How to Keep Happy Hens

Like most farm animals, hens are happiest when kept close to nature. A free-range hen will provide you with a healthy, abundant supply of eggs. Hens enjoy scratching and pecking up bugs in grassy areas. They till the soil for you and keep your yard insect-free, while fertilizing it with their droppings. Keeping a regular feeding schedule will ensure a happy hen.

Things You'll Need

  • Laying mash
  • Chicken waterer
  • Shavings
  • Nesting box
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Let your chickens roam your barnyard or backyard. If kept in one spot, hens will eventually tear up the ground instead of just combing the grass for food. The more space they have to roam, the happier the hens will be.

    • 2

      Keep at least two hens. Hens are social animals who need company and the feeling of safety in a group.

    • 3

      Set up a nesting box in a sheltered area of the hen yard. Fill it halfway with shavings or hay. Use one box per four hens. However, the hens may find a spot in the yard they like better than the box. Don't try to force them into the box.

    • 4

      Give hens access to some dirt in the yard. Hens take dust baths as part of their natural grooming process. Rolling in the dust coats their skin and keeps mites away.

    • 5

      Feed hens twice daily, or provide automatic feeders and waterers. Hens also like to eat any kitchen leftovers.

    • 6

      Provide a safe place for hens to roost at night. They will automatically want to roost at dusk, so place a roosting area they can easily access inside a shelter or near other farm animals to keep them away from predators.