Maybe you’ve just brought your first birds home and you are feeling a little overwhelmed, or maybe you haven’t gotten your first chickens and you want to know where to start so you can prepare your home for your first flock. How do you research backyard chickens and find reliable information?

1) The internet. So a few ways I’ve found that help when sifting through information on the internet. If you find a website that ends in .gov, that is an official government website. If you find a website that ends in .edu, that is associated with a school. Government and school websites are typically contributed to and monitored by experts which is helpful when trying to verify the information about chickens you have located is accurate. There are some great .com websites out there, but as we know anyone can post anything. A way you can tell if information is solid in the backyard chicken community is if you find that information echoed in more than one place. If it is a proven solution, you are going to see it shown across multiple websites, not just in one location. Trust your gut and take extra steps to verify information before taking action when it comes to backyard chicken tips, tricks, and solutions.

2) The library. Books! All that you have time and space for. Also, libraries have a host of free apps that allow you to access this information on your phone. Whether you are new to chickens or a seasoned backyard chicken owner, you should be reading about chickens. You would be shocked how much you don’t know (or still don’t know) about your birds! The more you know, the more your flock can thrive (and you too as a result)!

3) Chicken message boards and backyard chicken groups. Network with other backyard chicken owners. Tell them about your flock, your region, and yourself and learn from all of their great advice and experiences. If possible, meet and mingle with other backyard chicken owners. See their set up, observe their flock, ask questions about what issues they have encountered and how to avoid them.

When learning about anything new, don’t be afraid to learn and grow. Nobody is born an expert. We learn with time and experience. However, a little preparation and research can make a huge difference in your flock’s quality of life, or even save the life of one of your chickens. Learn as much you can before you bring your first birds but don’t ever stop learning! As your chickens age and as the seasons change their needs will too. Keep growing and you and your flock will thrive together!