How to Raise Three Chickens

Check with your city or county to be sure you can raise chickens in your backyard. Many urban areas have restrictions on the number of chickens and prohibit rooster but allow hens. Check your local laws.

Assemble a chicken coop that offers at least 24 square feet of outside run space and six square feet of space inside a hen house. The chickens will need at least 30 inches of roost space inside and if they are hens, they will need one nesting box. The coop must have a roof to keep out the rain and sturdy wire on the sides to keep out predators. A door with a deadbolt will keep predators out and chickens in but will also allow you in to feed and clean. Be sure the nesting box is easily accessible from outside the coop for collecting eggs. Place the coop in a partially shaded area with good air circulation and drainage. The chickens will need shade to keep cool in the summer but also need a little bit of sun to stay healthy. Outfit the coop with a hanging waterer and feeder. Fill the nesting box and line the hen house floor with hay or pine shavings.

Purchase all three chickens together either as chicks or as pullets or adults raised together. Chickens do not integrate well with unfamiliar chickens. Different breeds of day-old chicks will bond with each other to form a flock. Older chickens that were not raised together will most likely fight with each other. Chicks begin in a brooder, but older chickens can go right to the hen house.

Place baby chicks in a brooder with a heat lamp for warmth. Supply starter feed and water in a small feeder and waterer made for baby chicks. Line the brooder with pine shavings or hay. Refresh water and check feed daily. Keep the chicks in the brooder for at least four weeks before moving them to the coop. If the climate is especially cold or hot, keep the chicks in the brooder until they are four months old or the temperature stays at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place pullets and adults in the chicken coop. Fill the waterer with clean drinking water and the feeder with chicken feed. Young chickens need a feed designed for growth and development and laying hens need a laying ration. Chicken scratch and kitchen scraps are suitable treats for chickens but should not replace the feed. The chickens will usually explore their surroundings to find what they need. However, occasionally, they may need help finding the roost in the evening or a nesting box at egg laying time.

Collect eggs daily to avoid breakage and accidental egg-eating by the chickens. If shells are thin and brittle, hang a small feeder and offer crushed oyster shell as free choice. The hen that needs the extra calcium to improve shell density will then get all she needs.

Turn the litter in the bottom of the hen house regularly to keep it dry and pest- and odor-free. Tossing a handful of scratch grains in the bottom of the hen house will encourage chickens to scratch and turn the litter for you.

Empty and replace the litter monthly. Chicken litter is a nutrient-rich fertilizer for the garden. Be sure to compost it for about three weeks before spreading it near edible plants.

Check chickens regularly for lice and mites. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth carefully on the chickens to prevent pests and parasites.