By Neil Armitage Published on
Chicken FAQ

Frequently asked questions about chickens:
1. Are chickens easy to keep?
Yes. Most small backyard flocks of chickens are kept for years with no problems at all. They mostly look after themselves and provided they have their few basic needs met they will happily provide eggs and entertainment for years.
2. How long do chickens live?
Most pure breed chickens live for between 4 and 7 years and actively lay eggs for about 5 seasons. Hybrids rarely live more than 2 or 3 and generally lay for 2 seasons.
3. How many eggs will I get?
It depends on the breed. Silkies will produce about 100 eggs per year whilst hybrids will produce as many as 340 in their 1st laying season. Barnevelders produce roughly 180 eggs per year. As hens get older they tend to produce less but bigger eggs.
4. Do I need a cockerel?
No. Hens will lay eggs happily without one. They will also tend to be more friendly without a rooster around. Roosters also make considerable amounts of noise and can be aggressive.
5. What do they eat? Are chickens vegetarian?
Chickens eat most things they can stuff down their beak. Seeds, corn, maize, all sorts of greenery, insects, worms, mice and frogs. They will also consume small stones and grit to aid with their digestion. You should feed them a healthy balanced diet and fresh greens.
6. How old do chickens need to be before they start to lay eggs?
The average commercial hybrid will start to lay between 18 and 20 weeks. Pure breeds generally will start to lay eggs at about 22/24 weeks. Barnevelders take a little longer at 28 weeks.
7. Which is better, green, brown eggs or white?
Nutritionally green, brown eggs and white eggs are the same. It is a matter of personal preference as to what colour you prefer or what type of chicken you want to keep in your backyard.
There are now tens of shades of egg to choose from. A pure white to a deep olive colour and just about everything in between.
There are now tens of shades of egg to choose from. A pure white to a deep olive colour and just about everything in between.
8. Can chickens fly ?
Yes. Young birds fly well and cover surprisingly large distances. Laying hens do not fly unless they have to and even then it is more of an assisted jump. One of our neighbours has Spangled Hamburgs and they fly very well. Our Barnevelders do not fly well as the wings are high up on the body. Silkies cannot fly at all as they have no quill to stiffen their feathers. It is breed dependent.
9. How big are chickens?
Bantams can weigh as little as a 2lb (1kg) and stand roughly 9 inches high. The Jersey Giant has been weighed at 22lb (10Kg) and is nearly 3 foot tall. The average is between 4 and 7 lb (2 / 3 Kg), standing approximately 16 to 18 inches high.
The advantage of this variety in size and shape is there is normally a bird for every situation.
The advantage of this variety in size and shape is there is normally a bird for every situation.
10. How noisy are chickens?
Hens are normally very quiet. They can make a lot of noise but tend not to. Some cluck for a minute or two when they have laid an egg. Cockerels are very noisy and crow from first light.
11. How many chickens should I keep?
It depends on how much space you have to give the hens and how many eggs you want. You should never keep one on its own as they like company and are sociable. Three is a good start and will provide about 15/18 eggs a week.
12.How often do chickens lay eggs?
It mostly depends on the variety of chicken and the day length were you live. Here in North Yorkshire a bird like a Rhode Island Red will lay an egg a day between the middle of February and October for a total of 250 to 280 eggs per year. A Silkie on the other hand will only produce 100 relatively small eggs per year. Our Barnevelders produced an average of 173 eggs per bird throughout last year.
A hybrid like a Lohmann brown will probably lay an egg a day pretty much regardless of the time of year and as long as it can get enough food.
A hybrid like a Lohmann brown will probably lay an egg a day pretty much regardless of the time of year and as long as it can get enough food.
13. Are the eggs from my free range chickens better for me than shop bought eggs?
This is a debate that seems endless. My answer is yes . Shop bought eggs seem to have very pale yellow yolks, are watery and may be several weeks old by the time you eat them. Home produced eggs will usually have a bright orange yolk, be firm and will be eaten before it has time to get old. Chickens that are allowed to roam and graze on fresh greenery as well as wild grass, seeds and insects will be happier which I believe is important for ethically produced food.
You also get to eat eggs from other types of poultry you cannot normally buy in the shops like duck, Guinea fowl or Quails.
You also get to eat eggs from other types of poultry you cannot normally buy in the shops like duck, Guinea fowl or Quails.
14. How much do chickens cost and will I save money?
Day old chicks can cost as little as £1 each. 8 weeks old pullets that are off heat cost about £5 and Point of lay pullets cost about £14. You can rescue ex battery hens for free. Rare breeds cost more, sometimes considerably so. The coop and equipment is the biggest expense.
Chicken food can be expensive to buy in small quantities. You will save money by having chickens in free-ranging in your garden because they can find some of their own food. I calculate that a free range egg from my hens costs me around £0.14 per egg, including the cost of the hens. Compare this to the average £0.33 + for a free range egg in the store.
If you spend money on treats you will lose value.
If you spend money on treats you will lose value.
15. Will having chickens get me into trouble with the town authorities or my neighbours?
It might do on both counts. Some towns and cities restrict the keeping of poultry or ban it completely. You may be allowed only 6 birds with no cockerels. You will need to take notice of your municipalities bylaws and zoning and make sure you do not fall foul of the environmental health board.
Uninformed neighbours will worry about noise,rats, flies and smell so you will need to keep them on your side. A cockerel crowing a 5 am is unlikely to be any good for relations with neighbours.
Uninformed neighbours will worry about noise,rats, flies and smell so you will need to keep them on your side. A cockerel crowing a 5 am is unlikely to be any good for relations with neighbours.
16. How much care do chickens require?
Some more than others. Birds kept indoors will need more attention than free rangers and frizzle feathered types will need protecting from the elements. Coops will need to be cleaned and food and water will need providing daily.
Some breeds have hardier characteristics than others and your setting may pose unique problems.
Some breeds have hardier characteristics than others and your setting may pose unique problems.