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Looking after chickens on a daily basis

Wondering how much time it takes looking after chickens each day? Find out if you can take a holiday while ensuring your poultry is well cared for. Discover practical tips for managing chicken care without feeling overwhelmed.

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Understanding the Commitment of Keeping Chickens

One of the questions I’m often asked by people thinking about keeping chickens is how much work they actually involve every day.

The answer is usually: not a huge amount, but they do need checking every single day.

Chickens are fairly easy animals to look after once you have a good routine, but they are not something you can simply leave for a couple of days and hope for the best.

Daily Chicken Care

Every morning, I would always check the birds before getting on with the rest of the day.

They need fresh water, plenty of feed, and to be let out of their coop into a secure run or garden area.

Eggs should also be collected every day.

You can leave this until later in the day once most of the hens have finished laying, but I wouldn’t leave eggs sitting in the nest for too long if you can help it.

The longer they are there, the greater the chance of them becoming dirty, cracked or damaged.

Occasionally, leaving eggs sitting in the nest can also encourage a hen to become broody.

That is lovely if you actually want chicks, but not quite so useful if you are hoping for a regular supply of eggs.

A broody hen will usually stop laying while she is sitting and raising chicks.

Cleaning

Cleaning really depends on how you keep your birds.

Some people like to spot-clean droppings every day, which can make the main clean much quicker and means the bedding lasts longer.

Others prefer to do a more thorough clean once a week or so.

There is no single right way to do it as long as the coop stays clean, dry and comfortable.

Do Chickens Need Supervision?

This is something I think people sometimes underestimate.

If your chickens are in a completely predator-proof run, then obviously they can safely spend time outside without you standing over them.

If they are free-ranging in a normal back garden, though, I really do think they should be supervised.

A truly predator-proof garden is actually quite difficult to achieve.

Foxes can appear very quickly, even in built-up areas, and they do not only hunt at night.

Dogs, birds of prey and other animals can also be a risk depending on where you live.

So although I am very happy for chickens to free-range and enjoy the garden, I would not personally leave them wandering around completely unattended unless I was confident the area was properly secure.

This does not mean you have to sit watching them every second, but you should be around and able to keep an eye on what is going on.

How Much Time Do Chickens Take Each Day?

Once you have a routine, the basic daily jobs really do not take that long.

For a small flock, feeding, watering, checking the birds and collecting eggs can easily be done in around half an hour.

Cleaning days obviously take a little longer.

The amount of time also depends on whether your birds are kept in a secure run or whether you let them free-range, because free-ranging birds naturally need more supervision.

Going on Holiday

Keeping chickens does not mean you can never go away.

You just need to organise somebody reliable to look after them.

A friend, neighbour or family member can usually manage perfectly well if you show them exactly what needs doing.

They will need to make sure the birds have food and fresh water, collect the eggs, let them out and shut them away securely at night.

It is also important that they actually check the birds rather than simply topping up the feeder and walking away.

Chickens can become ill, get injured or occasionally get themselves into trouble, so somebody needs to notice if something does not look right.

If you do not have anyone suitable, there are also pet sitters who are happy to care for poultry.

Is Keeping Chickens a Big Commitment?

I would not say chickens are particularly difficult animals to keep.

They do, however, need a little bit of your time every day.

Once you have a safe setup and a routine, it quickly becomes second nature.

For me, the benefits far outweigh the work involved.

You get fresh eggs, plenty of entertainment and, if you spend any amount of time with them, you soon realise that every chicken seems to have its own personality.

The main thing is simply to be realistic before you start.

They need daily care, they need somewhere secure to live, and if you want them to free-range, they need keeping an eye on.

If you are happy with that, chickens can be one of the most enjoyable animals to keep.