20 Things I Wish I Knew Before Keeping Chickens

Keeping chickens isn't always fresh eggs and happy hens... it comes with its share of challenges. This video shares the realities of owning backyard chickens, from frozen water and muddy runs to escaping birds and tackling predators, highlighting our journey and lessons learned with our homestead chickens. We offer a practical approach to managing a chicken coop, ensuring a sustainable and rewarding experience, even in less-than-ideal conditions, and how we keep getting those delicious chicken eggs. 🚪🐔 Automatic Chicken Door | Get 15% off Using Code: SNOWSTEAD https://run-chicken.com/?ref=slllmohq 🌾💧 Feeder + Water | Get 15% off your purchase by using code: SNOW15 https://poultrysupplyco.com/?sca_ref=9513382.VWcyxY21cQ1 🏠 OFFGRID BATHROOM PLANS 🏠 Off-grid Bathroom Plans - https://stan.store/thisiswildhomestead/p/offgrid-bathroom-plans 👇 MY RESOURECES 👇 Tiny Home Building Plans - https://stan.store/thisiswildhomestead/p/tiny-home-plans FREE Emergency Kit E-Book - https://stan.store/thisiswildhomestead/p/free-emergency-ebook Ultimate Guide to Starting your Homestead - https://stan.store/thisiswildhomestead/p/ultimate-guide-to-starting-your-homestead ⭐ Get your FIRST MONTH of Starlink FREE: ⭐ https://www.starlink.com/residential?referral=RC-4564120-73178-63&app_source=share (This is my referral link for friends to join starlink) In this video: 🐔 Beginner chicken keeping tips 🥚 Egg production and favorite laying breeds 🦝 Predator protection and coop security ❄️ Winter watering challenges 🪵 Deep litter method and coop maintenance 🚪 Automatic chicken door review 🐭 Rodent prevention and feed storage 🏡 Designing a chicken setup that saves time Timestamps: 00:00 The truth about keeping chickens 00:52 Getting the setup right matters most 01:23 Predator protection lessons 02:04 Coop design & winter ventilation 02:34 Best feeder and water setup so far 03:10 Our roadside egg stand actually works 04:27 Chicken breeds & personalities 05:27 Mud, smells, and coop bedding fixes 06:27 Rodents, feed storage & coop upgrades 07:54 The real risks of free ranging 08:41 Nesting boxes & egg laying tips 10:01 Hidden chicken health problems 10:28 Automating chores with an auto door 11:08 The best part of raising chickens 11:55 What chickens actually cost us 12:19 Cleaning out the chicken run 13:32 Final thoughts & homestead projects If you enjoy homesteading, DIY projects, tiny home living, off-grid systems, animals, and building everything from scratch, consider subscribing. We’re learning as we go and sharing the entire journey here on the homestead. #chickens #layinghens #backyardchickens #homestead #snowstead