Raising chickens can be an excellent opportunity if you’re interested in sustainable practices or simply dream of having fresh eggs in the morning. However, you’ll want to be well-prepared in order to become a responsible chicken owner. If you’ve ever considered raising chickens at home, here’s a brief guide on getting started.
Start with Mature Birds
Rather than incubating eggs, you’ll likely find it easier to start with fully-grown birds when raising chickens for the first time. Incubation can be a complicated process, so allowing yourself time to become familiar with proper chicken care and health before beginning with new hatchlings offers a greater chance for success.
Different Breeds are More Suited for Backyard Living
Understanding which chicken breeds are more appropriate for the space you can provide is crucial for raising chickens in a backyard. Since some breeds thrive with more space, you’ll want to choose a medium-sized breed that thrives in a smaller footprint if you live in a tight neighborhood. Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte, and Orpington chickens are especially suited for being raised in a backyard setting.
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Before you begin raising chickens, it’s important to make sure you have enough space. As social birds, chickens thrive in group settings. Your roost will likely be happiest with three to six birds. To adequately accommodate this many chickens, you’ll likely need approximately 8-10 feet of outdoor space per bird and around twenty square feet of total floor space in a chicken coop.
Keep Your Cool
Maintaining proper temperatures is especially important when raising chickens in environments with spikes of heat. You’ll need to allow your chickens easy access to plentiful cool, clean water during the heat of summer, and providing an abundance of shade for them to rest in is crucial. For a special treat, chickens love a bite of frozen fruit, such as strawberries or bananas.
A Rooster Booster
Protecting your chickens from predators is one of the foremost steps in providing a healthy, safe environment while raising chickens in your backyard. Even with a fence, chickens may be susceptible to aerial predators. By adding a rooster to your flock, your hens may be better protected.
Raising chickens in Pasadena can be an enjoyable process. If you’d like to learn more about Pasadena real estate or homes for sale in Altadena, contact us today for more information.
