Chickens provide products that we commonly consume. From their meat to their eggs, they have been helping people in terms of food. They can indeed bring you many benefits, especially if you raise them on your own. But what if you are living in an urban place? Are you allowed to create chicken coops in your backyard?
Chicken coops can be built in backyards based on the laws implemented by the local government. Before you can start raising chickens in your yard, you should consult the authorities to avoid disobeying the regulations. Ask help from the officials to allow you to keep chickens in your yard.
In this article, we will discuss how to know if you can raise chicken in your backyard and the important things you need to know before you proceed in doing so.
How to Know If You Can Raise Chickens in Your Backyards
Before you start raising chickens in your backyard, know the regulations provided by the local government. For that, ask for the rules implemented for the specific topic. Once you have the needed information, proceed to request the ordinance intended for the building of the coop and taking care of chickens in your yard.
You can also ask the local government if raising chickens is forbidden in your area. Support from the community is a great help to approve the local law for this specific cause.
Know the regulations from local government
Raising a chicken can bring about many advantages as it can provide you with eggs. But before you start raising chickens in your backyard, make sure you are allowed to do so in your area. The local government can provide you with information about whether you are permitted to do so or not.
Some other places allow people to raise chickens in their yard as long as they follow the rules and regulations. That is why you must consult the local zoning department near your place. If you fail to ask them and they find out you are raising chickens in your yard without permission, they can issue charges or any specific offenses implemented by the law in the area.
The few reasons why the government imposes laws on raising chickens in a backyard are due to the possible negative health effects on your family and neighbors. Without proper disposal of their wastes or cleanliness, chicken waste can lead to harmful diseases.
You can also ask for guidance from experts about raising chickens, so if ever you are permitted by the local government, you know what to do to keep everything clean.
Ask questions regarding the rules and regulations
Before you can start raising chickens in your backyard, ask what the rules you need to follow are. The local government will provide you with the things you need to remember. Usually, they will require you to build coops, provide you with size limitations, among many other things.
Take note of these questions, which you can ask the authority:
- How many chickens can I raise in my backyard?
- Am I allowed to raise hens and roosters?
- Can you provide me with the regulations regarding the ideal place where to establish my chicken coop?
- What are the things I should ask from my neighbors before I build the coop?
- Should I possess any permits to raise chickens in my backyard?
- Do you require permits to build a chicken coop in my backyard?
- Whom should I call if I suddenly part ways with the chickens?
Request a copy of the ordinances
The best way to ensure you can legally keep chickens in your backyard is to get a copy of local ordinances. Whenever an authorized person is likely to check your yard, you can show them the permits and a copy of the ordinance. This can also help you remember the regulations at all times.
Once you have a copy of the ordinance, keep it and secure it on file. By the time you need to review it while you’re building the chicken coop in your backyard, you can automatically open it again. Ordinances may contain specific directions and regulations, so you better keep an eye on every provided detail.
If you are asked to get permits, the local government will probably ask you for a copy of local ordinances about the backyard policies and raising animals.
Try to request permission from the local government
If raising chickens is not allowed in your area, you can try to request amendments in local laws. Usually, some government officials can help you in raising these to their meetings. Before you can have a strong stand to permit chickens and coops in your backyard, you should ask the people in your place for positive opinions and encourage them to help you with the amendments or the creation of a specific local law.
You can ask the local government how to join the meeting. Make sure you already filled up the paperwork needed and provided the files required. Don’t forget to bring people who will support the idea. The more people will agree with the rules you will raise, the more chances of it being approved by government officials.
Apart from encouraging a local law, you can also join groups that are dedicated to raising backyard chickens near your place. They can help you with the problems you encounter or help you support in raising the law.
Consult your neighbors
Consulting your neighbors about your plan in raising chicken is recommended. Apart from asking them for permission to build chicken coops, you should also share how it can benefit you both. Keeping them informed about this can prevent future conflicts and create or strengthen your bond with them.
Ensure them that you will also keep the coop clean and that it won’t harm them. Sometimes, neighbors don’t allow raising chickens in a backyard due to the smell. These can cause disturbances to them and may result in health problems.
You can tell your neighbors to share the products of your chicken as it can also benefit them. This will help convince them to agree with your plan of raising chickens in your backyard. You can also encourage your neighbors to raise chickens as well, so that both of you will have a common interest, which can create friendships.
Plan out your purpose of raising chickens
If you want to raise chickens in your backyard, identify their purpose first. Some chicken coop owners choose to raise this kind of animal for their eggs, while others want to raise chickens for their meat.
When designing the coop, you should know the characteristics of the chicken breed you’re going to raise. These characteristics will help you determine what the do’s and don’ts are for their coop. The climate and temperature will also affect them, so you must consult experts on how to take care of them.
Chickens are raised for a variety of reasons. For the most part, they are raised for their meat and eggs while some are raised as pets. If you are interested in keeping a few of these birds in your backyard, one of the first questions that may have popped in your mind is do backyard chickens involve a lot of work? Read our article to find out.
Things You Need to Know Before Keeping Backyard Chickens
You should know important things about chickens before you start raising them. Know every detail, like how big the coop needs to be, common illnesses, and more. By understanding the chickens’ behavior, you can protect them from danger or treat diseases at an early stage.
In this topic, we have compiled the major things you should know about raising backyard chickens.
1. Build a large chicken coop
The population of the chicken can get bigger to the extent that the coop you built may not accommodate them anymore. If you intend to raise two chickens with chicks, you should build a larger coop. Remember that they also grow faster than you may expect.
As you start the construction of the chicken coop, plan out the size. Make it larger than the number of chickens you are going to raise.
2. Raising chickens is enjoyable
Taking care of animals is undeniably tiring but fun. If your family helps you raise the backyard chickens, teamwork is important. In that way, your bond and relationship will further develop. Sometimes, we don’t have much time together with our family, and raising chickens is one of the interesting keys to making you closer.
3. Avoid congesting too many chickens
Chickens are independent and can take care of themselves. Thus, overcrowding them in their coop can bring up problems with their behavior, which can result in difficulty in controlling them. As often as possible, provide them a wide shelter or add another coop for them to loosen from the tight coop.
4. Know common chicken diseases
You’ll never know that your chicken is suffering from some diseases if you ignore the signs and symptoms deeming them as their natural features or characteristics. Some chicken owners have encountered simple problems they observed from their chickens, which indicate severe illnesses. Research common chicken diseases so you can apply treatment to your chickens as early as possible.
5. Determine the space they need
Identify the space needed based on the number of chickens you will raise. Since you already know that the housing is large compared to their population, you should also provide enough space for them to move around. Conduct extensive research or consult an expert on what’s the ideal space to allocate to your chickens.
6. Use sand in the ground of the coop
Chickens will love to stay on the sand. Now, why do you need to put sand in their coop instead of other materials, like sawdust? Sand is easy to clean and doesn’t expel foul odor. We advise you to install a chicken dropping board so you collect their manure easily.
7. Chickens are hard to manage
You can’t just control or train chickens fast as they are stubborn animals. They will eat the things that you don’t want them to or escape to dangerous places. Chickens should have a coop that they can’t escape easily as their fleeing can lead them to accidents. You should enclose their coops and spaces with barriers but offer them proper ventilation.
8. Beware of rats and predators
Rats can be predators of chickens, especially chicks. They also tend to attack adult chickens if they are eager to do so. Before things happen or get worse, apply some measures that could prevent and deter these rats from endangering your chickens.
Don’t kill any other predators, like hawks, skunks, etc. You just need to relocate them to a different place, far from your chickens. Although they can kill your chickens, you should never harm them. If you find predators other than rats, you can also ask for experts’ and professionals’ help on how to remove them from your area.
9. Determine the difference between straight run and pullets
Pullets are young female chickens that will lay eggs since they have already been sexed. As for straight-run chickens, they are either male or female chickens that have not been sexed. Knowing the difference between these types of chicken can also help you identify the purpose of raising chickens.
10. Learn how to groom your chickens
Grooming chickens is widely known as preening for birds. The chickens will need this to allow their feathers to improve with waterproofing and insulation. This is also a chore to clean them and keep them neat all the time.
11. Estimate the total cost of building a chicken coop
Determine the total price of building the chicken coop. Some coop owners were surprised about the cost, which is why you should prepare for it. Plan out the place and check for the price of each material so you can estimate your budget.
One of the things that you need to consider when you plan to raise chickens in your yard is the kind of chicken that you want to keep. Do you want a chicken that lays a lot of eggs, one that is a good source of meat, or maybe you are looking for a new family pet. Read our article and allow us to help you choose the best chicken breed for your backyard coop.
Conclusion
Chickens are commonly raised in farms. They usually provide eggs and meat that we consume on any day. Bringing this advantage near your house is a smart option as you won’t need to go far to a farm to keep chickens as you can raise them in your yard. With that being said, raising chickens in your backyard is not as easy and simple as you might think.
First of all, you must consider whether you are legally allowed to have chicken coops in your backyard. Second, if you are allowed to build a coop and keep chickens, you need to know how to properly care for these animals. This includes building them a proper coop, keeping them and their habitat clean, and giving them proper nutrition and health care. As long as you keep these things in mind, you will be able successful in raising chickens in your backyard.
