How To Raise Healthy And Happy Chickens

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When I first started thinking about getting chickens, I was excited about fresh eggs and having a few new pets around. Anytime a new animal comes to the farm I do a ton of research first and today I am going to share with you a few things I have learned!

All of our chickens are pasture-raised! I strongly believe it’s essential for them to live as naturally as their ancestors, the red junglefowl. Each evening, they are called back to the coop for dinner and safely secured for the night. Come morning, they are released to roam freely and enjoy their day.

I made sure my coop is large enough to prevent overcrowding, which can lead to stress and health problems. I use the 3ft rule. 3sqft per chicken inside the coop. If you plan to have a run instead of pasture I personally would do 15sqft per chicken to provide them ample space while they are out during the day.

I feed my chickens a balanced diet of quality layer feed from our local farm store, kitchen scraps, dried mealworms, oyster shells and greens. I do not give them processed treats. Providing a varied diet to keeps them healthy and happy.

Natural Behaviors

Chickens are social animals with complex behaviors — they dust bathe, roost, and form social hierarchies. I also give them plenty of opportunities to express their natural behaviors by providing scratch a few times a week. I simply throw a few handfuls around the outside of the coop, this allows them to scratch and search for food as they would in the wild.

Be Mindful of Breed Choices

When choosing my first chickens, I opted for breeds that are well-suited to my climate, rather than picking the most popular or productive breeds. Some breeds are more hardy, friendly, or better suited for backyard keeping. Choosing breeds that thrive in your environment are a good way to ensure they live a long and happy life.

While I do plan to sell our chicken eggs in the near future my focus is and always will be to provide a good life for my birds, regardless of how many eggs they lay. The happier and healthier they are the better my eggs will also be! It’s a win, win!

Raising chickens is a commitment, but one that’s incredibly rewarding. Seeing my chickens happy, healthy, and stress-free reminds me every day that doing the right thing and that makes all the difference!

THINGS MY CHICKENS & I LOVE

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