Raising Chickens FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Raising chickens often comes with many questions, both for first-time chicken keepers and those with years of experience.

Getting started with chickens often comes with a lot of questions.  Unless you have a close neighbor or a family member that raises chickens, it can be tricky to know who to ask.

Don’t worry; I’ve compiled the answers to the most common chicken questions all in one place.  If you don’t see your question here, please ask it in the comments so I can add the answer.

For absolute beginners, my beginner’s guide to raising chickens is a good place to start.

Raising Chickens FAQ

I’ve broken this frequently asked questions guide down into sections, so you can quickly find the topics that are most relevant to you.  If you click on the links below, you’ll jump to that section in the article.

At the end of each section, there’s a “return to top” button that’ll bring you back here.

• Choosing Chickens: Breeds and Types
• Hatching Eggs
• Raising Chicks
• Chicken Housing
• Feeding Chickens
• Raising Chickens for Eggs
• Raising Chickens for Meat
• Roosters
• Chicken Medical Care

Choosing Chickens: Breeds and Types

One of the first and most important questions regarding chickens is which breed and type to choose. For example, you might prefer the best egg-laying chickens or chickens that provide the most meat for the table. Others prefer a beautiful dual-purpose chicken that allows them to have both eggs and meat.

Several questions come with this choice, and each one is equally important. With better understanding comes better choices, and it’s important to have chickens that you can care for easily and meet all your needs.

If you’ve been wondering which breed of chicken is best for your backyard or farm flock, the answers to these questions may help you make the best decision. So read along for answers you may not even have known you needed!

What’s the difference between a bantam and a regular chicken?

A “regular chicken” comes in a standard size, usually averaging about five to ten pounds, depending on the breed.

The Bantam variety is a much smaller bird, usually averaging one to three pounds when fully grown.  Bantam birds take up less space and require less space in a coop, but they often don’t do well in mixed flocks where larger birds can pick on them.

What’s the difference between a bantam egg and a regular egg?

A regular large egg weighs about two ounces. Bantam eggs weigh about one ounce each, which means it takes two to equal a standard large egg.

But Bantam eggs also differ in their yolk-to-white ratio. The yolks are about the same size, but regular eggs have much more white when compared to Bantam eggs.

Which Chickens Lay the Most Eggs?

Some chickens are known for their bountiful egg production, and some can lay between 250 and 300 eggs a year for their first few years.

•         Rhode Island Red
•         White Leghorn
•         Plymouth Rock
•         Australorp

For more options, see my article on the best egg-laying chickens for beginners.

Which Chickens Lay Colorful Eggs?

As it turns out, white and brown aren’t the only egg colors available. These chickens lay an assortment of colors.

•         Araucanas (blue)
•         Cream Legbar (blue or blue-green)
•         Light Sussex (pink or rose)
•         Maran (dark brown/chocolate)

For more detailed information, see my beginner’s guide to chicken egg colors, as well as individual articles on chickens that lay:

• White eggs
• Brown eggs
• Dark brown eggs (chocolate eggers)
• Green eggs (olive eggers)
• Blue eggs (easter eggers)
• Pink eggs

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Hatching Eggs

As you learn more about raising your chickens, you’ll also hear the term “hatching eggs” occasionally. But what does that mean?

Hatching eggs are fertile eggs you can buy from hatcheries, farms, and private sellers, that are fertilized and ready to go into the incubator or underneath your favorite broody hen. Here are some questions and answers that relate to hatching eggs.

How long does it take to hatch an egg?

Eggs usually hatch in about three weeks.

How do you incubate hatching eggs?

Before incubation, a fertilized egg can be stored for up to seven days at 55 to 60 degrees. You cannot keep them in the refrigerator because it’s too cold. When you’re ready to incubate, have your starter feed already on hand and follow these steps:

1. Ensure a temperature of about 100.5, with fluctuations as low as 99 and as high as 102. However, do not allow these fluctuations to last more than a couple of hours. Maintain a relative humidity of about 50% for days one through 17, then raise the humidity to 70%.
2. Set no less than six eggs in your incubator. Shipped eggs may not hatch, leaving you with one or no birds, so six is a safe number. But you also remember that chickens are flock animals and need other chicks to be content, warm, and healthy.
3. Turn each egg three to five times daily for the first 18 days. Turning ensures the chick doesn’t stick to the shell as it develops but also helps keep the yolk from floating up. Developing chicks should lay on top of the yolk to prevent suffocation and death as they grow. An automatic incubator will turn the eggs for you. Otherwise, you’ll have to do it manually.
4. You can candle the eggs at about ten days of incubation to see if the chicks are developing. Only do a few at a time; never keep eggs out of the incubator for more than ten minutes. If candling shows that the inside of the egg is clear, the egg is either infertile or the chick died at an early stage. If you see a red ring, it means there was an embryo, but it died. In either case, remove these eggs from your incubator. There is a live embryo in the egg if you see blood vessels during candling. By 18 days, candling will reveal a mostly dark egg, which is the developing chick.
5. From day 18 to day 21, stop the egg turning and place the egg in a position with the large end up. This method allows the chick to get into the hatching position. Again, maintain 100.5 degrees and 70% humidity.
6. Chicks will start hatching on or around the 21st day, but if it takes longer, don’t worry. Don’t be tempted to “help” the chick out of the shell. Blood vessels are likely still attached, and pulling at the shell could cause fatal bleeding. Chicks will fully hatch between five to seven hours on average but could take as long as 24 hours.
7. Once all the chicks have hatched, lower the temperature to 95 degrees and place food and water

Is a Broody hen better than an incubator?

A broody hen is the more natural route to go with hatching eggs and allows your chicks to start life with a mother in their own environment. However, you won’t control any factors relating to the chicks hatching. You’ll also miss the inspiring front-row seat to seeing chicks hatch from the shell.

Aside from these facts, you should know that a broody hen may not have as good a hatch rate. But she serves as the temperature and humidity control, having plucked out her breast feathers for egg contact. So the chicks won’t be alone when they hatch, and a mother hen will teach the babies to eat, drink, forage, and watch out for predators.

When it all boils down, the question becomes, how much hands-on contact do you want or need to have?

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Raising Chicks

If you’ve decided to hatch eggs in an incubator, your next questions will revolve around raising the chicks you just hatched. Or you can skip the incubator and buy day-old chicks or fully feathered pullets.

Further still, you can buy laying hens and skip the incubator, baby stage, and “teen” stage for chickens that lay eggs right from the start.

Each stage has its benefits, and one stage might be better for you than the others. For example, starting with eggs or chicks gives you a lot more experience for future chicken ventures. But starting with laying hens skips all the added work and allows you to have eggs right from the start.

For a detailed tutorial, start with my guide on raising baby chicks into adult hens.

Should I Start with Hatching Eggs, Chicks, Pullets, or Laying Hens?

As we’ve already discussed, hatching eggs takes an incubator or broody hen and 21 days of your time.

Buying chicks means having a brooder box with bedding, a heat lamp, a feeder, and a waterer.

Pullets are chickens that are at least 12 weeks old, on average, and can often be placed right into the coop, which means you won’t need the brooder box and heat lamp.

Laying hens are coop-ready and already providing eggs. If you choose pullets or laying hens, have more than one, and consider adding a rooster to your flock for protection.

Should I Buy Sexed or Straight Run Chicks?

It depends on whether you want or need to know if you have male or female chickens. If you only want hens for egg production, sexed chickens are always the best option because you know that you’re getting hens.

Straight-run chicks are not sexed, so you won’t know until you have hens or roosters until they grow. Straight-run chicks can work out well if you’re raising meat birds because there’s a 50/50 chance for roosters or hens.

How Long Do Chicks Need a Heat Lamp?

You will only need a heat lamp for about four weeks if temperatures are at least 75 degrees in the area where your brooder box is placed.

In spaces where temperatures hover at about 60 degrees, chicks will need the heat lamp until they’re about six weeks old, when they are fully feathered.

When Can My Chicks Go Outside?

You can put chicks outside when they are about six weeks old, when they are fully feathered, and the temperatures are at least 50.

Then, you can get them used to outside conditions starting at about three weeks by allowing them to explore, from the safety of a playpen or fenced area, when temperatures are 65 or above.

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Chicken Housing

Housing your chickens can be more labor-intensive than you might think at first. However, there are many things to consider to ensure their safety, protection, and health.

Without proper housing, you could lose an entire flock quickly, which is why the following questions are of the utmost importance. Consider them carefully as you plan for your first flock of chickens.

How much space do my chickens need?

Small Bantams and Medium Bodied birds need at least 4 square feet of coop space per bird, and 8 square feet of run space per bird.

Heavy-bodied breeds that top out in the 10 to 15-pound range need more space, and you should allow for 8 square feet of coop space and 15 square feet of run space per bird.

Less space per bird will be required if you allow them to free-range or forage.

Do my chickens need a chicken run? (Outdoor space)

A run is the next best thing if you cannot let your chickens free range on a regular basis due to small property size or potential predators.

Your birds need room to scratch, stretch their legs, and get the right amount of sunshine for happy, healthy results. It’s also the best way to keep chickens out of your garden and other areas where they might do damage or get hurt.

How Do I Protect my chickens from predators?

Predators are wily and come in many shapes and sizes, which means you need to provide protection that covers a wide range of potential threats. Here are some answers to this question that address many of the most important topics.

Never rely solely on chicken wire to keep your birds safe. Raccoons and opossums can easily breach chicken wire, causing devastating results for you and your chickens. Instead, use quarter-inch, heavy-duty hardware cloth (which isn’t cloth at all). Use this at any opening with more than a quarter-inch entrance. Cover windows with this hardware cloth because screens won’t work against predators. Secure it with screws and washers instead of staples, which are also easy for predators to work around.

Don’t let your chickens roost outside. Locking them up in a well-fortified coop is the only protection for your birds, especially if you live in rural areas with many potential predators.

Make sure your chicken run is covered with either hardware cloth, which is the best option, or string netting, which works well for flying predators like owls and hawks.

Close up the coop at dusk and use the correct locking mechanism. Nocturnal predators can start to hunt early, so dusk is a great time to ensure chickens are safe and sound in their coop. Furthermore, be sure to use more complex locking mechanisms since raccoons are so adept at learning how to open hook latches and doorknobs.

What is the best bedding for chickens?

Pine shavings are one of the best types of bedding for chickens, which offer a quick-drying option that’s easy to clean. Avoid cedar shavings, however, because the strong scent can harm the chicken’s respiratory system. Straw is another option that’s affordable, easy to use, and easy to clean.

What should I use for roosts?

Roosts work best if they are natural, textured, and at least two inches wide.   Chickens don’t grip a perch like wild birds, so they need to balance well.  Two-by-fours make excellent perches, when setup with the wide four-inch side up.

Avoid materials made of metal or anything slick, so your birds don’t slip and fall.

How much roost space does a chicken need?

Ten to twelve inches is enough roosting space for each bird (and less for Bantam breeds). This amount of space allows them to perch close enough together for stability and warmth, ensuring they won’t fight or compete for roosting space.

You can even use a 2×4, with the four-inch side facing upwards.

How high should chicken roosts be?

Roosts are perfectly placed at about 18 inches or higher off the ground. For jumbo or giant breeds, closer to the floor is safer to ensure the birds don’t injure themselves when they dismount the roost.

However, agile breeds that enjoy flying can reach perches as high as 18 inches from the ceiling and sometimes prefer it.

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Feeding Chickens

Chicken feed is one of the most important considerations for your birds, as nutrition ensures good health, egg laying, and meat production. As chicks, a good starter mix is necessary for nutritional support and bone growth. In addition, laying chickens need a good layer pellet, which includes an excellent ration of nutrition, including protein and calcium. Raising birds for meat production may require even more protein, and some go back to starter feed as a supplement to their regular regimen.

How much do chickens eat?

Chickens eat about a quarter pound of food each day when they’re full-grown.

What Should I feed my chickens?

Most people feed their chickens a good layer pellet with at least 16% protein. But there are plenty of things you can provide your chickens in addition to the regular layer pellet. The more foods you feed them, the fewer pellets they will need. Here are some fruits, veggies, and grains that will help your chickens eat a diet that is well-balanced nutritionally.

•         Cooked beans
•         Leafy greens
•         Apples
•         Berries
•         Non-sugary cereals or grains
•         Other fruits and vegetables

Can I feed my chickens treats?

Absolutely! Scraps, scratch grains, and mealworms are the “candy” of the chicken world, but these must be fed sparingly to avoid spoiling their diet. No more than 5% of their diet should be made up of treats, which equals about two tablespoons daily.

What are scratch grains?

Scratch grains cover a combination of whole and cracked seeds and grain that can supplement your chicken’s feed. These include oats, cracked corn, wheat, barley, oats, sunflower seeds, millet, and milo. They encourage natural foraging instincts but can lead to selective eating.

Chickens will learn to pick their favorite pieces out, leaving the rest.

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Raising Chickens for Eggs

To raise chickens for egg production, you need to ensure proper health and happiness. First, you’ll want to ensure you have at least three chickens. Since these birds are flock animals, they’ll be happier if they have company.

Next, you’ll need to consider how many eggs you want or need in a week. One chicken will lay between four and six eggs per week, but production sometimes slows for different reasons.

Do chickens need nesting boxes?

Nest boxes aren’t necessary as a general rule because chickens will lay anywhere they feel safe and secure. The nest box is primarily for you as a flock keeper to keep you from searching the yard and every bush to find eggs.

They will lay in any space that’s private and dark.

How many nesting boxes do I need?

The general rule is one nesting box for every four chickens. However, having too few boxes can lead to stressed-out hens, resulting in egg breaking and declining egg production.

How big should my nesting boxes be?

Some commercial boxes that you can buy ready-made are about 10 inches cubed. However, you may provide boxes that are 12 inches cubed, which offers ample space for larger breeds like Orpingtons, Jersey Giants, or Cochins.

Can nesting boxes be on the ground?

The recommendation is to place nest boxes at least a few inches off the ground to provide ample privacy. But it also keeps the other chickens from scratching around the eggs or stepping on them, which can result in breakage.

When do chickens start to lay eggs?

The average age of a laying chicken is 18 to 22 weeks if they are provided with adequate housing, feed, water, and daylight hours. However, Bantams and giant breeds may not lay as soon, so don’t be surprised if their production doesn’t start until six to eight months of age.

How many eggs will my chicken lay?

Different breeds produce different numbers of eggs. For example, Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks have reputations as great egg layers, producing up to 300 eggs each year, but some breeds only lay about 150 eggs in the same amount of time.

Why aren’t my chickens laying eggs?

Chickens can stop laying for various reasons, including poor nutrition, a lack of sunlight, stress, molting, or age.

Most chickens lay fewer eggs after the first year or two, and egg production will continue to decline throughout their lifespan. For this reason, you should continue introducing new chicks, pullets, or hens to your flock every couple of years.

My chickens are eating their own eggs; what should I do?

When chickens eat their own eggs, it’s usually because they are experiencing a nutritional imbalance. The habit often starts because an egg was broken, and they pecked at it. But they can do the same out of sheer boredom.

However, the longer you allow it to go on, the harder it is to stop. So here are some ways to help them kick the habit.

•         Make sure they’re getting enough protein
•         Collect eggs two to three times each day
•         Provide more natural bedding in the nest box, so eggs don’t crack
•         Give them other things to peck at, such as toys

Should I wash the eggs my chickens lay?

You can wash your fresh eggs if you want, but it’s unnecessary. Washing makes them prettier (and every egg should be cleaned or rinsed before cracking, so nothing falls into your food), but it isn’t necessary for you or the egg.

Once eggs are washed, they should be stored in the refrigerator, as the “bloom” has been removed. The bloom is a protective layer created by the hen’s body to seal the 6,000 to 8,000 pores in the eggshell. Unwashed eggs need no refrigeration and can last up to a month on the counter.

How long do chickens lay?

Commercial layers are only kept in production for two to three years, but some chickens can produce eggs for up to six or seven years.

As a chicken ages, her egg production, size, and shell quality all decrease. After a chicken is retired from egg production, she can still live a few more happy years.

There’s something wrong with my chicken egg?

From time to time, you’ll see a “deformed” chicken egg in the nesting box. These can range wildly, from eggs with “tails” to shells that feel like rubber. Some of these happen naturally, such as when a second egg enters the shell gland before the first egg is laid.

However, with no complete calcification, it’s likely to be distorted or flat, caused by stress, disease, or changes in lighting. Here are a few more you might see.

• No shell – These eggs look really weird, but remember that shell production is the last step of the process of egg laying. These could come as a “first egg” attempt by a pullet or because of nutritional deficiencies or added stress.
• Thin shells – You’ll see thin shells more as your hens age, as it’s one sight that the oviduct is wearing out.
• An egg inside an egg – There’s actually a name for this one! It’s called “counter-peristalsis contraction,” which happens when ready-to-lay eggs are sent back up the reproductive tract. It can take on an extra layer of albumen and a second shell, or it can be absorbed by the next egg produced, introducing a fascinating surprise by the time it gets to you.
• Lash Eggs – NOTE: These are not eggs, and you should never eat them! This yellow, waxy mass can resemble an egg with bits of albumen, egg membrane, yolk, blood, and tissue. But they are primarily composed of pus due to a salpingitis infection.

What is a Broody Hen?

A broody hen is just another way of saying your hen wants to be a mother! Some flock keepers try to avoid this at all costs, while others try to encourage it. These hens will squawk, refuse to leave the nest box, peck and bite you if you attempt to move them, and pick out breast feathers.

One of the problems with a broody hen is that she can cause other hens in the flock to go broody as well! This unfortunate situation can cut egg production drastically. Sometimes the bird will stop being broody after the 21-day hatch period, but most will not.

To stop broodiness, you can collect eggs as soon as they’re laid, so check several times a day. Also, try to avoid allowing them into the nesting box after they lay their eggs (though this is almost impossible to do). Removing her from the box, blocking off the nest box, putting her back on the roost after dark, or using frozen vegetables (which reduces the body temperature) can all work to break the broodiness.

When all else fails, however, you may need to put her in a cage with only food and water but no bedding for three days. If she lays an egg during this time, her broodiness is broken, but you may need to repeat the cycle after putting her back in to socialize with the flock.

Where can I buy egg cartons?

Depending on your geographic location, you can find egg cartons in various places, including Walmart, TSC, and Rural King. You might also contact a local co-op or hatchery and inquire about their cartons.

But best of all, you can get them for free by letting friends and family members know you’re collecting them. Believe it or not, some people refuse to eat “yard eggs” (as some call fresh chicken eggs) or fertilized eggs, and they will continue to buy from the store.

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Raising Chickens for Meat

Raising chickens for meat is entirely different from raising them for egg production. In this case, you’ll want to provide highly nutritious food right from the start. The difference is that the lifespan of these chickens isn’t nearly as long as egg layers, so there are some important questions surrounding the practice.

How much meat do chickens produce?

The average chicken raised for meat will be about three to five pounds. Some people choose giant breeds, such as the Jersey Giant, which can easily grow to more than 10 pounds. But prefer to avoid the giant birds because of the excessive amounts of feed it takes to bring them to a good table size.

A three to five-pound chicken will “dress out” to a two to four-pound carcass with bone-in features. So if you eat about one chicken every two weeks, you would need at least 30 chickens to feed your small family.

How old do chickens need to be before you can eat them?

If you’re looking for broiling or frying chickens, you can dispatch them at seven to nine weeks of age. If you prefer a roaster, you can dispatch them earlier, at about five or six weeks.

How do you harvest chicken meat?

A note to start: many new flock tenders say they can’t bear the thought of killing a chicken. But the fact is, home or farm-raised birds are not only dispatched more humanely than commercially-raised chickens but are often raised with love and appreciation during their time with us. Having said that…

The most humane way to dispatch your chicken is by catching and calming them and turning them upside down. Some use a cone to hold them securely. (This is best done by two people. One to hold, and one to cut.) Once upside down, make one parallel cut across the throat from jaw bone to jaw bone.

Then you can proceed to scalding, plucking, and dressing out the bird as you choose.

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Roosters

Roosters are a very important part of your flock, whether raising chickens for eggs or for meat. A common myth is that all roosters are mean and aggressive, but that’s not necessarily true. Here are some questions and answers to give you a clearer picture of roosters and their importance in your flock. 

Do roosters lay eggs?

No. A rooster is a male, and males are incapable of laying eggs.

Do Chickens Need a rooster to lay eggs?

No. There is a common misconception that hens need a rooster to produce eggs, but that is not true. The resulting eggs will be unfertilized and can never be hatched.

What are the benefits of having a rooster?

One of the benefits of having a rooster in the flock is protection. He will alert the yard if he sees an intruder and, if necessary, battle said intruder to the death for his girls.

But he also makes it possible to have fertilized eggs that can be placed in an incubator, under a broody hen, or sold as hatching eggs.

Are there any reasons I shouldn’t have a rooster?

If you have small children, you can still have a rooster, but be very aware of their actions. An aggressive rooster will “flog,” which can break the skin and cause puncture wounds. This aggression is great for protecting hens against predators but can leave scars, and emotional damage on us flock tenders and our children!

Aggressive roosters should be rehomed or humanely dispatched if they’re not too old.

Can I have more than one rooster?

You can have more than one rooster if you have enough hens. The general rule is one rooster for every six to ten hens. If you have more than that, the roosters are very likely to fight and can cause physical harm or even death to your overworked hens.

How Many Roosters do I need for chicks?

One rooster is enough to fertilize all the eggs of six to ten hens.

How Can I tell if my chicken is a rooster?

It sometimes depends on the breed. Some chickens are born with drastic color differences that help separate the roosters from the hens as soon as they hatch.

For others, you’ll need to wait until they are six to twelve weeks old when you’ll see longer tail feathers, a larger comb, and a larger wattle.

You may also see different colorations, bright face feathers, and the start of spurs on their feet.

Why do roosters crow?

There are a few reasons roosters crow. They could be marking their territory and warning any nearby roosters, establishing their place in the yard, warning of a predator, or noting their circadian rhythm (of about 23.8 hours) by crowing at dawn.

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Chicken Medical Care

There may be times during a chicken’s life when it will need medical attention. While some situations can cause us to stress out, many are easy to handle with just a bit of knowledge. Taking the time to learn about all the possible problems you’ll encounter with chickens is always a good option, and here are some facts to start with.

How long do chickens live?

Depending on the breed of chicken you choose, you’ll see average life spans of three to eight years, but some live much longer. Great care and little love go a long way.

Do you have to clip chicken toenails?

You won’t have to clip your chicken’s toenails in most cases. Their normal foraging and yard scratching usually keep them filed to a livable length. However, if you see excessive growth that changes the way your chicken walks, by all means, bring out the clippers! Leaving overly grown nails can cause leg problems in a short time.

What are common chicken pests and diseases?

Some of the most common chicken pests include:

• Mites
• Fleas
• Worms
• Fowl Cholera
• Coccidiosis
• Avian influenza
• Fowl Pox
• Salmonellosis
• New Castle Disease

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Chicken Keeping Guides

Looking for more chicken-keeping guides?

• How Much Does it Cost to Keep Chickens?
• Beginner’s Guide to Chicken Egg Colors
• What’s the Difference Between a Duck Egg and a Chicken Egg?