Backyard Chicken keeping is becoming a very popular activity and hobby these days, and why shouldn't it; raising chicken is an engaging and rewarding thing to do! If you are in a position to raise chicken in your backyard then you would want to know how you can benefit from it before you commit your time and resources to it. Consider a few advantages that chicken owners boast of:

Free healthy organic eggs every day: This is a known fact that fresh organic eggs are far more nutritious than those available in the market. Not to mention the money you get to save as a result.

Comparitively cheaper to keep and maintain: As compared to dogs and and cats, chickens are no doubt cheaper to keep.

Weed and pest control to boot! Chickens seek out weed and bugs in a backyard as they eat them.

Make beautiful pets: Many a proud owner exhibit their chicken in proultry fairs.

As you can see there are many advantages into keeping chickens. if you are informed well then you have little to worry about getting on your way. 

If you will like to find the best guide on how to raise chicken and provide shelter for them then you gotta visit this page!

When it comes to raising chickens people often cannot figure out where to start. Chickens are considered as delicate creatures and losing them is often looked upon as something normal However they can be kept very well and safe if a few precatutions are practiced. Here are a few of the questions that poultry farmers/enthusiasts commonly ask.

Q. I am interested in raising chicken but dont know where to get started.

A: Well getting started isn't hard. It is recommended that you purchase day old baby chicks from a local hatchery or feed store. The prices will differ from place to place. But generally speaking a baby chick will cost anywhere between $1 to $25. After you have purchased them you will have to take good care of them. You can keep them in a cardboard box with holes punched out for ventilation. Also keep a heat lamp handy as baby chicks need to be kept warm; they are very prone to getting sick because of the cold. Keep a soft litter and also plenty of feed.

Q. I have adult Chickens which I keep in my backyard, what kind of shelter/protection can I provide for them?

A. This is a very critical question when it comes to raising chicken. Providing the right kind of protection is imperative to the survival of your chickens. The two main culprits that are responsible for the death of chicken are predators and weather, more on this later.

You will need a housing for your birds that meets cirtain criteria. Here are a few of the ones you need to consider:

a. Your budget.

b. The size of your poultry.

c. The size of your backyard.

d. Where you live.

All of these wil play a crucial role in determining what kind of a Chicken Coop you should go in for. If you are on a budget then a small Chicken tractor of 16 to 20 square feet of space should suffice. These can cost anywhere between 50 to 100 USD or more depending on their quality and materials used. If you can spare more than 200 dollars and have a large poultry then you can take the liberty of going in for a bigger and better coop offering more than 30 square feet of space.

Where you live will also affect the design of your coop as if you are living in an urban environment then you will probably want to get an aesthetically built coop which will compliment your backyard well.

Q. What are the common chicken predators that I need to be vary of? How can I defend my stock against them?

A. Chicken unfortunately are way down in the food chain and have a lot to worry about when it comes to predators. The most common predators that chicken face are cats, dogs, foxes, raccoons, weasels, possums, owls, and hawks. All of them have their typical way of getting their prey. If you are interested in knowing more about chicken predators and how to deal with them then please visit this page.

Q. What size of a Chicken Coop should I go in for?

A. This will invariably depend upon the size of your poultry. Typically it is recommended that you provide atleast 4 square feet of space per chicken. This much is required as the chicken need to have freedom to move around easily. Size-wise there are three kinds of chicken coops available. The smaller chicken tractor or ark suited for 2 to 4 birds, and measuring upto 20 square feet in space, the medium sized chicken coop which is designed to house 6 to 8 chicken and measuring around 30 square feet in space and the larger premium chicken coop which is for 10 chickens or more and will measure more than 40 square feet in space. These also come equipped with a chicken run for the chicken to come outside the coop without being given to harm.

Q. Should I provide a chicken run for the birds?

A. This is entirely upto to you. If you have more than 10 birds then it will be a good way to let the chicken have some air and sunshine while keeping them safe from predators, both landbased and air-based. Construction is simple and requires only some lumber and chicken wire.

Q. How much head-space should I provide for the chicken?

A. A good chicken coop needs to offer atleast 3 feet in height.

You can learn more about how to keep your chicken safe and well here