LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Chicken coops are popping up in backyards across America thanks to high-priced eggs. However, before you engineer your own chicken coop in your backyard, there are three things you need to consider:
“The first thing to know is rather or not you are allowed to; city ordinances can prohibit chickens inside the city boundaries,” said Poultry Extension Project Manager Dr. Jacqueline Jacob. Equipment Needed For Poultry Farming
Think about the amount of time it takes to care for those birds.
“Rather or not you can handle taking care of birds daily, they have to be cared for 365 days a year,” said Jacob.
Also, consider the cost of having chickens in your backyard; everything from engineering a coop, to keeping the chickens healthy, to feeding the chickens, could cost more than you think.
“If you just have two or three chickens, it’s easier than having dogs but harder than having cats, I would say,” said Jacob.
However, at the end of the day, it’s still cheaper to buy those eggs at the grocery store.
“If you are buying chickens for your backyard because you think you can produce eggs cheaper than you can buy them in the store, you’re wrong. It will always be cheaper to buy eggs from the grocery store.”
While some cities may allow chickens, your homeowner association may not. Make sure you check all ordinances before you build that chicken coop.
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