How to Start Raising Chickens for Eggs and Meat: A Beginner’s Guide

If you’ve been dreaming of farm-fresh eggs and delicious home-raised chicken for your table, starting your own small flock of chickens could be one of the most rewarding decisions you make. Not only will you have a steady supply of eggs, but you’ll also be able to provide your family with home-raised meat. The good news? Raising chickens is not as difficult as it may seem. With some planning, the right equipment, and a little guidance, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a chicken-raising pro!

In this beginner’s guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get started raising chickens for eggs and meat, from selecting the right breeds to building a chicken coop, feeding, and caring for your chickens.

Why Raise Chickens?

Before we dive into the details, let’s talk about the many benefits of raising chickens on your homestead.

1. Fresh Eggs: If you’re tired of buying store-bought eggs, raising chickens provides a constant supply of fresh eggs that are more nutritious and taste better than any you can find at the store.
2. Meat Production: Raising your own chickens for meat ensures you know exactly what’s in your food and how it’s been raised. Home-raised chicken has an unparalleled taste and is a healthy alternative to store-bought meat.
3. Pest Control: Chickens are natural foragers, and they will help keep pests like insects, weeds, and even small rodents under control in your garden.
4. Compost Creation: Chickens are excellent at helping you create nutrient-rich compost for your garden by turning your food scraps and chicken bedding into high-quality organic matter.

Step 1: Decide How Many Chickens You Need

Before you get started, you need to determine how many chickens you want. Here’s a quick guideline:

• Eggs: For a small family, around 4-6 hens should be enough to provide a steady supply of eggs. Keep in mind that hens typically lay 5-6 eggs per week during peak production.
• Meat: If you want to raise chickens for meat, you may want to consider getting meat-specific breeds, like Cornish Cross or Freedom Rangers. These breeds grow faster and provide a larger yield. For meat production, you’ll need to raise 2-3 chickens per month to meet the average needs of a small family.

Step 2: Select the Right Breeds

Choosing the right chicken breeds is essential to ensuring your flock thrives. Depending on whether you’re raising chickens primarily for eggs or meat (or both), the type of chicken you choose will vary.

Best Breeds for Eggs:

• Rhode Island Red: Hardy and consistent egg layers, known for producing large brown eggs.
• Leghorn: A prolific egg layer, Leghorns can produce over 300 eggs per year.
• Barred Plymouth Rock: Calm and friendly, these hens lay a good number of brown eggs.

Best Breeds for Meat:

• Cornish Cross: The most popular breed for meat production. They grow quickly and are known for their large size and tender meat.
• Freedom Rangers: A slower-growing breed compared to Cornish Cross but known for a more flavorful meat and better foraging abilities.

Dual-Purpose Breeds (Eggs and Meat):

• Orpingtons: Known for their sweet nature and large size, Orpingtons are great for both eggs and meat production.
• Australorp: A fantastic egg layer and a good size for meat production.

Step 3: Building a Chicken Coop

A chicken coop is an essential part of raising chickens, whether they are for eggs or meat. Chickens need a safe and secure space to rest, lay eggs, and stay protected from predators.

Key Features for a Chicken Coop:

1. Size: Make sure your chickens have enough space to move around. Each chicken needs at least 2-3 square feet of space in the coop and around 8-10 square feet in the outdoor run.
2. Ventilation: Proper airflow is essential to keep your chickens healthy, especially in warmer months.
3. Nesting Boxes: Provide one nesting box for every 3-4 hens. You can purchase ready-made nesting boxes or build your own using simple materials.
4. Roosting Bars: Chickens like to perch off the ground at night, so ensure you provide them with a roosting bar that is higher than their nesting boxes.
5. Predator Protection: Ensure the coop is secured with sturdy wire mesh to prevent predators, like raccoons or foxes, from getting in.

Amazon Products to Help with Your Coop:

• Merry Products Wood Chicken Coop: A versatile and spacious coop that is perfect for a small flock.
• Coop-Guard Chicken Coop Predator Netting: Protects your chickens from predators and keeps them safe.
• RentACoop Chicken Nesting Boxes: Convenient nesting boxes for your hens to lay their eggs.

Step 4: Feeding Your Chickens

Chickens need a balanced diet to stay healthy and lay eggs consistently. When raising chickens for both meat and eggs, you’ll need to provide a high-protein diet to help them grow and produce.

Key Ingredients in Chicken Feed:

• Layer Feed: If you’re raising chickens for eggs, they need a good layer feed, which is higher in calcium to support strong eggshells.
• Broiler Feed: If you are raising chickens for meat, feed them a high-protein broiler feed that helps them grow quickly and gain weight.
• Scratch Grains: Chickens love to forage, and you can supplement their diet with scratch grains (corn, oats, and other grains) for additional nutrition.
• Treats: You can give chickens a variety of healthy treats like mealworms, vegetables, and fruits, but they should not be the bulk of their diet.

Amazon Products to Help with Feeding:

• Purina Layena Layer Pellets: A high-quality layer feed for egg-laying chickens.
• Manna Pro Grower Crumbles: A starter feed for raising meat chickens or chicks.
• Harrison’s Bird Foods Premium Bird Seed: Ideal for supplementing chickens’ diet with healthy treats.

Step 5: Chicken Care and Maintenance

Caring for your chickens is easy once you get the hang of it. Regular care includes feeding, providing fresh water, cleaning the coop, and checking for signs of illness.

1. Water: Chickens drink a lot of water, especially during the summer months. Always ensure fresh, clean water is available.
2. Egg Collection: Collect eggs daily to keep them fresh and prevent hens from getting broody (when they want to sit on their eggs).
3. Cleanliness: Regularly clean the coop and nesting boxes to prevent build-up of harmful bacteria and parasites.
4. Health Checks: Regularly check your chickens for signs of illness, such as lethargy, lack of appetite, or abnormal droppings. Consult with a local veterinarian if needed.
5. Free-Range or Fencing: Allowing your chickens to free-range is great for their well-being, but ensure they are protected from predators. If you choose to free-range, keep a safe fence around your property or yard.

Step 6: Butchering Meat Chickens

If you’ve raised chickens for meat, the time will come to process them. Butchering can seem intimidating, but it’s a skill that can be learned with practice. You can either take them to a local butcher or do it yourself if you’re comfortable.

Tools for Butchering:

• Homestead Butchering Kit: Includes all the necessary tools, such as a sharp knife, pliers, and other equipment for clean processing.
• Chicken Plucker: A helpful tool that will make plucking feathers easier and faster.

My Sunny Thoughts

Raising chickens for eggs and meat can be a rewarding and practical part of homesteading. With the right preparation, breeds, and care, you’ll be able to enjoy fresh eggs and delicious, homegrown chicken. Whether you’re new to homesteading or looking to add a few chickens to your existing farm, these steps will help you get started on the right foot.

Do you raise chickens for eggs or meat? What’s been your biggest challenge? Let us know in the comments below!