Chickens are among the most popular homestead animals for good reason! While there are pros and cons to keeping backyard chickens, for us, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. They give us delicious fresh eggs, provide excellent pest control, and if nothing else, they are very entertaining! One of the many interesting chicken facts is that they can be quite affectionate pets.
If you’re considering keeping chickens or are just curious about these interesting birds, here are thirteen essential facts every beginner should know before embarking on their chicken journey.
1. Chickens are Smarter than you Think
Chickens Are surprisingly smart. While they may not solve algebraic equations, chickens are way smarter than many people assume. Studies show chickens have impressive cognitive skills and can recognize many faces even after long periods.
There are claims that chickens can be trained and will respond to their names. However, I don’t think our flock includes the advanced group, except for our OC, Snowball! Studies show that chickens demonstrate problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and even self-control.
2. Fresh Eggs Depend on Light Exposure
Chickens can handle cold with a dry, draft-free coop, but egg production may drop unless you add artificial light in their coop. To maintain your optimal egg production, hens require anywhere from 14 to 16 hours of light a day. In the winter, as days shorten, you’ll most likely see your egg count drop significantly. Many people supplement with added lights to extend egg production. We sometimes add lights if everyone stops laying, but we also like giving our girls a break to rest and recuperate.
3. Chickens are Social Creatures
Chickens thrive in flocks—get at least 2 or 3 to avoid a lonely, stressed bird. We mix different breeds in our backyard flock. Some are outgoing, some are shy and skittish. We have found that different chickens of the same breed can be polar opposites, just like us humans! Understanding breed characteristics will help you choose chickens that match your lifestyle and expectations.
Even though chickens are the closest living relatives of the Tyrannosaurus rex, hens are generally friendly animals. Some people have a fear of chickens, but what they might not know is that those are roosters that have been known to chase people. That is because a rooster’s instinctual purpose is to protect their flock. You might get a broody hen in your flock who might not like you grabbing eggs, but that is usually a breed thing. We avoid breeds known for being very broody.
4. Chickens Have a Pecking Order
Yes, the pecking order is real! Chickens establish a strict social hierarchy commonly known as the pecking order. Their enforcement for not following this is getting pecked, hence the name. Pecking order gives preference in most things to the chickens at the top of the pecking order. They get the prime roost spots, get to eat and drink whenever they want and get to put everyone else in their place.
5. Chickens are Omnivores
What your chickens eat directly affects the quality and nutrition of their eggs. Commercial chicken feed provides most of the nutrients they need to survive, however, it doesn’t offer the diversity to thrive.
Believe it or not, Chickens are omnivores, so you don’t have to limit them to just veggies. Throw some leftover steak out to them and watch the chaos ensue as they fight over it. We let our chickens free range in a pretty large area in our back pasture, they have access to all the bugs they can eat. Giving your chickens access to lots of bugs provides several health benefits.
- High Quality Protein – Insects are rich in protein that helps support muscle growth, feather health and egg production.
- Essential Nutrients – Insects contain vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are great for your chickens.
- Natural Foraging Behavior – If you let your chickens free range, it occupies them, prevents boredom and can help reduce aggressive behaviors amongst each other.
Supplementing your chicken food with kitchen scraps, fruits, vegetables, and even meal worms can improve their health and egg quality.
6. Chickens are great for Pest Control
Backyard Chickens Keep Pests in Check. Chickens are natural foragers and they love to snack on insects and even little rodents. Before we got our chickens, we had a significant tick problem around our property. After the first year, that was pretty much gone.
Your chickens can also clean up your garden once the season’s over. They will pick through meticulously, not only eating the leftover veggies but also cleaning up the pests. If you let them in your garden before you are done with it for the season, just be warned that they will decimate it fairly quickly.
7. Predators Are a Real Threat
Chickens need a very safe and secure chicken coop. One of your first jobs as a chicken keeper is providing security. There are many predators out there just waiting for you to let your guard down so they can swoop in and get a snack. Predators can be from the ground like a fox or racoon or in the air like a hawk, they could even be your neighbors dog or cat.
Giving your chickens a safe and secure coop as well as a protected chicken run is the best first line of defense. This needs to include secure latches that a racoon can’t figure out. Predators will do everything they can to get your chickens, you need to do everything you can to stop them. You will most likely lose some chickens to predators, that’s just how nature works, but you can limit your losses with predator prevention.
Another way to protect your chickens is to give them some partially covered areas with shade to hide, maybe a spot under some trees or access to the chicken run for them to run to.
8. Hens Don’t Need a Rooster
You might have wondered, ‘How do chickens lay eggs without a rooster?” You are going to get eggs from your female chickens (hens) with or without a rooster, the difference is if the eggs get fertilized or not. If you have a rooster there is a definite chance that your eggs will be fertilized. While this is great if you are wanting more chicks, it’s not good if you are wanting eggs to eat. The eggs you eat are non-fertilized eggs.
We choose not to have a rooster for a couple reasons. The first is that we are just wanting eggs. When we need to add more chickens to our flock, we get baby chicks from a reputable hatchery. The second reason is the noise. Hens themselves can be a little loud, especially after they lay an egg, but a rooster can be absolutely annoying!
9. Chickens Bathe in Dust
Chickens have a quirky way of staying clean—they bathe in dust! Instead of water, they roll around in dry dirt or sand to scrub off excess oil and shake loose pesky parasites like mites and lice. This natural behavior keeps their feathers healthy and irritation-free. You might catch them digging shallow pits in bare patches of your yard, flapping up a dusty storm. While you can offer a dedicated dust bath with a mix of soil, sand, and wood ash, many chickens, like ours, prefer picking their own spot, turning hygiene into a fun, gritty ritual!
10. Farm-fresh are Not the same as Store-bought
Store-bought eggs often look different from farm-raised eggs for a few reasons and their nutritional value is different. Some key factors like hens’ diet, living conditions, and egg processing are contributors. Farm-raised eggs typically come from hens with varied diets (including free-ranging) and more natural environments, leading to richer, darker yolks and thicker shells. The factory farming system uses standardized feed and controlled settings, resulting in paler yolks and more uniform, thinner shells that are often washed and sometimes coated for longer shelf life.
Most commercial chickens lay white eggs because of the breeds chosen for mass production. When you buy baby chickens you can choose from a vast variety of breeds that lay anything from deep bark brown eggs to blue and green eggs.
11. Chickens Do Not Need Heat
There is a longstanding question people have, “Can chickens freeze to death?” The short answer is yes, but that’s the case with ANY animal. The long answer is more complex. With proper breed selection chickens DO NOT need additional heat in the winter.
This assumes you live in an area with typical winters, not the Alaskan tundra! Many chicken breeds are extremely cold hardy and can handle even sub zero conditions. You have to make sure their coop stays dry and draft free with plenty of bedding to give them a warm haven to retreat to. We don’t provide our chickens with any supplemental heat, just a water heater base to keep their waterer from freezing. You also can choose cold breed chickens that do better n colder climates.
Check out our post on our favorite cold hardy chicken breeds!
12. Chickens Dream
Research suggests chickens experience REM sleep, hinting they might dream like us. They have unique sleep habits, though. At night chickens naturally retreat into the comfort and safety of their coop. They sleep balanced on roosting bars elevated off the ground. Their pecking order determines who gets the best spot. Typically the highest roosting bars are where the hens higher in the pecking order go. Maybe this is them protecting themselves from predators, giving them more chances to escape, who knows?
In our chicken coop, we use 2×3’s for the roosting bars We have 2 roosts about 12″ off the ground and a third about 20″ off the ground. This is the preferred bar for the high ranking chickens.
13. Chickens are a Long-term Commitment
Owning chickens is a long-term commitment; egg-laying slows after 2-3 years, but they’ll stick around as pets or pest controllers. A chicken’s lifespan depends on its breed, environment, and the care you provide. While commercial laying hens often live 2-3 years because of the intensive egg production, backyard chickens can oftentimes live 5-10 years. Our oldest is Snowball who is 7 years old as of this writing.
Final Thoughts On Chickens
Raising chickens can be a lot of fun with some great payoffs, but it requires some commitment. Our chickens provide us with amazing eggs and entertainment and have become a fun part of our little homestead.
Whether you’re in it for the fresh eggs, natural pest control, or simply watching them scratch around your yard, chickens make a great addition to any homestead or backyard.
If you’re thinking about getting chickens, start off by doing your homework. Consider the pros and cons of backyard chickens, research chicken breeds to find the best ones for your flock, set up a safe and secure coop for them, and give them access to healthy food and water.
Your feathered friends will reward you with fresh eggs, endless entertainment, and plenty of personality! What is your favorite Chicken Fact?
Comments are welcome & encouraged, however we have the right to refuse to publish it if it is hateful in nature and not constructive criticism. We ask that they be polite & stay on topic as well.