Chickens

So, you want to raise some (urban) chickens and don’t know what to do? Then this article is for you! In this article, you will find some tips and tricks for raising your own little flock.
​Personal Anecdote... Many, many years ago, when I lived down South, I inherited a bunch of older chicks and a chicken coop. It rapidly became obvious I knew nothing about chickens and had to learn on the fly!  Not the best way to learn how to raise poultry. Unfortunately, it also became patently clear that the builder of the chicken coop also knew nothing about efficient coop design.  Ten years later, after moving to Michigan, I was given some adult rescue chickens and ducks, and again, without even a coop in sight, was not prepared for the endeavor. 

I won’t regale you with specific and gruesome tales of woe but suffice it to say that I haven’t obtained any sort of poultry in the past twenty years. However, now that the area I live in has decided to allow a flock of 6 or fewer hens (no roosters – though in my opinion they are no noisier than a lawn mower, weed whacker, blower, barking dogs, revving cars, certain motor cycles, compressors, a teen-ager’s music… okay, time to get off my soap box :) the chicken bug has hit again. And so I decided to, in the very least, look into the plausibility of getting my own little egg layers.  After all, what is cuter than a hen, cocking her head, looking you in the eye, and holding a conversation (albeit in chicken - talk) and more delicious than a freshly laid egg?  Notice, I did not say more delicious than’ fried chicken.

And so, in order to help you avoid all the pitfalls that I encountered (don’t worry, I am not being completely altruistic), I have gathered current information on how to best raise chickens here in our fickle and sometimes harsh Ohio climate, starting with helpful hints from current chicken owners. 

​Penny Bollin, Urban Conservation Technician for Lucas SWCD
Owner #2
  • Plan ahead!
  • Decide whether your birds will primarily be enclosed or free range.
  • Check local ordinances before getting the birds.
  • Prepare for predators and other hazards.
  • Develop a plan for when a chicken dies.
  • Research chicken illnesses and learn how to prevent them from happening and how to recognize and treat them if (when) they happen anyway.
  • Know who your local avian vet is and contact her ahead of time; not all vets treat chickens.
  • If your chickens are meat chickens, research various processors ahead of time.
  • Decide on a plan should there be a period of time that you cannot care for them such as a vacation or illness.
  • Realize that chickens generally do not lay eggs when they become seniors.

Helpful Hints from Chicken Owners...

Owner #1
  • Protect your birds using hardware cloth. It may be more expensive than chicken wire but is more effective as well. “Chicken wire is only meant to keep chickens in.  Hardware cloth keeps predators out.”
  • If at all possible, and especially in the winter, install the waterers outdoors rather than indoors.  Not only will this help reduce humidity year round but will also help prevent frostbite caused by a combination of cold weather and high humidity.
  • The number of eggs a chicken lays fluctuates by season (based on number of daylight hours) and according to age; less light and / or older birds generally results in fewer eggs.
  • Chickens do not need heat lamps in the winter: not even during a cold snap. Not only are heat lamps the source of many “devastating” coop fires but chickens will adapt to the cold if you do not provide supplemental heat.  With their “little down jackets” they are well suited to surviving in the cold. That said, this advice does not apply to chicks in a brooder.
Owner #3
  • Make sure your coop is easy to clean and well ventilated year round. For example, put removable shelves under the roosts or at least have easy access; do not put nesting boxes and roosts close together; have easy entry to the nesting boxes. 
    • Be able to stand in the coop or have access panels from the outside and make the covered chicken yard tall enough to be able to stand as well.
  • Even strong, chain link dog kennels with tops will not deter persistent predators.  Some will reach right in to get your poultry.  If you are using chain link, also line it with hardware cloth or a similar strong material that will not let devious little hands or heads into the coop and yard.
  • Do not generally house large and small birds together.  In some cases, the large birds will peck the smaller ones on the head and cause damage or even death. This can be the case even if they are allowed to roam loose. Poultry can be nice and friendly to each other.  However, this is not always the case. Know your flock and keep a close eye on it.
  • Watch out for the pool. Chickens can, and will, drown if they fly into a pool and nobody is there to get them out.
Check out the Additional Resources page for more links and videos on raising chickens!
Hopefully, after you’ve read through these links, hints and tips, you feel more comfortable with raising your own little flock!  Here are a few takeaways:  Make sure your town allows you to have chickens and know the rules.  Keep your chickens safe by ensuring their housing and runs are well built.  Keep the coop simple and easy to clean.  You don’t want an off-putting odor or to attract rats and other predators.  Buy high quality food and only feed what they can eat (again, you don’t want to attract those urban predators because even though you might not see them, they are out there). Make sure they have fresh water. Know what vets treat chickens ahead of time and finally, plan ahead of time and if you have questions ask people who have experience. 

If you do all this, not only will you have healthy birds and yummy eggs, but you will be an ambassador for others who want backyard chickens.  And last but not least, if you follow the chicken rules and your neighbors are happy with you, maybe you can help turn the regulatory tide in neighboring towns to allow backyard chickens!
Questions? Contact Penny Bollin, Urban Conservation Technician 
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (419) 893-1966 ext. 5# or (419) 377-0065