5 Biggest Challenges in Raising Chicken in a Suburban Environment

With the rising cost of food many families are considering growing their own food in order to lower their food expenditures. Savvy city dwellers are starting to raise their own suburban chickens. Chickens can provide an inexpensive source of fresh eggs. Before you embark on raising chickens, be aware of these 5 challenges you might face.

Challenge 1: City Ordinances
Some cities or counties make it illegal to raise chickens in an suburban environment. Other areas allow you to raise chickens but they place limits on the number you can have. If you have roosters, which are notorious for being loud, you could run afoul of your city’s noise laws.

Challenge 2: Living Space
You will need to have chicken coops to not only protect your chickens but also to provide a space for the hens to lay their eggs. The chicken coop needs to be big enough for the chickens to move around. It is possible to build your own coop or to order them for suppliers.

Challenge 3: Food Costs
Feed for the chickens will be a big cost. Feed comes in two different types: pellets and crumble. It can be a challenge to find a feed store in a suburban environment so you may be required to ordering freed from the Internet. Care must be taken to constantly fill up your feeders and to make sure that the food is never wet.

Challenge 4: Health Concerns
Chickens are prone to getting illness that can easily be spread to every chicken in the coop. It is possible to lose all of your chickens due to illness. Before you begin raising chickens you need to make sure you have access to a veterinarian that can check on your chickens. Having a veterinarian doing a house call to check on your chickens can be expensive.

Challenge 5: Smell
Your chicken coops will require you to constantly clean them out. Failure to do this on a regular basis can result in a smell that will drive your neighbors to complain. You will also have to wipe down the chicken coop and clean out all feeders on a regular basis.

Raising suburban chickens can be a cost effective way to combat rising food prices. In addition they can provide a steady stream of fresh eggs and meat.