10 Things To Know About Owning Chickens In The Suburbs

Here are the reasons we love owning chickens in the suburbs. We’re not experts, so we always recommend asking the pros for the best advice. This post contains affiliate links, which may lead to a commission if purchased. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

Thinking about owning chickens in the suburbs? I’m here with 10 essential things to know BEFORE you buy backyard chickens. We’ve owned chickens on a suburban lot, as well as on a 12 acre farm. Believe it or not, there are pros and cons to both setups! Before you embark on your journey of owning chickens in the suburbs, it’s important to know these ten points.

Don’t forget to check out our favorite chicken gear if you’re looking to get started with your own flock.

What To Know Before Owning Chickens In The Suburbs

1. They’re addicting.
2. Laying slows down with age.
3. They’re social & cliquy
4. Everything loves to eat them.
5. They weren’t meant for confinement.
6. You might get a rooster.
7. They’re easy.
8. The eggs aren’t “free”
9. Weather considerations
10. The old wives’ tales are plentiful

Chickens Are Addicting

Ever heard the term “chicken math”? Almost inevitably, the number of chickens one sets out to own will mysteriously increase. Or double. Or quadruple. Over time. Why is this? It’s largely because most people who acquire chickens completely fall in love with keeping them. There’s often this incessant, never-ending desire for “more, more, more”! You’ve been warned.

Laying Slows Down With Age

Many first time chicken owners don’t realize that the number of eggs a chicken lays per week will fluctuate. Generally, once a hen starts laying, the older she becomes, the fewer eggs she will lay. Typically, hens lay the most eggs when they are about 1-2 years old. Many chicken keepers will actually butcher their chickens around 3 or 4 years of age, when laying slows down significantly, and start over with new chicks. In addition, the time of year will affect how many eggs hens lay. As days get shorter through the fall and winter, hens may slow down, or even stop laying altogether. Once the days begin to lengthen again in spring and summer, frequent egg laying commences.

Sometimes, those who begin owning chickens in the suburbs will add artificial light to encourage hens to lay throughout the winter, however this is not a practice that we use.

They’re Social & Cliquy

Chickens care about their relationships! It’s pretty fascinating to watch how chicks who grow up together tend to stick together as adults, too. They will sometimes strike special best-friendships, too. It’s pretty cute to watch.

Predators & Owning Chickens In The Suburbs

These poor birds, it seems like they can’t catch a break! Their eggs taste good, their meat tastes good, and the whole animal kingdom seems to know it. Raccoons, possums, mink, coyotes, dogs, hawks… you name it. If it’s an omnivore or a carnivore, there’s a good chance it’ll take a chance at swiping one of your chickens for a snack. To make matters worse, chickens are pretty awful at defending themselves most of the time. Therefore, it’s up to you to protect them from predators. Sometimes owning chickens in the suburbs comes with fewer predators; but not always!

They Weren’t Meant For Confinement

Chickens can certainly be kept in confined spaces successfully. But as a general rule of thumb, I find that the more space chickens have to explore, the happier they are. More space for pecking around, dust baths, running, and sunbathing, will not only make for happier chickens; it will make for healthier chickens, too!

Roosters & Owning Chickens In The Suburbs

I have nothing against roosters — we love Rambo! However, many first-time chicken owners are setting up a flock that will live in a suburban area where roosters aren’t allowed. For most breeds, even if chicks are sold as “pullets” (females), there’s about a 10% chance per chick that it is actually a male. Roosters can be nearly-impossible to find loving homes for, and most unwanted roosters just end up butchered. If you’re owning chickens in the suburbs and that’s a thought you can’t handle, it’s worth looking into sex-link breeds, which have closer to 100% accuracy when guessing gender, instead of just 90%.

They’re Easy

Of course, this is a matter of personal opinion and experience. Since I grew up with indoor pets of many kinds (dogs, cats, small caged critters), I was surprised how easy chicken care was when I got them as an adult. In my opinion, caring for outdoor chickens is much easier than caring for indoor confined pets, such as parakeets, guinea pigs, fish, etc.. And the chickens are happier in the fresh air, too!

The Eggs Aren’t “Free”

I was this way too. Many novice chicken keepers purchase poultry for the “free” eggs. However, the eggs are far from free. In fact, after factoring in the cost of feed/bedding/medical care, they’re typically more expensive than store-bought factory farmed eggs. However, they taste so much better, they’re much more rewarding, and they’re more dependable in a supply chain crisis, too! Here are some ways we reduce the cost of our chicken care, and get cheaper “free” eggs.

• Free ranging chickens so that they can forage their own food
• Feeding chickens kitchen and refrigerator scraps. They are great recyclers!
• Planting “chicken feed” plots such as corn, millet, and amaranth in the garden
• Feeding back egg shells for added calcium
• Utilizing shavings from Ian’s woodworking projects as bedding

Weather Considerations

Before you decide on owning chickens in the suburbs, it’s important to consider the weather in your area. Extreme weather of any kind should be addressed. From what I’ve heard, hot weather tends to be even more dangerous to chickens than cold weather. Make sure to read up on both summer and winter chicken care for your area.

Since our area tends to have cold, moist air, we prefer to get chickens with shorter combs, to help prevent frostbite.

The Old Wives’ Tales Are Plentiful

When I first started owning chickens in the suburbs, I figured anyone else with chickens knew better than I did. However, when seeking advice, be warned that the old wives’ tales run rampant in the chicken community! There are so many myths still circulated because no one bothers to dig deeper as to whether they’re really true or not. Know that people tend to “parrot” other advice they hear, and often times, it’s downright untrue.

I recommend seeking chicken keeping advice from as many different sources as possible, and asking why. Look into the science, rather than blindly accepting hearsay.

Owning Chickens In The Suburbs Is Easy

And totally worth it! Don’t get caught up in analysis paralysis. Make sure to research different avenues before deciding to take on backyard chickens. But we’ve had a ton of fun with our egg layers, and in my opinion, the journey is totally worth it.

Don’t forget to check out our favorite chicken gear if you’re looking to get started with your own flock!