Chickens. One of the most beloved farm animals. For those considering starting their own flock, there are certain things to know before getting chickens. Fluffy hens happily frolicking in the backyard, scratching for bugs and clucking sweetly to their chicks when they find one—teaching them like any loving mother would. Meanwhile, the rooster struts proudly, keeping a watchful eye on his flock and calling them over when he discovers an extra juicy treat.
There’s nothing better for a stressed soul than sitting in the garden with a fresh cup of coffee, watching them go about their feathery little lives. They’ve given me countless hours of pure joy—and I’m not even talking about the eggs yet. Is there anything more satisfying than gathering still-warm eggs for poached eggs or the fluffiest meringue?
But before you rush out and get yourself a flock, here are a few things I really wish someone had told me:
(And if you’re just getting started, don’t miss A Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Chickens it covers all the basics.)
1. Chicken Math Is Real
I started with five hens and a rooster. Three years later? Multiple coops, around 65 hens, and an unknown number of roosters. Still, somehow, barely enough eggs for breakfast. They are highly addictive. Thankfully, they’re hard to count—so never reveal the true numbers to your spouse… unless he’s fallen under the chicken spell too.
2. Rats Happen. A Lot.
Rats love free chicken feed. But on the bright side, chickens completely wipe out the tick population. So, you know—nature’s little balance.
3. They Run Your Schedule (Not the Other Way Around)
You may think you’re in charge, but the faster you accept that you work for the chickens, the better off you’ll be. They set the pace, break the routine, and somehow convince you it’s normal.
4. You’ll Go From “Just Eggs” to Breeding Lines
It starts innocently—just backyard eggs. Then come the breeds. Suddenly you’re learning about genetics and selling hatching eggs at a premium. You’re in deep now.
5. Time Will Disappear
Entire afternoons vanish. One moment you’re popping out to check on them “for just a sec,” and the next your spouse is standing in front of you, arms crossed, shaking his head. Chicken trance is real.
6. The Rooster Problem
Here’s the deal: baby chicks = roosters. A lot of them. Somehow, every hatch gives you a suspiciously high ratio—15 chicks, 12 roosters. If you’re like me, you can process and cook them… but you cannot kill them. Not even if your life depended on it. And no, my husband can’t either—he’s even softer than I am. So do yourself a favor and befriend someone who can do the hard part. Then you can enjoy delicious, free-range Sunday dinners, minus the emotional crisis.
7. Gardening with Chickens: Do and Don’t
Chickens are amazing for clearing your vegetable beds before winter or in early spring. But if you let them in after planting? They will leave you with a tilled wasteland of dead baby plants. You’ve been warned.
8. Gold-Level Compost (and Chicken Poop Tea)
Chicken manure is black gold. Use it right, and your garden will love you. Just remember: never use it fresh—it’ll burn the roots. Let it compost, or make a batch of chicken poop tea. A little aged manure in a jar of water, left for a couple of days, then diluted and poured at the base of your plants? Magic. Smelly, but magic.
Chickens will change your life. They’ll bring joy, chaos, eggs, unexpected emotional dilemmas, and more laughter than you ever expected from a bunch of birds. Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat. Just maybe with fewer roosters.
