Keeping chickens in your urban farm

Chickens will provide you with fresh eggs once every other day as well as meat when they become unproductive.  They are fairly easy to keep but are not an option in all countries.  Before continuing, you should check the local laws and regulations that apply in your country/region. Once you establish that keeping chickens is allowed you will need to set up their living quarters.  

Chicken coop

A chicken coop is just a house for your chickens to sleep in, similar to a dog kennel.  Your chickens will only feel comfortable laying eggs in the chicken coop (as a general rule).  A chicken coop will set you back about €200 but should last a lifetime if treated correctly.  

Production

A single hen can produce around 3-4 eggs per week but this can be greatly enhanced by purchasing the correct type of hen.  A hybrid hen can produce up to 6 eggs per week.  When purchasing hens from a breeder it is important that they explain all of your options. A single hen can produce around 3-4 eggs per week. Share on X  

Care

Chickens, by their nature, will scratch at the ground for food.  While it is okay to scatter their feed on the ground it is very wasteful as most of the food is never eaten but it can also draw unwanted creatures who are after a free meal.  A good quality chicken feeder will prevent this by only delivering the exact amount of food that each chicken will consume.  Just like the feeder you could also add a drinker as chickens drink about 0.5 liters of water per day and must be kept properly hydrated.  The chicken drinker works the same way as a watering device in a hamster cage, where gravity will feed water to the animal when they decide to have a drink.  

Precautions

Chickens are no different to your pet cat or dog, they need to be cared for properly, especially if they get sick.  This is a lot more important with your chickens as you are eating the eggs they produce.  You should consult with your local vet before buying chickens to ensure they are able to deal with such an animal.  Any medications given to chickens should be as natural as possible and should not include pharmaceutical products (because you’re eating the eggs).   Chickens are easy to care for and will provide you with more than enough eggs if you keep a few chickens on your urban farm.