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Chicken Beginner Essentials
36
items This is a list of things every beginner chicken tender needs from coops, to tools, to products. Most of this list is from Tractor Supply because that is the most common and beginner friendly farm supply store, but I've also included some items from L...
Sections
6
Coops
Inside the Coop
Feed and Water
Enrichment
Baby Chick Essentials
Health and Wellness
Coops
Coop sizes depend on you flock size. Most coops will say how many they hold, but I always go a bit bigger just so my hens have plenty of room nest and roost comfortably.
Small coop, holds 2-4 hens. Has a run, nesting box, and roosting area so you don't have to add anything to it
Aivituvin Chicken Tractor Mobile Chicken Coop, 2 to 4 Chicken Capacity at Tractor Supply Co
Medium coop that holds 6 hens
Producer's Pride Hill Country Chicken Coop, 6 Chicken Capacity at Tractor Supply Co
Medium coop that holds 6 hens
Producer's Pride Farmhouse Tractor Chicken Coop, 6 Chicken Capacity at Tractor Supply Co
Large coop that holds 12 hens
Producer's Pride Villa Chicken Coop, 12 Chicken Capacity at Tractor Supply Co
Large coop that holds 14 hens
Producer's Pride Citadel Coop, 14 Chicken Capacity at Tractor Supply Co
We have a couple of these since we have 40+ chickens, and they're great for larger flocks. You'll just have to connect it to a coop.
Qeetex Large Metal Chicken Coop Dome Chicken Coop with Upgrade Tri Supporting Chicken Run with Waterproof and Anti UV Cover Large Chicken Coop for Outdoor Duck Rabbit 9.8FT L x 13.1FT W x 6.6FT H
X-Large coop that can hold 15-20 depending on how many roosting bars you install.
Little Cottage Co Brown Wood Chicken coop
Inside the Coop
Bedding, cleaning supplies, and nesting boxes
Hemp bedding is soft, highly absorbant, and good for both cold and warm temps. Can be on the pricier side.
Eaton Pet & Pasture Naturally Grown Premium Hemp Pet Bedding, 8 lb at Tractor Supply Co
Straw bedding is affordable, easy to find at most feed stores, and low dust. But, straw can harbor mites and mold easily if not changed regularly
Standlee Flock Fresh Animal Bedding, 2 cu. ft. at Tractor Supply Co
Pine shavings are great for odor control and are absorbent. But they have the same downsides as straw bedding.
Tractor Supply Extra Fine Premium Pine Shavings, 3 cu. ft. at Tractor Supply Co
Nesting herbs are an amazing addition to bedding for pest control, and the aromatherapy creates a calming environment for the hens.
Eaton Pet & Pasture Premium Nesting Herbs, Aromatic Blend for Nesting Boxes and Chicken Coop, 10 oz. at Tractor Supply Co
These are nesting pads that are placed in the brooding boxes to making them more comfortable for the chickens, and safer for the eggs.
ImPECKables Nest Box Pads at Tractor Supply Co
Good to have on hand refreshing the coop and neutralizing the smell
Manna Pro Coop-N-Compost Odor Neutralizer for Poultry, 1.75 lb. at Tractor Supply Co
Feed and Water
Chickens need different feeds at different stages in life. This section will only include adult chicken feed because I have a separate chick section.
This a layer feed that has a mix of protein pellets, grains, vegetables, and seeds
Nutrena NatureWise Harvest Blend Egg Layer Textured Feed, 40 lb. at Tractor Supply Co
This feed is focused on encouraging healthy, shiny feather growth in full grown chickens
Nutrena NatureWise 20% Protein Feather Fixer Pellet Poultry Feed, 40 lb. at Tractor Supply Co
Formulated specifically for silkie nutritional needs, but safe for the whole flock
Nutrena NatureWise 22% Protein Silkie & Ornamental Layer Poultry Feed, 30 lb. at Tractor Supply Co
Mealworms make the perfect treat for chickens, and they absolutely love them
Happy Hen Treats Mealworm Frenzy Chicken Treats at Tractor Supply Co
You can drill these into any bucket, like a Lowes bucket, and make it a feeder. Plus it minimizes food waste and keeps it covered
RentACoop DIY 4 Port Chick 2 Chicken Feeder Kit at Tractor Supply Co
These can also be used on any bucket. I prefer this type of waterer because it keeps the water clean, and it's harder to freeze in the winter
RentACoop DIY Chicken Waterer Kit - Horizontal Nipples with Dribble Dish, 6-Pack at Tractor Supply Co
Oyster shells add much needed calcium to a chickens diet and helps reduce the amount of egg impurities
Manna Pro Oyster Shell Poultry Treats, 50 lb. at Tractor Supply Co
Since chickens don't have teeth, they need to eat grit, which is essentially tiny rocks, to help them digest their feed
Manna Pro Poultry Grit with Probiotics, 25 lb. at Tractor Supply Co
Enrichment
Just like all animals, chickens need some entertainment or “enrichment." These are things that stimulate their brains and keep them engaged.
Chickens LOVE swings and perches, it's where they spend a lot of their time
PawHut Chicken Activity Play Swing Perches Ladder Gray
Chickens are always curious about bright colors and funny noises
ImPECKables Xylophone Chicken Toy at Tractor Supply Co
They also LOVE checking themselves out in the mirror, some of my girls will just sit and stare at themselves for hours
ImPECKables Wooden Lemon Hanging Chicken Mirror at Tractor Supply Co
Baby Chick Essentials
A great starter feed and it's already medicated
Nutrena NatureWise Chick Starter Grower Medicated Chicken Feed, 7 lb. Bag at Tractor Supply Co
Great for if your only doing silkie or ornamental chicks
Nutrena NatureWise Silkie & Ornamental Chick Starter Grower Clean Mini Crumble, 7 lb. at Tractor Supply Co
Great for chicks because it's small and fits a good amount of food
ImPECKables Plastic Poultry Feeder Base, Fruit at Tractor Supply Co
Goes on top of the feeder or waterer
ImPECKables 1 qt. Transparent Plastic Poultry Jar Feeder/Waterer, Pink at Tractor Supply Co
I love this water bowl because it's shallow enough so the chicks are safe and won't drown
ImPECKables Plastic Poultry Drinker Base, Pink at Tractor Supply Co
If you wanna hatch your own chicks, you need a good quality and easy to use incubator
Harris Farms 22-Egg Capacity Nurture Right 360 Egg Incubator at Tractor Supply Co
Please please please use a heat plate and NOT a heat lamp. Heat lamps in a brooder can be so dangerous for baby chicks!!
Hatching Time 10x10 Warmzy Heating Plate for Baby Chicks for 15-20 Chicks at Tractor Supply Co
You need a brooder that has good ventilation and plenty of room for the chicks to grow depending on how long you're keeping them in there
RentACoop Big Red Barn Folding Chick Brooder at Tractor Supply Co
Health and Wellness
Products for keeping your flock happy and healthy!
If you suspect your flock has parasites, use this to treat them right away!
Safe-Guard Aquasol Dewormer for Chickens, 3 mL at Tractor Supply Co
One product for an array of health needs like colds, roup, scaly legs, and eye worm
VetRx Poultry Remedy Supplement at Tractor Supply Co
Chickens will peck at anything, including eachother. So if you have a hen who keeps getting picked on, put this on her sore spot to help hide it and heal it
Rooster Booster Pick-No-More Cover-Up Chicken Lotion, 4 oz. at Tractor Supply Co
When you have a rooster, it can be helpful to have a saddle for your hens to give them a break if they start loosing feathers or getting hurt
Hen Couture Hen Saddle, Denim with Pocket at Tractor Supply Co