Reasons to Keep Backyard Chickens
The Fresh Eggs
There is a growing popularity of keeping backyard chickens and for good reason! The most obvious – you get fresh eggs! For many, eggs are a kitchen staple – something you always have in the refrigerator or that is always on the list to pickup next time you’re at the store. But there’s a big difference between the eggs you pick up from the grocery store and the ones you collect from your backyard coop. The eggs you buy from the grocery store are older than you probably think – often severals months old! So the eggs you get from your backyard birds will probably be fresher than any you’ve had before. When you consider this it helps you appreciate what is meant by fresh eggs! Fresh eggs have more nutrients than standard store bought eggs, as eggs the nutrients in eggs deteriorates over time.
Reduce Waste
A few other not so obvious reasons you might find yourself wanting backyard chickens – pest control & compost. Chickens love to eat all sorts of insects and bugs that tend to pester us when trying to enjoy our backyards and damage our landscaping and garden beds. Finally compost, chickens are masters at taking kitchen scraps that you are either putting in your trash can or washing down the garbage disposal in your sink into these delicious fresh eggs! Feeding them scraps from the kitchen not only cuts down on waste but keeps their feed intake high in nutrients which helps produce the healthiest eggs to enjoy! Not to mention that feeding your scraps to the chickens to produce compost material to use in garden beds and landscaping is way easier and more fun than having a compost pile that you have to turn and tend to (plus compost piles don’t lay eggs).
Fun & Educational
Keeping backyard chickens is a lot of fun for the whole family. It’s educational, fun, and is very rewarding – not to mention low maintenance. The time investment needed to keep backyard chickens is very minimal. With the most basic setup you might need 5 minutes a day to check in on their water, food, collect eggs, and give them kitchen scraps. However, it’s simple enough to get a food and water system that lasts several days or even all week, so that 5 minutes can be reduced further easily. You will find however, that going to check for eggs is a fun chore that the whole family will excitedly anticipate!
Things to consider before getting backyard chickens
Can I keep chickens where I live?
There is a little bit of planning and a few things to consider before you bring home the adorable little chicks you saw at the store. First and foremost – can you keep chickens where you live? If you live within the city or town limits or in a subdivision, there are likely ordinances/ covenants that dictate if backyard chickens are allowed on your property. Often these ordinances/ covenants limit the type and number of chickens. It is almost universal that roosters are prohibited, as they can can be a noise burden to nearby neighbors. See below a detailed reference guide for the rules and regulations for other local areas surrounding Charlotte. If your property is in a subdivision governed by an HOA you will want to refer to your HOA’s rules and regulations on backyard chickens. Contact HOA representative if it’s unclear what your communities rules are.
The general Charlotte area rules:
- 20 chickens per acre (see the chart at the end for what that breaks down to for various property sizes).
- Chickens must be kept in an enclosure/ coop at all times.
- The coop must provide at least four square feet of ground area per chicken.
- The coop must be well ventilated and at least 18 inches in height.
- The coop must be at least 25 feet away from any adjacent residential structure and the property line on which it resides.
- The enclosure must be kept clean, free from excessive odors, and waste must be handled responsibly.
Where do I get chickens?
So you’ve done your research and know you are permitted to keep chickens on your property – awesome! Now the next question is where do you get chickens. You might be able to find local farms selling mature chickens that are already laying eggs but it will be harder and more expensive. It’s most common to get baby chicks and raise them up to be your backyard laying hens. Believe it or not you can actually get chickens via USPS. Keep in mind it won’t be until the chicks are 18-22 weeks old (depending on the breed) that they start laying eggs.
Here are some hatcheries to start your shopping:
What kind of chickens should I get?
If you’re anything like me you will be surprised at how complicated picking out chickens can be – who knew there were so many choices?! Good news is you can’t really make a wrong choice. My recommendation is to decide what’s most important to you – egg color, egg quantity, bird size, bird heat tolerance, bird temperament, bird appearance, etc. Dig into each of these aspects for any chicken you are considering to make sure your expectations for these attributes will be met.
Here are some of my top recommendations:
- Easter Eggers – excellent choice for those seeking colored eggs
- Rhode Island Reds – classic choice, high producer of brown eggs
- Barred Rocks – Another classic with striking black and white speckled feathers
- Cinnamon Queens – Well rounded temperament
Give them a place to call home
Once you’ve sourced your chickens the last step is to make a safe and secure place for them to call home in your backyard! Pick up a ready to assemble coop or give one of these DIY chicken coop plans a go. Hopefully now you’re feeling more prepared and excited to take on backyard chickens. I wish you the best of luck on your journey!
Rules and Regulations for Charlotte & Surrounding Areas
Charlotte – To keep chickens within Charlotte city limits you first have to obtain a permit. Here is a link to the online permit application. Once you have a permit, Charlotte allows 20 chickens per acre, but if your property is less than one acre you are allowed the proportionate amount. The city requires that the chickens be kept in an enclosure/ coop at all times. The coop must provide at least four square feet of ground area per chicken. The coop must be well ventilated and at least 18 inches in height. The coop must be at least 25 feet away from any adjacent residential structure and the property line on which it resides. The enclosure must be kept clean, free from excessive odors, and waste must be handled responsibly. Finally, it is important to note that roosters are not allowed in Charlotte, NC. For more information see the Charlotte Code of Ordinances.
Huntersville – According to the Town of Huntersville’s municipal code where livestock ordinances are covered residents may keep chickens are the proportionate ratio of 20 per acre so long as they are kept in appropriate coops.
Mint Hill – The town of Mint Hill follows the guidelines laid out by the city of Charlotte but does not require a permit. The specific rules and regulations for backyard chickens are outlined here in their municipal code (Chapter 3, Article II, Section 3-102).
Matthews – The town of Matthews, NC has identical rules to those of the city of Charlotte. The only difference is who administers the permit. The specific rules and regulations can be found here in the Town of Matthews ordinances chapter 91A. If you live in the town of Matthews and want to obtain a permit to keep chickens you can apply for one with the application linked here. For more information, contact The Town of Matthews Animal Control (704-847-5555 / [email protected]).
Pineville – The Town of Pineville code of ordinaces lays out rules of backyard chickens identical to The City of Charlotte’s rules. The specific rules and regulations can be found here in the Town of Pineville code of ordinances chapter 90, section 56. There are only two notable differences the first being who administers the permit. If you live in The Town of Pineville and want to obtain a permit to keep chickens you can apply for one with the application linked here. Pineville ordinance does not mandate that chickens be enclosed at all times so free-ranging your chickens is an option here.
Belmont – Belmont, NC, outlines all the specifics for backyard chickens here. Mainly the rules follow the Charlotte standard with the exception of that Belmont issues the permits and that free ranging is permitted so long as chickens are kept in a coop or tractor during non-daylight hours.
