Must Haves for Raising Backyard Chickens

Starting your own backyard chicken coop is easy when you know what supplies you need. We sat down with our resident chicken expert, Erik Haugen, and asked him to give us a simple list of things we would need to start our own backyard chicken coop.

When you get Chickens, you Probably need A Chicken Coop

When starting out, adult chickens need several supplies. The first, and most obvious supply needed is a chicken coop. Chicken coops offer shelter, keep your chickens safe from predators, and provide a place for your chickens to lay their eggs.

We've got a couple chicken coop options you can order from us online here.

Erik recommends that your coop be solidly built and provide enough space for the number of chickens you plan on housing.

Baby chicks however, require a brooder and a heat lamp. To learn more about brooders check out, Best Tips in the Chick Coop to learn more (they also make a starter kit for around ~$30 you can get here, it's pictured below).

Keep your Chickens Clean and Dry

Secondly, chickens like it clean and dry. Erik suggests you use bedding material such as pine shavings. Pine shavings are soft, easy to clean, and absorbent. Erik mentions, that while you can use straw, it seems to be messier and has a tendency to fall easily out of nests.

Step three: Water. Water is essential for chickens. The average laying bird will drink up to 500ml of water a day. So, the third supply you'll need is a good waterer.

Erik recommends using a one gallon waterer to water 12 or more chickens. Use a three gallon waterer to water up to 56 chickens, while using a six gallon waterer to water one hundred chickens or more. Erik suggests watering chickens once every other day.

A Feeder + Feed for your Chickens

Once your chickens have plenty of water, you are going to need a feeder to feed them. This brings us to supply number four, your feeder. You will want to begin your chickens with chick starter. Chick starter is formulated for balanced nutrition and helps chicks grow.

We have a DIY way for you to make your own feeder right here.

Of course, once your chickens begin to lay eggs, you will need to switch them to a layer feed. Erik says that he adds oyster shell to his chicken's feed. Oyster shell provides calcium and helps thicken your chicken's eggshells (we sell oyster shell supplements for your chickens here and here).

Plus, using a feed like Purina Layena Pellets Premium Poultry Feed for your top-producing laying hens, helps deliver optimum nutrition and keeps your birds healthy and producing nutritious eggs.

Finally, you will need a roost or a perch for your chickens. As mentioned earlier, chickens like it clean and dry, but what they especially like, is to be up high and to perch. Chickens will often perch on a roost, when bedded down for the night.

Prepared with the right supplies and an educated understanding about chickens, anyone can start their own backyard chicken flock.

And we will close this article out with an inspirational video. We went across the Northwest and found the coolest chicken coops we could find. You can read the full article here, or watch the video below and start dreaming in chicken color.