How to Keep Chickens for Fresh Eggs

Keep small flocks of chickens for eggs or because you are concerned about the conditions battery hens are kept in on large factory farms. Chickens also make fascinating and colorful pets. Check local laws to see if keeping chickens in your backyard is allowed, how far the chickens must be from a home and if there is a flock size limit before bringing chickens home.

Things You'll Need

  • Coop
  • Pen or mobile run
  • Chicken feed
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select pullets or hens from breeds known to be good egg-laying breeds. Pullets are hens that are less than one-year-old. Breeds known to be excellent layers include the white leghorn and the brown leghorn. Other breeds do not lay eggs as frequently as leghorns, notes ̶0;The Complete Idiot̵7;s Guide to Raising Chickens.̶1; Laying chickens may be available for adoption at animal shelters. Commercial breeders sell chicks, but the minimum order is three so that the chicks can keep each other warm during transport.

    • 2

      Buy or build a coop and pen a mobile run. Each chicken needs 3 square feet to 4 square feet in a coop to remain healthy. Chickens need to roost up in the top part of the coop and will not rest on the ground. A mobile run or pen is a covered area where chickens can peck and scratch the ground or lawn. Ready-made mobile coops for flocks of 10 or less are mounted on wheels. This can take the place of a pen or mobile run. Pens can be purchased or made of chicken mesh fencing with a roof of wire mesh to keep away predators. Keeping the chickens penned to just one area will kill the grass.

    • 3

      Remove eggs once to twice a day. Chickens lay eggs about 25 hours apart. Chickens do not lay their eggs at the same time. Some will lay in the afternoon while some will lay in the morning. Fresh eggs need to be refrigerated immediately. Discard after 14 days if the egg has not been eaten.

    • 4

      Check chickens every day for signs of illness. These include feather loss, diarrhea and appetite loss. Isolate any chicken showing signs of illness just in case it has a contagious disease. Take the chicken to a vet.

    • 5

      Make sure chickens have constant access to fresh water. Feed commercial chicken feed as a base diet, with table scraps, lawn clippings, garden trimmings and red worms as treats. Do not feed moldy or spoiled table scraps ̵1; only fresh table scraps.