Ultimate chicken keeping checklist

The ultimate chicken keeping checklist is essential for all new flock raisers. When you’re first getting started, having a list of essentials will help you prepare for your hens, and learn what to expect once you’ve brought them home. From what to shop for, to what to feed them, we’ve got everything you need to know in this all-inclusive chicken keeping checklist.

The essentials

Some things are nice to have when you keep a flock of chickens, but others are essential to their health and wellbeing. Here are the “must-haves” of chicken keeping:

Choosing a chicken coop

There are several factors to consider when choosing a chicken coop, but mainly the decision will come down to how many chickens you plan to keep. Most chicken keepers encounter the phenomenon known as chicken math – which essentially means you set out to get a modest number of chickens, but once you see how endearing chickens are, you end up with considerably more. It happens to nearly every chicken keeper, especially those that aren’t under any restrictions for flock sizes.

It’s always best to get the largest chicken coop that your space can accommodate. This will give you the flexibility to add more chickens to your flock, and will ensure that all of your hens have enough space to roost and lay their eggs. Omlet’s Eglu Pro Chicken Coop can house up to 15 hens, and can be cleaned in just minutes. Weather-proof, predator-resistant, and hen-approved, the Eglu Pro is the only chicken coop you’ll ever need.

Chicken runs or chicken fencing?

Chickens need some healthy boundaries – especially when it comes to your yard. As prey animals, they can be a quick meal for aerial predators, but chickens are also opportunistic foragers and will happily make their way through your herb or vegetable garden. So, in order to keep them (and your plants) safe, you’ll need to restrict their roaming.

To decide whether a walk in chicken run or chicken fencing is right for you, consider the following.

Walk in chicken runs:

Are a permanent, predator-resistant enclosure for chickens that are not easily moved
Offer shade and shelter from the elements with chicken run covers
Can surround or attach directly to your chicken coop
Is easily extended to any size with walk in chicken run extensions

Chicken fencing:

Is easily repositioned, and can be shaped any way you’d like
Can be attached to a wall, or create a standalone perimeter
Offers wide, open spaces for your flock to forage

Chicken fencing should be used when you’re outside with your flock, or if other predator-proofing measures have been taken. And, as some chickens can fly better than others, you’ll need to make sure your hens don’t try to scale the 4 foot height of the fencing.

Protect your flock from the elements

Even if you elect for a free-ranging experience for your flock, most chicken coops come with an attached chicken run. This is helpful for keeping your hens penned up during severe weather, or for other events that require them to be in a safe place. These attached runs also offer protection from the elements with chicken coop run covers, which keeps your flock shady or dry, and will keep their feed from spoiling in the rain or snow.

Keeping your chickens’ run covered will give them a safe place to retreat to during sunny or windy days, and will keep them dry during spring showers or wintery weather. Omlet’s covers also provide a wind break, which your flock will appreciate on blustery days. Clear and solid options are available to adjust the amount of sunlight depending on the season, but they’re both waterproof and designed to last several years in the elements.

Feeding and watering your chickens

Chickens are one of the most convenient pets to feed because they are one of the few species that will not overeat. Your flock’s feed can be left out free-choice and topped off as needed, but you may want to collect any remaining rations at night to avoid the attention of rodents. You should always store your chickens’ feed in airtight containers in between feedings, and wash chicken feeders and waterers weekly to prevent mold or mildew from building up.

The type of feed you give your flock is up to you, but laying breeds of chickens need a feed consisting of at least 16% protein to maintain their production. Pellets, crumbles, or pearls are all available forms of feed, but the size or shape of the feed does not affect their nutritional value. Choose a feed that your flock eats comfortably as their main source of nutrition.

Fresh water should be available to your flock at all times. In the summer, you can add ice cubes periodically to keep the temperature cool. For winter freezes, you’ll need to pour warm water over any frozen water, or break the ice as needed. Keep their water high enough so that your chickens don’t kick dirt or bedding into it throughout the day.

The best bedding

Bedding beneath the roosting area of your chicken coop will catch droppings overnight, and absorb odors and moisture. If you live in a humid environment, choose a bedding that is absorbent without holding moisture. Ideal bedding for roosting areas are:

Pine shavings
Pine pellets
Hemp bedding

The nesting box of your coop also needs bedding, which can be the same or different from the bedding used under the roosting area. Common bedding for nesting areas include:

Pine shavings
Hemp
Straw
Recycled paper

Artificial turf or silicone nesting box pads are too stiff and unnatural for hens to lay their eggs comfortably. Choose a bedding that has enough flexibility for your hens to fluff up their ideal nest to lay in.

Automate your flock

While not a necessity, an automatic chicken coop door adds security and comfort to your chickens’ coop, and flexibility to your schedule. Gone are the days of having to dash home at dusk to secure your flock in their coop. With an automatic chicken coop door, you can stay out or sleep in all while keeping your flock on schedule.

Omlet’s Smart Autodoor has a horizontal opening mechanism that makes your coop more predator-resistant, and can be programmed to open and close with the sun or the clock through a smartphone app, or mounted control panel. You can open and close the Autodoor wherever you are with a Wi-Fi connection, and receive notifications from the Omlet Autodoor app when the door opens or closes.

Boredom-busting chicken toys

Like other pets, chickens can become bored if their environment isn’t stimulating enough. Chicken entertainment isn’t limited to chasing bugs and scratching the earth – there are several chicken toys and accessories that will keep your flock entertained. Flock-favorite toys and accessories include:

But these elements aren’t just for your hens’ entertainment – they were created with your enjoyment in mind. As a chicken keeper, watching your flock peck, perch, and climb is time well spent.

Omlet and your chickens

We’ve thought out all of the chicken-essentials – and when the best wasn’t an option, we invented it. Now, our chicken products are keeping hens all over the world healthy and happy. From extra large chicken coops to spacious walk in chicken runs, chicken keepers and flock alike rest easy at night knowing they’re being protected by the best. And, with Wi-Fi enabled in our smart automatic chicken coop door, you can take control of your chickens’ schedules and tuck them in or let them out in the morning with just a few clicks on your smartphone.

This entry was posted in Chickens

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