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New backyard poultry owners are often surprised by how much time, money, and commitment it actually takes to provide their birds with the appropriate conditions and care. Here are the things you need to consider before making a commitment to forming your own flock.
If you live in an urban area, your city council will most likely have its own rules and regulations around keeping backyard poultry. This usually includes restrictions on the number and types of poultry you are allowed to keep as well as guidelines for appropriate housing such as the minimum size for coops and runs and how far coops need to be from residential dwellings. Always check the city council website first so you know what you are legally allowed to do.
There are some additional regulations you will need to follow if you are planning to sell eggs as a source of income.
If you plan on keeping more than 100 female birds on your property, you are legally classified as a commercial farmer and must develop a Risk Management Plan (RMP) with regular audits from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to ensure that the eggs you are producing are safe for human consumption.
If you have less than 100 birds, you may be exempt from needing an RMP if (1) you only sell eggs directly to consumers yourself and (2) do not sell or distribute your eggs to other individuals who may sell the eggs on or make food items from the eggs that may be sold to consumers (i.e. cafes or restaurants).
Regardless of the number of birds you keep, you are still legally required to meet the standards for Code of Welfare(Layer Hens) to provide your birds with appropriate housing, nutrition, health care, and enrichment.
Click here for more information about the RMP requirements and exemptions.
Just like other companion and production animals we keep, chickens require daily care and attention to make sure they stay happy and healthy throughout their entire lives.
Some breeds of chickens can live for 8 to 10 years so you are potentially signing yourself up for quite a long-term commitment. Many chickens unfortunately end up getting surrendered to animal shelters or abandoned because they take more time or cost more money to keep than their new owners were expecting.
Overall, you can expect to spend about 10 to 30 minutes per day caring for your birds with tasks like letting them in and out of the coop, feeding and watering them, cleaning out manure and soiled litter, collecting eggs, and monitoring for signs of illness. There are also weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks for deep cleaning the coop and keeping the facilities maintained.
Added all together, this means you could be spending anywhere from 85 to 240 hours over the course of a single year caring for your birds.
If you have any of the following lifestyle factors, it could be another sign that backyard birds may not be the best animals for you.
Chickens like to rest shortly after sunset, which is the best time to lock them in their coops overnight to keep them safe and protect them from predators. Will there be someone available at home to do this every day?
Chickens like to peck and scratch at turf while they are foraging around for food. While this is great for keeping down the population of bugs, slugs, and other pests, this can also cause significant damage to your garden. Can you keep them away from any areas of your garden that you want to maintain?
Unlike dogs or cats, it can be difficult to find pet sitters or boarding facilities that are willing to care for chickens. Do you have friends, neighbours, family members, or pet sitters who would be willing to help out when you are away from home?
Chickens can be noisy, especially roosters. Do you have any neighbours who might not be so thrilled when your birds are making noise in the early hours of the morning or do you require a lot of peace and quiet for yourself?
With egg prices on the rise, a lot of people are looking into backyard poultry as a way of saving money on those supermarket bills.
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