add them to the feed. Don’t feed your chickens egg shells that still look like eggs shells, or that could cause them to break and eat the eggs that they lay.
All chickens should have free access to grit. Chickens store grit in their crops to help break down food. A regular feed does not contain grit, so it’s up to you to dish it out. If your chickens have access to the ground, either in a run or free-range, they’ll pick up their own grit using sand, dirt, and rocks. If you keep your chickens in an area with limited foraging time, you should add grit to the pen and they’ll grab some if they need it.
Chicken scratch is NOT chicken feed. Your chickens will not get vital nutrients to grow and stay healthy on a diet of scratch. Scratch and corn, both cracked and whole, should be viewed as treats and fed in small quantities.
Avian Veterinarian or First Aid Kit
We’ll just come right out and say it: many veterinarians don’t treat chickens. That includes avian vets. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. Some vets will attempt to treat your chicken if it has an obvious issue, and most will offer to euthanize one if the need arises, but most won’t touch chickens. I’m not a veterinarian so I can’t explain the reason, but it probably has a little to do with money.
Most chickens cost between $3-$30. Any veterinarian visit is going to cost more than that just for the vet to look at your chicken. Most people won’t pay an office visit, medicine, procedures, etc. that can easily and very quickly climb into the hundreds to thousands of dollars on a chicken that probably cost them $10 to start. A sad reality, but that’s how it is. If you do find a veterinarian near you who treats chickens, make friends with them and send them gifts on their birthday.
If you aren’t lucky enough to have a local veterinarian to treat your chickens, you’ll need a first aid kit.
Here are the essentials:
Sickbay – Think ahead before you find a sick or injured chicken. You’ll need a safe place away from the flock. It should be a place to keep a chicken warm, dry and quiet. This can be a separate coop or even just a big dog kennel. Some of us have even resorted to a wire cage kennel in the bathroom, or putting a hen in the big glass-enclosed master bathroom shower…
- Vetericyn Plus Poultry Care Spray
- Triple-antibiotic ointment (WITHOUT pain relief – chickens can die from this type)
- Vetwrap
- Poultry VetRx
- Medical tape
- Gauze pads
- Syringes
- 21-gauge needles
- Vitamins
- Electrolytes
- Epsom salt
- Non-coated aspirin (crush 5 into one gallon of water for pain – don’t use more than 3 days)
- Disposable gloves
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Styptic powder or cornstarch
- Chlorhexidine 2% solution
- Nail clippers and file
- Super Glue
The list could go on and on, but these are things you may need when raising chickens. Remember, it’s always a good idea to have a trusted veterinarian you can call.
So these are the three main areas you’ll want to have covered BEFORE bringing your chickens home. There are always other things that come up, and if you’re bringing home baby chicks, there is a much longer list of essentials you’ll need. But this will work for now if you’re getting pullets or adult chickens.
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