Raising chickens for eggs

Regulations

Raising chickens in the backyard may require a permit from your city; each city or town may have different requirements and restrictions. It is not legal in some cities to keep poultry. Some cities may also limit the number of animals you can keep.

Additional regulations apply if you want to sell your eggs or meat. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture Dairy and Food Inspection Division manages and enforces these rules. 

Popular backyard chicken breeds

A wide variety of chicken breeds have been developed for egg and meat production. While many breeds are adaptable to a backyard setting, certain breeds are better than others for backyard conditions.

• Medium to large breeds are good for cold winters.
• Look for breeds with mellow temperaments and good egg-laying.
• Bantam birds are a smaller version of any particular breed.

Rhode Island red

• Hens weigh about 6.5 pounds
• Lay brown eggs
• Dark red feathers
• It is a dual-purpose breed most often used for laying
• Hardy breed that does well in small flocks

Wyandotte

• Hens weigh about 6.5 pounds
• Lay brown eggs
• Dual-purpose breed
• Great for small flocks and rugged conditions
• Curvy shape, good disposition
• Many color varieties

Ameraucana

• Many different color varieties
• Lay green eggs
• Great long-term egg production
• Dual-purpose breed
• Tolerant to all climates
• Easy to handle

Orpington

• Hens weigh about 8 pounds
• A larger dual-purpose breed
• Lay brown eggs
• Many color varieties
• Heavy size is ideal for cold weather

Diet

• Chickens are omnivores. They eat grains, fruits, vegetables and insects.
• Chickens should be fed a prepared feed that is balanced for vitamins, minerals and protein.
• A laying hen diet should also contain crushed oyster shell for egg production and grit for digestion.
• A 6-pound hen will eat roughly 3 pounds of feed each week.

They love fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen and garden, as well as bread. Scratch-cracked corn and oats are a nice treat for the chickens that does not supply all their nutritional needs but is fine in moderation.

Feed consumption may increase in the winter when they burn more calories, and it may decrease in the heat of the summer.

A critical part of a chicken’s diet is continual access to clean, fresh water. This is especially true in the summer as they cool themselves by panting.

Housing

A quality coop is essential to backyard chicken production. Coops must provide protection from the weather and predators.

Layers need nest boxes, one per 4 to 5 birds. Chickens are descended from jungle birds, which means they like to be up high, so a place for them to roost is important.

There should be a well-insulated area with a light bulb or heat lamp for the winter months and ventilation for fresh air. Be sure to have a minimum of 3 to 5 square feet of indoor space per bird.

There is an endless variety of coop designs with just as much range in cost. Find a design that provides easy access and otherwise suits your situation. 

Predators

Their main predators are raccoons, rats, owls, hawks and cats. An enclosed space for chickens to stay at night is essential to their protection. Ensure that the coop is free of small holes that predators could sneak through. The space should be free of unnecessary objects like woodpiles or equipment, as they attract predators.

Daily care

• Feed chickens and change their water daily.
• To protect them from predators, let them out of the coop each morning and put them back in at dusk each night.
• Pick up eggs twice a day.
• Clean the coop and pen weekly to maintain sanitation and odor control.

Bird health

Healthy birds are active and alert, with bright eyes. They move around — pecking, scratching and dusting — except on hot days when they rest in the shade. Chickens that are healthy and active also talk and sing quietly throughout the day.

As each chicken is different in its laying and eating habits, monitor each chicken to get a feel for her normal production and consumption. Healthy droppings will be firm and grayish brown, with white urine salts. Roughly every tenth dropping is somewhat foamy, smellier than usual, and light brown.

Chickens raised in backyard settings generally stay healthy and are not as susceptible to diseases. The easiest way to find disease in chickens is to know what a healthy bird looks like. When a chicken isn’t acting normal—for instance, if she doesn’t run to the food as usual or she wheezes or sneezes—start investigating.

Possible causes of illness in chickens

Infection (invasion by another organism)

• Bacteria
• Mold and fungi
• Parasites
• Viruses (see information about avian influenza)

Nonbiological

• Chemical poisoning
• Hereditary defects
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Unknown causes

Sanitation

An important element of bird health is sanitation. To maintain a clean, healthy environment, the coop and outdoor area should be cleaned weekly or as needed to control manure and odor buildup.

• Feeders and waterers should be regularly cleaned and disinfected.
• Dust baths should be available as they help control mites.
• It is important that at least once a year, usually in the spring, a thorough cleaning is done on the coop and yard.
• Cleaning before introducing new birds to the area will limit the spread of disease.
• A fall cleaning is also helpful with mite control over winter.

Take safety precautions when handling dust during cleaning. Dried chicken manure can be harmful to humans if inhaled. 

• Rake and clean out the yard.
• Wear a dust mask and mist the walls surrounding the area to control dust movement.
• All feeders should be removed and bedding completely cleared out.
• Remove dust and cobwebs from the corners of the coop.
• Disinfect the inside of the coop, including troughs, perches and nests.
  • To disinfect, use one tablespoon of chlorine bleach in one gallon of boiling water.

Learn about biosecurity measures to prevent disease in your poultry.

Manure management

Chicken manure is made up of feed residue, intestinal bacteria, digestive juices, mineral by-products from metabolic processes, and water. In fact, 85 percent of chicken droppings, by weight, is water. This leads to issues with humidity and odor. To manage manure:

• Thoroughly clean the coop more than once a year. This will control the odor and fly populations.
• Pasture the chickens. Moveable shelters are a valuable tool for pasturing chickens and reducing cleaning time. Simply move the location of the house when manure begins to build up. It offers new space for chickens to graze and peck, and it provides free fertilizer for the lawn.
• Composting can be done right in the chickens’ bedding.
  • To start this process, lay down about 4 inches of bedding.
  • Regularly stir up the bedding to prevent clumping, and add fresh bedding until it is 10 inches deep by winter.
  • Continue this process until the bedding gets 12 to 15 inches deep. At this depth, composting actively begins and, after 6 months, can kill harmful bacteria.
  • Composting releases heat, which keeps chickens warm in cooler months and attracts natural fly predators.
  • To maintain the compost, it must be regularly stirred to prevent crusting.
  • The same process can be done outside of the coop in a separate bin.

Egg production

Hens begin laying at around six months of age and can continue for five to 10 years, with peak production occurring in the first two years. They will lay roughly six eggs each week.

Egg production drops each year when the hens molt (replace their feathers in the early fall) and as daylight hours are lost.

Hens need at least 12 to 14 hours of light each day to continue laying eggs. A regular light bulb is sufficient to supply this light.

Purchasing birds

There are several places to purchase chickens. You can order from major hatcheries online. There are also many individuals breeding and selling poultry. Local farm supply stores may also order them for you.