When my daughter decided last summer that she wanted to raise some hens of her own, we needed a second, small coop, so I spent more than a dozen hours researching prefabricated coops with a run-a fenced area for chickens to play in and to stay protected from predators. Our house came with a dilapidated coop that we fixed up in 2019, and it can hold a few dozen chickens. In my own chicken journey, I’ve spent weeks of my life researching coops, reading reviews, and navigating pandemic-related shipping and inventory problems (chickens and coops became very popular during the pandemic and demand has continued to grow with the recent spike in egg prices). ![]() ![]() There’s no one right way to raise chickens, but we have a substantial amount of advice to get you started. We have information on the tougher aspects of chicken keeping, too, including diseases, parasites, chick mortality, and rooster mating. I spoke to eight experts-including farmers, veterinarians, and the co-owner of the oldest chick hatchery in the United States-and compiled a list of everything you need to get started, from a chicken coop to first aid to the chicks themselves. Anyone considering a small backyard flock needs to understand the good, the bad, and the smelly before committing. Behind every glossy photo of a fluffy hen in a spotless designer coop, there are gritty realities that usually involve poop and a lot of expenses. “I’ve spent some of the most disgusting moments of my life in that chicken coop,” he once told me. ![]() I often have a few hens surrounding me while I garden, and my daughter’s favorite likes to be picked up for cuddles. Hens lay colorful, delicious eggs, they’re delightful to be around, and they’re very photogenic.
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