There is a growing interest in keeping backyard birds and there are a number of reasons people get into raising their own birds. For some they may be interested in egg or meat production, for others it might be a hobby and they just enjoy caring for the birds and watching them grow. Before you go out and buy a bunch of chicks, it’s a good idead to take some time to determine what your goals are for your birds. This will help you as you make decisions about how much space you need for your birds, what kind of structure suits your needs, what chicken breeds have traits that meet your production goals, and other considerations.
Another good first step for prospective poultry owners to check with your municipality (city or township) and local ordinances to ensure you are allowed to keep birds or if there are any kinds of restrictions on keeping birds. For example, there may be a maximum number of birds you are allowed to keep or you might not be allowed to keep a rooster. This can be important information to be aware of prior to ordering birds, bacuase if you order from a hatchery you may have to buy a minimum number of birds. If that number is higher than what you are allowed to keep, you need to figure out what to do with the extra birds. And if you aren’t allowed to have a rooster, you’ll want to be sure to only order hens.
Resources
Here are some good resources related to backyard poultry:
- Chicken Breed Selection – Fact Sheet
- Raising Meat Chickens – Fact Sheet
- Winter and Your Backyard Chickens – Fact Sheet
- Selling Eggs in Ohio: Marketing and Regulations – Fact Sheet
- Bird Flu Resources:
- OSU Extension Poultry Page