Backyard Chicken Supplies Checklist : Free List to Get Started With Chickens

Last week I published an article all about Backyard Chickens for Beginners. If you decided that chickens are for you, now is the time of year to be getting ready! In a couple short months, the feed stores will be full of adorable chicks, and hatcheries will begin shipping orders of those cute little fluffballs! This chicken checklist of backyard chicken supplies will help you get started with your own flock!

 

 

Whether you are starting with chicks or full-grown hens, this chicken checklist will help you get ready with everything you need.

Actually, we have created two checklists: a printable list to take with you to your local feed store, and a separate one for all you Amazon fans!

Disclaimer: this page contains affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

#1 Printable Chicken Checklist: 

 

Open the printable chicken checklist!

 

 

#2 Amazon Backyard Chicken Supplies List

If you prefer to shop online, you can find the Amazon backyard chicken supplies list below!

 

Question about what’s on the list? You can find more information about what you need here in our article, Backyard Chickens for Beginners!

 

Backyard Chicken Supplies You’ll Need:

• Chicken House with roosts and nesting boxes (You don’t need a store bought one; if you are handy you can build your own!)

 

• Fencing – your chickens should have a place to run outdoors where they will be safe from predators. If you are starting with a prebuilt chicken house, it may include an outdoor run. If not, you can buy portable chicken fencing, or you can DIY. To build your own chicken run, you’ll need fence posts, chicken wire, and either fencing staples, zip ties or clips to attach the wire to the posts.

 

• Chicken Feeder – most feeders are designed to either hang from the ceiling, or mount on the wall of your chicken coop. Feeders keep chickens from scratching the dry feed and flinging it out of the container. If you are soaking or sprouting chicken feed, you can use a shallow rubber feed pan instead.

 

• Chicken Waterer – since chickens will quickly spill or make a mess of an open water dish, the most popular chicken waterer design automatically fills a small rim around the edge of the larger waterer.

• Heated Base for chicken waterer – to keep water from freezing if you live in a cold climate. You can also buy a waterer with a built-in heater!

• Chicken Bedding – you’ll want some hay, straw or wood shavings to put on the floor of your henhouse and to give some padding to the nesting boxes.

• Light and Timer (optional) – Chickens naturally take a break from laying in the winter when there is less light. If you want to continue getting some eggs in the winter, you can add a light that turns on for a few hours in the early morning. These backyard chicken supplies are optional.

• Chicken Feed – if you are starting with adult birds, you’ll want a layer feed with 16-18% protein content. There are so many choices available now – you can choose from conventional, non-GMO or certified organic chicken feed. Although I’ve included an Amazon link, shipping chicken feed is expensive so I’d recommend getting it locally if possible!

• Oyster Shell or Aragonite – Hens need calcium to lay well. Many layer feeds have calcium added; if not, you’ll want to provide a source of calcium such as oyster shell or aragonite free choice.

 

Just for Chicks

If you are starting out with baby chicks, you’ll need the following backyard chicken supplies:

 

• A chick brooder or water trough – a small safe area for your brand new chicks to live. Because you’ll be using a heat lamp or heat plate 24/7 in this area, it’s a good idea to stick to fireproof materials and avoid cheap cardboard brooders.

• Heat Lamp and Bulb or Heat Plate – Baby chicks need to be kept warm at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Unless you are using a complete brooder that includes a heat source, you’ll need a heat lamp or heat plate to keep those babies warm!

• Chick Sized Feeder and Waterer

• Chick Starter Feed – Chicks need a starter feed with around 20% protein and no added calcium. Like with layer feed, there are lots of great options now whether you want to go conventional, organic, or just non-GMO. Chicks can have starter feed up until they start laying, around 5-6 months of age, or they can be switched to a grower feed after their first two months.

• Chick Grit – Chickens fill their gizzards with tiny bits of gravel, called grit, that is used to grind the food they eat. If they have access to the outdoors, they’ll usually pick up all the grit they need off the ground. Baby chicks are usually kept indoors for at least the first month or two of life, so it’s beneficial to provide them with a little chick-sized grit!

 

A Couple Extras…

• Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens – this handy reference book has answers to just about every chicken question you could think of! I consider it a must-have for any chicken owner. In fact, it probably belongs in the number one spot when it comes to backyard chicken supplies!

 

• Coop Confetti – I absolutely love this product by Scratch and Peck. Coop Confetti is a blend of natural herbs that repels bugs and makes the coop smell a little nicer! This one is optional on our list of backyard chicken supplies

 

Once again, if you prefer to shop locally, you can get the printable chicken checklist here to take with you to the feed store!

 

 

Have fun getting ready for your new birds! Chickens are a blast!

-Kait