CHILL CHOOK

Pandemic chook care 101: How to care for your new pet hens

- Ben Braithwaite

The term “cooped up” has taken on a whole new meaning for Aussies during the COVID-19 pandemic as chickens become a family favourite in the pets department. In fact, Google reported that search terms for “live chickens” were at an all-time high over the past five years in Australia.

So if you’re among the many Australians who have panic bought chickens, there is a sure-fire way to keep them safe. Here are our top tips for caring for your new feathered friends.

HOW MUCH ROOM DO CHICKENS NEED?

We like to say that as a general rule, chicken coops need roughly 2-3 square feet per chicken and 8-10 square feet for the chicken run. If you have roughly five chickens, you would need at least 15 square feet in the coop house. But for the chicken run, the more square feet the better.

If you don’t allow adequate space for a flock of chickens, many issues can arise, such as pecking, bullying, stress and in some instances even death.

WHAT SHOULD YOU FEED YOUR CHOOKS?

A balanced diet is vital to ensure your hens stay happy and healthy. The main component of their diet should be layer pellets or layer mash, as they are packed with all the essential minerals and nutrients. It’s also important to ensure they have grit mixed in with their food — this allows the chooks to break down their food and digest it properly.

You can provide the feed in a dispenser or scatter their food in their chicken run to encourage natural foraging behaviour. Raw fruits and veggie scraps can also be given daily with fresh water.