10 Chicken Keeping Myths to Ignore

10 Chicken Keeping Myths to Ignore
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | March 5, 2024
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With a rise in chicken keeping and homesteading also comes an increase in information about keeping chickens on the homestead. And, as with most topics, you have to be careful not to believe everything you read (or hear). If you have any experience with chickens at all, you will quickly realize that some of the information that is considered ‘fact’ is actually not true. With that being said, I am going to share with you 10 chicken keeping myths to ignore that should hopefully enlighten you with how to naturally and sustainably raise your homestead flock. I will challenge these myths with facts that will help you question each myth. Let’s dive in!

#1. Feeding chickens meat & eggs will make them cannibals.

FALSE. Feeding chickens meat and eggs will not turn your chickens into cannibals. There are a couple of facts that need to be clarified in order to dispel this myth:

Chickens Are Omnivores:

First, chickens are omnivores (which we will discuss later on as well). They naturally seek out a diet of leafy forage and insects. While our flocks’ ancestors may not have eaten leftover cooked chicken or beef scraps, they certainly would have no qualms about eating meat or eggs if given the chance. Your chickens will not associate the meat you feed them with eating each other. The same goes for eggs. If you feed your chickens cooked eggs (or even crushed eggshells), they will not associate those snacks with the eggs they lay.

For more tips on preventing your chickens from egg-eating, check out How to Prevent Chickens from Egg-Eating.

Survival of the Fittest:

Second, chickens follow the instinctual ‘survival of the fittest’ rule. A wild flock of Jungle fowl (chicken ancestors) could only survive if all the flock members were active and healthy. If a flock member was ill or injured, it would fall behind the flock. In our domesticated flocks, sick or injured birds are subject to bullying as the healthy flock members see the sick bird as an inhibitor to flock safety and survival.

Chickens are also drawn to the color red, which is the color of blood. They are curious and will quickly take their curiosity to the next level if given the chance. In instances where cannibalism does become a problem, it is usually the result of poor management rather than a chicken’s diet. However, dietary deficiences can result in bird’s craving feathers and blood.

Feeding your chickens meat and eggs will not encourage them to be cannibals. Instead, you can prevent bullying and cannibalism in your flock by implementing these measures:

• make sure your flock has plenty of space
• keep a reasonable & natural flock size
• quarantine sick or injured birds as soon as possible
• prevent boredom

#2. You can feed chickens bread and hot dogs to save on chicken feed.

IGNORE. While this myth may have some truth to it, it is one myth you don’t want to fall into for the sake of the health and longevity of your flock. Your chickens may LOVE a snack of hot dogs or crusty bread, but that is not their natural diet. Buying cheap hot dogs and loaves of bread can be a tempting way supplement your flock’s daily feed and to cut back on chicken feed costs. After all, the hot dogs provide protein and the bread provides carbohydrates, right?

However, protein and carbohydrates must be balanced with the essential vitamins, minerals, and even fats that chickens need in their daily diet. Hot dogs are high in sodium. Too much sodium is dangerous for chickens (they are smaller than us) and can lead to salt poisoning. Cheap bread is often a source of processed carbohydrates that have little to no nutritional value. Sure, they provide a source of instant energy, but that’s about it. Excess bread in a chicken’s daily diet will take away from the nutrients provided by a chicken’s feed and can result in dietary deficiencies.

The Alternatives:

The carbohydrates in your flock’s chicken feed come from a mixture of grains and seeds. If minimally processed (like in whole grain or mash feed), these grains and seeds also provide vitamins and minerals that are essential for a chicken’s health. Many unprocessed seeds and grains supply protein to the diet as well. However, chickens should also eat natural sources of meat-based protein. Sustainable protein for chickens come in the form of grubs, bugs, and insects. Occasional snacks of leftover cooked meats or eggs can also add healthy protein to your flock’s diet.

A balanced feed supplemented by nutrient-dense foods that add variety to your flock’s diet is the best way to save on feed costs. When chicken’s consume a diet that is nutrient-dense, they will need to consume less food to get the nutrition they need. Essentially, a chicken would need to consume more hot dogs/bread than chicken feed to get any nutrition, and even then the nutrition would not be complete. Lack of nutrition can lead to health issues and a drop in laying.

For tips on cutting feed costs without jeopardizing the health of your homestead flock, check out How to Save Money While Raising Chickens.

#3. Chickens need a heated coop during cold weather.

FALSE. If you’ve explored a lot of my winter chicken keeping articles (or read our Winter Chicken Keeping ebook!), you will find out that chickens do NOT need a heated coop to stay healthy and warm during the winter.

With their insulating feathers and efficient metabolism, chickens are much better suited for cool weather than hot weather. Even when winter temperatures start to set in, chickens can acclimate to the colder days and nights. Heating the chicken coop during the winter is usually not necessary, but there are some things you MUST do to ensure your homestead flock is winter-ready:

• choose cold hardy chicken breeds
• winterize the coop
• use insulating and compostable litter
• have a covered & sheltered enclosure/run
• customize your flock’s winter diet

#4. Herbs & natural remedies are dangerous for chickens.

FALSE. Herbs and natural remedies are not dangerous to the health of your flock IF they are used appropriately. In fact, when used correctly, herbs and natural remedies can be a great way to keep your homestead flock healthy and productive without the use of synthetic chemicals, drugs, or other medications.

The key to using herbs and natural remedies correctly is to treat them like a supplement. We take supplements to address a certain health issues or obtain a certain dietary component/vitamin/mineral. Herbs and natural remedies for chickens should be treated the same way. Use them as they are needed and know what each herb or natural remedy provides for your flock.

Use an off/on method when supplementing herbs and other natural supplements. Meaning, use a certain herb or supplement for a specific period of time (no longer than 10 days), then take a break from that supplement or herb. Keep variety in your routine and regularly rotate or switch up with herbs/supplements you are giving your flock.

#5. You need a rooster to get eggs & hens lay eggs all the time.

FALSE. For long-time homesteaders, this one is a no brainer. Hens will lay eggs even without a rooster present in the flock and hens will not lay eggs all the time. Egg laying is part of the chicken life cycle. A hen will lay an egg even if there is not a rooster present to make the egg fertile. With that being said, you do need a rooster to get fertile eggs. If you plan on incubating eggs that you collect from your homestead flock, then you will certainly need a rooster in your flock.

Eggs are actually a seasonal food. A hen’s natural laying cycle peaks during the spring (the instinctual breeding and hatching season for most birds) and will slowly taper off throughout the summer. She will then molt in the fall (if she is over 1 year old) and then take a break from laying during the winter when the temperatures are cold and the daylight hours are short.

As chickens were domesticated, some breeds were developed for superior egg production. These breeds will be your most productive layers and will only take short egg laying breaks. However, any hen (no matter the breed) will slow down in egg production as she ages. Here are some natural factors that affect egg production:

• annual fall molt (for hens over 1 year old)
• short daylight hours
• age
• disease/parasites/injury/stress
• broodiness

#6. Chickens are vegetarians.

IGNORE. Chickens are not herbivores, carnivores, granivores, or even insectivores. And they are certainly not vegetarians. Chickens are omnivores, meaning they eat a wide range of leafy forage, nuts, fruits, seeds, vegetables, insects, eggs, and meat. They are like the pig of the avian world… they will consume just about anything.

With that being said, chickens thrive when they are fed a specific but varied diet. Their diet must contain all the essential nutrients needed for survival in the right quantities and ratios. And protein is an essential part of a chicken’s diet. Chickens should eat both plant-based and animal-based proteins to get the amino acids they need to stay healthy.

A chicken’s natural diet should look something like this:

• carbohydrates– grains and seeds
• protein– grains, seeds, insects, and meat-based sources
• fats– seeds, meat-based sources
• vitamins & minerals– leafy forage, fruits, vegetables
• calcium– crushed eggshells & crushed oyster shells

The easiest way to make sure your flock is getting all the nutrition they need on a daily basis is to supply them with a complete feed formulated for chickens. However, chickens also benefit from a varied diet. Base their treats and snacks off of the dietary guidelines mentioned above to help them get essential nutrients even from the treats and snacks you feed them.

And don’t be afraid to give your flock meat scraps, eggs, dried grubs, and other animal-based proteins. They will love it! Find a complete list of both plant-based and animal-based proteins for your chickens in this article, Protein Sources for Chickens.

#7. Chickens can’t be trained and are not smart.

FALSE. Quite the opposite in fact. Chickens have instinctual intelligence. When you hone into their instinctual behavior’s, you can stretch their cognitive capabilities to understand activities that they may not have even been inclined to do naturally. Many of the actions that we would consider ‘not smart’, are actually prey animal reactions. Chickens are prey animals and their fear response can push all other cognitive functions aside.

However, chickens can be trained using positive reinforcement. Staying calm and training in a non-threatening environment are also essential for unlocking the learning capabilities of your chickens. Chickens can be trained as a flock or you can train individual chickens. High value foods will be the driving motivator and reward when training chickens. Here are just a few things you can train chickens to do:

• come when called
• do an obstacle course
• select certain shapes/colors/objects
• mimic behaviours

For more tips on how to train chickens, check out The Secret to Training Chickens!

#8. Chickens are dirty, smelly, noisy, and transmit disease.

IGNORE. Being a livestock animal, the dirty and smelly factors of raising chickens is largely dependent on the care you give them. Yes, chicken poop is smelly. No, your chickens and the chicken coop do not need to smell like chicken poop. Proper cleaning and management will keep your flock’s droppings under control and create a tidy (do I dare say… clean) environment.

And yes, chickens do make noise. But are they are not noisy… not compared to other common noisemakers such as lawnmowers or a dog barking. Chickens will make noises to communicate with each other. These noises are generally within the 60-70 decibel range, or comparable to a normal human conversation. Roosters will make the loudest noise when they crow, which is why some communities do not allow roosters in the neighborhood. However, to say that chickens are noisy would be like saying your dog is noisy every time he barks at the mailman. It’s natural and instinctual for animals to make noises.

As for disease… all animals can transmit disease. Even humans transmit disease. Healthy chickens are not a threat to your health when you raise and care for your flock responsibly. Proper hygiene is essential for keeping both you and your flock healthy. Here are some hygiene tips for raising chickens:

• wash your hands after handling your birds
• wear gloves when cleaning out the coop
• have coop shoes you wear around the chicken coop & yard and keep those shoes outside
• avoid having chickens close to your eyes, nose, and mouth (although the occasional hug and kiss won’t hurt you!)
• if you have a sensitive respiratory system, wear a mask when cleaning the coop
• use herbs and natural supplements to keep your chickens healthy

#9. Don’t feed your chickens treats and scraps.

IGNORE. You can absolutely feed your chickens treats and scraps as long as you keep their diet balanced. Be thoughtful about what treats and scraps you are giving your chickens on a regular basis. Treats and scraps will not make your chickens fat IF you are giving them nutritious, beneficial treats and scraps. Follow the natural diet guidelines discussed in Myth #6.

Treats and scraps have the potential to be dangerous to your flock’s health when the treats/scraps are fed in excess or become a substitute for essential nutrients in your flock’s diet. Regular treats of bread, pasta, or other carb-based foods are not beneficial for your flock since they are already getting carbs from the grains in their feed. Fruits and vegetables are low calorie and are rich in vitamins & minerals, so they add nutrition and variety to your flock’s diet.

Protein is a dietary element that is usually supplied minimally in a complete chicken feed. Supplemental protein is nearly always beneficial in your flock’s diet. Dried grubs, eggs, and meat-scraps are healthy treats/scraps for your flock. However, keep in mind that many protein-rich foods are also high in fat. Stick to natural, animal-based protein sources (such as insects and eggs) since many plant-based protein sources (like seeds and nuts) are high in fat and anti-nutritional factors.

For more tips on properly incorporating treats and snacks into your homestead flock’s diet, check out these article:

• Feeding Chickens a Homestead Diet
• Good & Bad Table Scraps for Chickens
• What Treats Can I Give my Chickens Daily?

#10. Hens don’t need supplemental calcium.

IGNORE. It may be tempting to cut costs by not supplying your hens with supplemental calcium (crushed oyster shells). However, supplemental calcium is important for laying hens. Hens need calcium to create strong eggshells. If not enough dietary calcium is present, a hen will draw calcium from her bones to create an eggshell. Young hens can utilize the calcium in their diet more efficiently and aren’t as dependent on supplemental calcium.

However, as a hen ages, her metabolism becomes less efficient, which affects how she is able to utilize the calcium in her diet. She may need more calcium in her diet to make up for the inefficiency of calcium absorption. With that being said, even young hens can benefit from supplemental calcium if an environmental factor or dietary factor creates a high demand for calcium.

Learn the importance of calcium for laying hens and how you can frugally add it to your flock’s diet in this article on The Importance of Calcium for Laying Hens.

There you have it, 10 chicken keeping myths that are either false or that you should ignore because the facts prove otherwise. Hopefully this information has cleared any confusion you may have had about topics such as feeding chickens meat & eggs, raising laying hens, keeping chickens during the winter, giving your flock treats, and raising a homestead flock naturally. Whenever you doubt something you read or heard about raising a homestead flock, consider how the early pioneers would have handled it. Bring raising chickens back to the basics to make caring for your homestead flock simple and natural.

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