With the price of eggs at the supermarket still subject to market volatility due to the avian flu and inflation, you may be considering raising a backyard poultry flock.

Before you set off on poultry raising, Small Flock Poultry Extension Specialist Brigid McCrea encourages you to know the facts — and the cost.

According to McCrea, you should do upwards of 20 hours of research outside of the internet, such as the Extension’s getting started with chickens workshop.

“A lot of people underestimate the amount of time and cost associated with raising the flock, and (the research) gets them knowledgeable about what they’re getting into,” McCrea said.

Most of the upfront cost will come in the form of a coop, which could cost up to $5,000.

“A really good coop that lasts 30 years is going to be probably closer to $5,000. Something cheaper isn’t going to last and may not even survive a predator attack,” McCrea said. “But once you get past the coop costs, then your regular costs are going to be in the form of feed.”

Your coop needs enough square foot per bird of indoor space and any additional space they get outside is a plus.

The structure also needs to be secure against a vast number of predators. A covered run will protect the flock from aerial predators, and 24 inches of buried wire will protect from ground predators.

You should be prepared to purchase well-balanced chicken feed every 4-5 weeks.

“Folks should be willing and able to purchase enough feed for their flocks so that they don’t ever run out of feed,” McCrea said.

It will cost approximately $62 per bird for the first 18 months during the growth period before they lay their first eggs and then through their first laying cycle.

For subsequent years, it’ll be approximately $52 per bird per year.

“It’s highly variable, depending on whether you choose a fancy feed or if you choose a feed that doesn’t meet their biological needs,” McCrea said.

McCrea stresses the importance of ensuring a balanced diet for your flock.

“Free ranging really isn’t an option anymore since our state has wild birds that have avian influenza flying overhead, so they just need to feed a balanced diet,” McCrea said.

Finding a poultry veterinarian can prove extremely difficult in certain parts of the state.

“You have to do your homework and find a vet who will see chickens. avians, or exotic animals, because your regular old dog or cat vet may or may not see them. Most of them don’t,” McCrea said.

Most poultry diseases present the same, especially respiratory diseases.

“You got to take them to the vet, really quick, and get a diagnosis — especially the respiratory diseases because those can act fast,” McCrea urged.

With avian flu still a mounting threat in the south, biosecurity is of the utmost importance for your avian friends.

“You’re not going to know that it’s avian flu at first, so biosecurity is what you use. That means keeping your chickens in a secure space that’s large enough to meet their needs. You don’t let them free range; you don’t come in contact with other birds, including other poultry and wild birds. You yourself wear dedicated footwear and clothing out to take care of your birds,” McCrea said.

“You take care of your youngest birds before your next oldest birds before your next oldest birds, so on and so on, and always take care of any injured birds last,” McCrea said.

If you have dead birds, take them to a poultry diagnostic lab to determine if the cause was avian flu. If the bird is still alive, get it to the vet immediately.

“If they have it, it can be pretty severe, like they look fine the night before and some are dead by morning,” McCrea said.

If you are starting a brand new flock for the first time, McCrea recommends purchasing chicks.

“Make sure those chicks come vaccinated for Merricks disease. and make sure they came from an NPIP approved hatchery, so that way you have the best possible stock when starting your flock,” McCrea said.

Finally, consider what local municipal ordinances (or HOA ordinances) are in effect where you live.

Ordinances for Athens, Huntsville, and Madison City can be found at: https://library.municode.com/

It is unlawful to farm a backyard flock in the City of Athens, according to sec. 10-15 of the Code of Ordinances, which is as follows:

Sec. 10-15 “Fowl”

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, confine, harbor, allow to remain, or permit to be kept fowl (chickens, ducks, geese, or other domestic fowl) within the city limits unless the fowl are used in connection with (i) an industrial processing facility in compliance with the city’s zoning laws, (ii) a farm in compliance with the city’s zoning laws, (iii) any public park, or (iv) a function, demonstration, or presentation with an educational or entertainment purpose of not longer than two days in duration where such use is pre-approved by the police chief or his designee.

Our Limestone County readers who live in the Madison City limits should abide by the following ordnance:

Sec. 6-14. — Keeping of livestock.

(a)Minimum lot size. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep livestock in the city limits on any lot smaller than three acres in size.

(b)Minimum corral area. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any livestock in any corral in the city, unless such corral shall have a minimum area of 10,000 square feet for one such animal and 1,000 square feet for each additional animal there kept to which every such animal shall have unrestricted access.

©Distance of stables or corrals from dwellings. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any animal in any corral or stable in the city, any part of which is within 75 feet of a dwelling occupied by a person other than the person keeping such animal, or if such dwelling is not occupied, owned by a person other than the person keeping such animal, provided, that this subsection shall not apply to pastures established prior to May 7, 1974, if continuously so used to the present time.

Our Limestone County readers who live in the Huntsville City limits should abide by the following ordnances:

Sec. 5-105. — Distance of corrals, pens or stables from dwellings.

It shall be unlawful for any owner or person in charge to keep any animal or fowl in the city in any corral, stable or pen any part of which is within 150 feet of a dwelling occupied by a person other than the owner or person in charge of the animal or fowl or if such dwelling is not occupied, owned by a person other than the owner or person in charge of the animal or fowl; however, this section shall not apply to enclosures in which animals or fowl have been continuously kept before May 10, 1979; and provided this section not apply to horses kept in publicly owned facilities, not otherwise creating any nuisance and kept under the sanitary conditions of this chapter.

Sec. 5-106. — Minimum area of corrals.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any animal in any corral in the city unless such corral has a minimum area of 12,000 square feet for one animal and an additional 10,000 square feet for each additional animal kept, to every portion of which each and every animal shall have free and unrestricted access.

Sec. 5-107. — Minimum area of pens.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any animals, including fowl, in any pen in the city unless such pen has a minimum area of 15 square feet of space for each animal or fowl to which space each animal or fowl shall have access.

McCrea recommends the following sources when considering starting a flock:

• “The Chicken Whisperer’s Guide to Keeping Chickens” by Brigid McCrea
• Extension Resources:
• “Biosecurity for Backyard Poultry Flocks” by Ken Macklin, Joe Hess, John P. Blake, Susan Bonilla, Wilmer J. Pacheco, and Dianna B. Bourassa
• “Protecting Backyard Flocks” by Brigid McCrea, Joseph Hess, and Ken Macklin
• “Home Layer Flock Management Suggestions” by Joseph Hess, Ken Macklin, and J.B. Blake