What You Need to Know to Raise Backyard Chickens

Hey there!

Have you been intrigued by the idea of backyard chickens—maybe especially after spending more time at home in 2020?

But look, I get it, starting something new is overwhelming.
I mean, there are a lot of decisions to make if you’re going to raise some egg-laying beauties in your own backyard.

You need to consider: coops, fencing, feed, backyard space, predators… and just how much work this really is.

Here’s the good news: the daily work of keeping hens is minimal. And the payoff is great.

On a typical day, chickens need:

• Food and water

• A clean enough space (this is not usually a daily chore)

• Eggs collected

• A quick visual check to make sure everyone looks healthy

These daily chores can often be done in 5–10 minutes. That said, once your hens’ personalities start to shine, you may find yourself lingering a little longer than planned. They’re pretty fun. 😊

But the setup does take some work and forethought, which is why I wanted to help.

So What’s the Hard Part?

The toughest part isn’t the daily care—it’s deciding the setup that best fits your family, your property, and your neighborhood.

There are countless ways to raise chickens:

• Wandering hens free ranging on acres of land

• Small backyard flocks in urban neighborhoods

• So many variations in between

Each approach works—but each requires a different blueprint.

Below, I’ll share:

1. What we currently do
2. Mistakes we’ve made
3. Modifications that might be best for you.
4. And pics of our friends who are raising backyard hens in their neighborhood.
5. This post is a helpful springboard, not an exhaustive guide. A little research up front will go a long way toward a happy, healthy flock.

Throughout this post, I’m sharing photos of several friends’ backyard chicken set ups right in their neighborhoods.

The Backyard Chicken Checklist

Before bringing home hens, here are the big questions to think through:

1. What are the regulations in your city or county?
2. Where will your hens live? (Free range? A run?)
3. What kind of coop will you use?
4. What’s your predator plan?
5. How will you deliver food and water—and what feed will you use?
6. How will you love your neighbors well? ❤️

1. Know Your Local Regulations

This is usually the easiest step. Do a quick Google search for:

“[Your county or city] backyard chickens”

You should be able to find the rules fairly quickly.

Important note:
If the law seems unclear—or flat-out says chickens aren’t allowed—it’s often worth calling the county directly to ask for clarification. Sometimes enforcement is more flexible than it seems.

2. Where Will Your Hens Be?

We strongly encourage access to grass whenever possible. Chickens are healthiest and happiest when they can scratch, forage, and eat bugs.

That said, full free-ranging won’t work in a lot of yards—and that’s okay. There are several great options depending on your space and comfort level.

Option A: A Fixed Chicken Run

A fenced-in area where hens can move around, eat grass, and stay contained.

Tips:

• Use sturdy fencing (chain link or hardware cloth)

• Cover the top to protect from aerial predators

• Ensure enough space for birds to move freely, scratch, play, and get some space from the other hens… recommendations for “enough space” vary widely.  But happy hens are the best.

Pros:

• Clear boundaries for chicken messes

• Safer from predators

• Easier to manage with pets

Cons:

• Grass will eventually be picked bare

• Hard to reestablish vegetation

Option B: A Chicken Tractor (Run on Wheels)

A (likely) smaller, mobile run that you move around your yard.

Pros:

• Fresh grass and bugs regularly

• Natural fertilization wherever you move it. (Embrace the poop— your lawn will love you for it!)

Cons:

• Requires frequent moving

• Can be heavy

• (Likely) less space for birds

Option C: Mobile Electric Netting (This is what we do)

This creates a movable, electrified boundary. We use a solar-powered energizer.

Pros:

• Easy to reposition

• Allows larger “free-range” areas

• Great balance of freedom and containment

Cons:

• Best for larger yards (roughly ½ acre or more)

• Protects mainly from ground predators

• Open to aerial predators

💡 We find this works best with a protector animal like a rooster, guardian goose, or livestock guardian dog.

Option D: Total Free Range

If you have plenty of land—or a tall, secure fence and a protector or two (like a rooster)—this can work well.

Pros:

• Maximum freedom for hens

• Constant fresh forage

• Natural fertilization across your property

Cons:

• Predator protection is the hardest here

• Wing clipping may be needed to keep hens contained within your backyard fence — this does not hurt your sweet hens.

• Not ideal in dense neighborhoods

Our experience:
When living in a neighborhood, we tried free-ranging on about ½ acre with partial success—until hawks figured it out. Many people do this successfully, expecting some predator loss, but able to keep a flock going still.  For us, predator losses added up quickly.

Currently, we use electric netting with guardian geese, which have done an impressive job deterring both ground and aerial predators.

A Friend’s coop Spotlight

Built beautifully right off of her house for easy access and enjoyment.

You’ll see one small coop for hens she is introducing to the existing flock.

The larger coop has a screen door for human access and cleaning. You’ll also see the white nesting boxes (in pics with the yellow door).

These hens have a small run by the yellow door, and free range (withing the backyard fence) when the owners are generally nearby and can help keep them safe from predators. They have a handsome rooster who protects too.

3. Choosing a Coop

No matter your setup, hens always need access to a coop. This is where they sleep and lay eggs.

Here’s what matters most:

• Fully enclosed and lockable
  (Raccoons are shockingly skilled at breaking in.  – Ashland ABC Store’s Trashed Panda, Anyone???)

• Roosting bars for sleeping

• Nesting box(es) for egg laying

• Easy access for you to collect eggs and to clean out the coop if using bedding

There are hundreds of pre-built coops and DIY plans—anything from a simple plywood structure to a full-on chicken palace.

One key tip:
If your hens move around your yard, make sure the coop can move too. Our coop is on wheels so we can pull it right into a new fenced area.

A note on bedding:

Bedding is an organic material you use to capture chicken waste. There are several different options for bedding: deep bedding, where you keep piling on new bedding material and it creates a whole biosystem of its own —research this so you’re doing it safely—, or removable bedding, where you change out the bedding as it gets dirty and replace with new. Pine shavings are most commonly used for bedding, and available at Tractor Supply Company.

Our Favorite Upgrade: Roll-Out Nesting Boxes

This is definitely a luxury, but one we love.

Benefits:

• Keeps eggs cleaner

• Reduces broken eggs

• Helps prevent broody hens (who stop laying)

The eggs gently roll out of reach of the hens and into reach of you after being laid—less mess, less drama.

(Here’s the one we use: Best Nest Box – Roll Out Nesting Box)

A Friend’s coop Spotlight

This sweet backyard coop has a space underneath for the hens to enjoy fresh air with their bedding (which is kept clean) in the safety of their fencing, but they are also let to free roam in the backyard often.

Look at the waterer in the pic with the hens laying on the ground in their coop.

Don’t you want one of those adorable spiral egg holders with your own fresh eggs too?

4. Have a Predator Plan

Predators come from above, below, and everywhere in between.

Common ones include:

• Hawks

• Foxes

• Raccoons

• Skunks

• Neighborhood dogs (or your own)

Talk to local chicken owners to see what’s common in your neighborhood.

Guardian Animals

Roosters, geese, or guardian dogs can help—but check local laws first. And keeping neighbors happy helps a lot with keeping your guardian pets around.

Pros:

• Alert the flock

• Actively deter predators

Cons:

• Can be aggressive

• Not always neighborhood-friendly

In urban settings, fully enclosed fencing plus supervised free-ranging (while you’re outside gardening or relaxing) often works best.

5. Feeding and Watering

This part is refreshingly simple.

There are excellent feeders and waterers available commercially—Tractor Supply is a great place to start. You can also check out Premier1 Supply online, they have a ton of great supplies.

Your main goal:

• Keep food and water clean

• Keep them off the ground

• Make them easy to refill

A quick rinse or wipe during feeding usually does the trick.

We use a high-quality non-GMO Virginia grown feed that is tested for herbicides and pesticides — exceeding organic standards. It’s a little tougher to buy but it has worked like magic in terms of keeping our birds healthy and happy — and laying at least some eggs all year round. Look up “Sunrise Farm Feeds.”

A Friend’s coop Spotlight

6. Love Your Neighbors ❤️

This one matters ... a lot!

Backyard chickens can:

• Build community

• Or… cause serious tension

Good fences really do make good neighbors—when it comes to livestock.

Tips:

• Keep hens contained

• Prevent damage to neighboring yards

• Share eggs occasionally (this works wonders)

A happy neighbor can be the difference between a smooth experience and being forced to rehome your birds.

Final Thoughts

OUR EGG LAYERS —(Photos taken in January, sorry for then less-than-perky grasses).