The joyful guide to backyard chickens

No. Hens lay whether or not a rooster exists — he's only needed if you want fertilised eggs that could hatch. Most towns ban them anyway.

What a rooster does do →

Three minimum. Chickens are flock animals and a lone hen is a stressed, noisy one. Three good layers give roughly 12–15 eggs a week.

How many, and which →

Easily — cold is much less dangerous than heat. The real winter job is ventilation, because frostbite comes from trapped moisture, not low temperature.

Winter care →

Honestly, no. Once you've paid for a coop, nobody comes out ahead. The eggs are better and the birds are good company, but this is a hobby, not a saving.

What it actually costs →

She's not a monster — she's a hen who found a broken egg and discovered it's delicious. It usually starts with an accidental break, then spreads because chickens copy each other. Collect eggs often, keep nests clean and dark, and keep oyster shell available.

Collecting eggs →

That's a broody hen — a hormone-driven urge to hatch eggs. She stops laying, barely leaves the nest, and defends her spot. Totally normal. Want chicks? Give her fertile eggs. Don't? Keep her off the nest until the urge passes.

Broodiness, in spring →

That's a dust bath — a chicken's favorite spa treatment. They roll in loose dirt to clean their skin and feathers of parasites, dead skin, and irritants. Give them a dry, sandy patch and they'll handle the rest themselves.

Dust baths and move-in day →

That's the pecking order — the social hierarchy chickens form to decide who eats first and who's boss. A little pecking is normal. Persistent feather loss or blood isn't: that needs more space and enrichment.

Space, and why crowding causes it →

Yes, every night. Chickens are helpless in the dark, and raccoons, weasels, and owls are patient. The rule: roost inside a secured coop with every door closed AND locked, and use hardware cloth buried at least 12 inches so diggers can't tunnel in.

Predator-proofing the coop →