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Raising Backyard Chickens for Eggs, Meat, (and maybe Money)
Raising backyard chickens is a great way to start growing your own food, and perhaps starting a side-line business as well.
Follow these steps to decide if raising chickens in your backyard is right for you.
Meat birds in one of our portable coopsAssess your space. Do you have enough room to raise chickens? If all you want is a few hens for eggs, almost any yard will do, even as small as a couple hundred square feet.
An open-bottom portable coop that you can move around your yard is a great way to raise a few laying hens.You can see our review of free chicken coop plans here.
Hens are happier and lay healthier eggs if you give them access to fresh grass. Raising meat birds takes more room, if you want them on grass. Raising 25 meat birds and rotating them regularly to fresh ground would take 1000-1500 square feet.
Assess your environment. Are there local by-laws that may interfere with raising backyard chickens in your neighborhood? How will your neighbours react to the idea of a flock of birds in your yard? They may be scared of avian flu,or have objections to the possibility of noise or smells.
Assess your equipment. You will need feeders, waterers, a broody box or other warm enclosure and bedding material (for the baby chicks), feed, and a coop of some kind. Depending on your ability to scrounge/build what you need, this can cost you several hundred dollars
Assess your commitment. The birds will need care every day, at least twice a day. Meat birds can take 10-12 weeks to raise to broiler size (on organic feed). Laying hens are a year-round enterprise. If you want to go on vacation you will need a 'chicken sitter'
Assess your market. Can you sell a few birds or some eggs to your friends or neighbours, or share the costs in exchange for some of the meat or eggs? This might be a good way to get reluctant neighbours on side with raising chickens in your backyard.
If you can get a few friends on board, raising backyard chickens can be a self-financing way to get fresh organic eggs and meat.
Free Chicken Feeding Guide
We've made feeding your birdies easier with our free Simplified Chicken Feeding Guide.
Over the years we have evolved an simple way to feed chicks, layers and meat birds. Our birds do very well with this method.
We raise several batches of meat birds and laying hens each year. Follow our simplified chicken feeding guide to do the same.
If You Can Find 50 Sq Ft You Can Have More Food Security...
One of my joys at New Terra Farm is going out to my chicken coop every day to collect fresh, organic eggs. If you’ve ever found yourself questioning the rising cost and declining quality of store-bought eggs, you’re not alone; and there’s a practical solution, even if you don't own a farm.
I didn't write this one but it's a great resource anyway. If you can find 50 sq. ft. on your property this is a straightforward, hands-on guide for setting up a compact backyard chicken coop that can supply your household with a consistent flow of fresh, nutrient-rich eggs.
It’s designed for people who value food security, self-sufficiency, and a healthier lifestyle, even if they have no prior experience with raising chickens.
This system walks you through building a durable coop using common, affordable materials—typically for under $100. It’s low maintenance, fits in a small space (around 50 sq ft), and requires only a few minutes of attention each day. The guide includes detailed plans and practical tips for everything from predator-proofing to choosing quiet, productive breeds. If you’re looking to reclaim control over your food source, reduce grocery bills, or even create a modest income by selling excess eggs, The Eggs Factory offers a practical, community-tested solution to get started/
Get my FREE One-Acre Farm Plan and learn how to raise pigs, chickens and more, integrated with an organic market garden, to
make more money from your small property.
Imagine building a profitable and sustainable mini-farm even on a small piece of land.
Download your free mini-farm plan here
Download more free reports here
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