Keeping backyard chickens – what you should know

Keeping chickens as pets can be a rewarding experience, especially for children. However, chickens and other poultry can carry germs such as Salmonella, even when they appear healthy and clean. These germs are found in the chickens’ faeces (poo), which can contaminate their feathers, the environment they live in, and the surfaces of their eggs.

Keeping chickens and staying healthy#

A few simple steps can help make keeping chickens a positive experience and reduce the chance of you or your family becoming sick:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water as soon as possible after touching chickens, collecting eggs, handling nesting material, or coming into contact with chicken litter, manure or the environment in which the chickens live.
• Help young children with handwashing to be sure they are thorough.
• Supervise young children closely around chickens so they do not cuddle or kiss the birds, touch their own faces, or put unwashed hands in their mouths.
• Don’t eat or drink around live poultry, and make sure hands are washed thoroughly before eating.
• Keep a dedicated pair of shoes or boots to wear inside the chicken enclosure, and don’t wear them inside your house. Clean and disinfect them regularly.
• Wear gloves when cleaning out the enclosure and when handling nesting material that might be contaminated with chicken manure.

Egg safety#

When collecting and using eggs at home, follow these safety tips:

• Discard cracked, damaged or heavily soiled eggs.
• Clean lightly soiled eggs with a dry cloth or tissue. Never wash eggs with water, as this makes them porous and can let bacteria on the surface penetrate and contaminate the egg.
• Always store eggs in the fridge in clean packaging. Label the packaging with the date of lay so you know how fresh they are. If refrigerated, eggs will keep for about six weeks.

When storing, handling and preparing eggs, take the same precautions you would with chicken, meat, seafood or dairy products:

• Thoroughly clean your hands, food areas, work surfaces, dishes, utensils and cleaning cloths after working with eggs, especially after spills.
• Serve hot dishes containing eggs straight away, or cool them quickly in the fridge and keep them refrigerated until eaten.
• Thoroughly cook eggs and foods containing eggs until they are hot all the way through.
• Uncooked foods that contain raw eggs (such as homemade mayonnaise or uncooked cake batter) are higher risk. Consider alternative recipes that do not contain raw or undercooked eggs, especially when serving infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

Can I keep chickens in my backyard?#

Local rules on keeping poultry vary, so check with your local authority before you start. Many areas limit the number of birds that can be kept on a property, and some have restrictions on how chicken housing is built. You may need a permit, and roosters are often not allowed because of their crowing. In some places, owners of larger numbers of poultry must register their property, so confirm the current local requirements where you live.

Purchasing chickens#

When buying chickens, it is best to purchase vaccinated birds from a reliable commercial source. A good starter flock usually consists of four to five birds aged 16 to 24 weeks, which will normally produce enough eggs for a household.

Chicken housing#

Make sure your chicken house and run are predator-proof:

• Fully enclose the run with wire mesh buried into the soil to a depth of about 50 cm to stop foxes and other predators digging under the fence.
• Cover the floor of the house and the nesting box with sawdust or straw to a depth of about 8 cm, so it mixes with the droppings to form a litter. This litter can be removed and composted.
• Make sure the house is well ventilated and positioned to protect against prevailing winds and rain. Extra vegetation along the fencing can help with wind protection.

Feeding your chickens#

Feed your chickens appropriate food and clean water, refreshed regularly:

• Commercial layer pellets provide a balanced source of the correct nutrients.
• Kitchen scraps can supplement their diet, but avoid chocolate, onions and garlic, as these can cause health problems.
• Use a feeder that is vermin- and wild-bird-proof to stop pests eating and contaminating the feed.
• Store excess feed in a sealed, vermin- and waterproof container, and don’t feed your birds mouldy feed.

Chicken health#

Like all animals, chickens can have health problems. Check them regularly to make sure they are alert, active and eating well, with clean eyes and nostrils and quiet, noiseless breathing. If you are concerned, consult a vet to help diagnose and treat any health issues.