5 Reasons NOT to Raise Backyard Chickens

Raising backyard chickens is not as complicated as it may seem. But, there are a few good reasons as to why chickens might not be a good fit for your family. This may sound controversial, because if you know me, you know I have loved raising our backyard chickens. This topic arose from lots of questions I’ve received about owning chickens in general, so I figured I would answer some common questions about owning chickens.

Reasons NOT to have backyard chickens

You live in a neighborhood with an HOA

Living in a neighborhood is going to be one of the biggest reasons that people can’t raise backyard chickens. Some HOA’s allow it, most do not. This does not mean that you absolutely cannot ever own chickens, it just might mean you will have to get creative! Maybe a friend or family member has some land that you could use? Or, maybe a friend lives close and has a flock, and would let you run a few extra chickens in with their flock in exchange for some help or labor on the homestead.

For the purpose of saving money on buying eggs each week

I get this question a lot. It’s not a bad question, it just speaks more into the intention of what someone’s current goal is. For me, I don’t even think about the egg cost- the chickens are giving us so much more than eggs. The eggs are kind of just a bonus? Maybe not everyone feels this way, but that’s at least where I am at with it. I will go into our reasons for having them below!

If you are in the chicken business to save money on your grocery bill, you will be a little disappointed! They don’t have to be wildly expensive, but depending on how you raise them, the costs can add up. If you are someone who is feeling this way, you may just need some time to research and evaluate your goals.

If you don’t have a yard or other property where you are living

Chickens logistically need a place to live! And you would not appreciate having them indoors. It would be difficult to have backyard chickens without some sort of a backyard or space outside.

You are in a season of traveling and don’t have alternative care options

Backyard chickens are extremely easy to take care of, but, they do need consistent care! If you are not able to be at home every single day, and do not have sufficient help with caring for them, chickens might not be a good fit for you. They need fresh water and food, a safe space to roam, and a safe place to roost at night for the most successful experience. Predators are no fun, and consistent care helps cut down on attacks.

If you don’t want more farm animals

This is kind of a joke, but, also a serious statement! In the homesteading world, chickens are often referred to as the “gateway” animal to… other animals. They create so much value and routine to the farm life. There is something about caring for them that creates a desire to care for other animals too!

Reasons TO have backyard chickens

Oh my, don’t get me started on this! There are truthfully too many reasons to name. Chickens have changed so much for me, and our homestead would not be what it is today without them! They are such a valuable asset to what we are accomplishing here on the farm, and I am so thankful for our little flock of hens.

Chickens will create a beautiful rhythm for your homestead

It is incredible how much chickens will improve your quality of life. Just seeing my flock free ranging around in the yard with the afternoon sun streaming in- it’s just beautiful. The way we have our routine set up, I have to let my flock out each day, and I have to close the coop up each night. They put themselves “to bed” and roost in the coop when the sun goes down.

Going out and tending to them multiple times a day has created a sweet relationship with caring for them. After most meals, I (or Theo!) will run out a bowl of kitchen scraps and leftovers to feed them. They are an integral part of our day each day, and it is a beautiful experience.

It’s been a fantastic experience to go through with our kids. Both of my kids just love the chickens, and Theo is getting more and more comfortable with them the longer we’ve had them.

Organic Pasture Raised Eggs + Meat

Fresh eggs- there’s nothing quite like it. Our kids are growing up getting to learn about the process for food, where it comes from, and the work it takes to nurture our animals. We also thank the animal for whatever food we are eating that day/night, and it has been a beautiful experience. Once you raise animals, the gratitude factor just explodes as you enjoy something so rich and tasty from your own backyard.

Eggs from free ranging, pasture raised chickens are so good and there is nothing that compares to them! The yolks are so orange, and the end result is incredible meals for our little family. One favorite breakfast here on the homestead is sourdough pancakes! I love using our farm fresh eggs for this recipe.

We have not personally ventured into raising our chickens as meat birds (that’s on the schedule for year 3, next season!). In the meantime of waiting to do the process ourselves, we enjoy purchasing organic pasture raised meat from our friends over at Red Gap Farm in Greenville, SC. I can’t wait to become more sustainable and raise our own flock, but until then, we will enjoy supporting other farms around us.

Organic Compost for Gardening

Chicken poop is good for… compost! We are big compost fans over here, and will continue to grow in our knowledge of it in the days to come. We have a big compost setup with a goal of providing our own compost for our raised garden beds and flower farm. It will take a lot to do that, so we are starting to learn the process. Chickens are a huge help in producing organic waste, and filling your compost with the bedding from cleaning out the chicken coop is a great starter for a compost pile.

Tilling areas for growing

One of the things that chickens are really good at is scratching. In particular, scratching the dirt for worms and bugs. While they scratch, they loosen the dirt beneath them and often eat the leafy greens (or grass) and bugs/worms in the soil. We are getting chicks this spring, and we fully intend to put them to work this fall.

If you setup a coop with some electrical fencing around it, chickens will till the ground and loosen the dirt while also pooping in the area! Which provides an amazing asset to the soil health and fertilizes it. Having rotational paddocks and moving the coop and fencing everyday will greatly improve the health of the soil below. I can’t wait to grow our flower farm over freshly prepped-by-chickens-soil next year!

Pest Control

While they might not be able to get every bug in your backyard, chickens are excellent at eating little pests. They can help with mosquito, fly, grasshopper, worm, and other pesky insects that might get into your garden or backyard. I won’t get into too much detail- but our chickens killed a mouse one day! I was very surprised to discover this, but it is evidentially fairly common for them to do this.

Now it’s time to research and see if chickens are a good fit for you!

I hope this helped answer some questions if you were on the fence about getting backyard chickens. I am the wrong person to sway you in the direction of “no”, because we love having chickens. But it isn’t always a good fit for every single family, and it is important to research the pros and cons of owning chickens. Do you have backyard chickens? If not, what are your reasons for not getting them yet? Let me know in the comments!