This post is all about low maintenance backyard chicken keeping.
Raising chickens in your backyard is rewarding, but it doesn’t have to be time-consuming or overwhelming. Whether you have a busy schedule or just want to keep things simple, this post discusses some practical tips for managing a small flock with minimal effort. Low maintenance backyard chicken keeping is much more achievable than you may think. Follow these tips to check your low maintenance chicken coop up and running, so you can enjoy farm fresh eggs, with minimal effort!
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Low Maintenance Backyard Chicken Keeping
Step 1: Set Up a Low-Maintenance Coop
First and foremost, if you want to achieve low maintenance backyard chicken keeping, you need to set up a low maintenance chicken coop. A well-designed coop makes a huge difference in how much time you spend on daily chicken chores. With proper setup, you won’t need to spend more than a few minutes each day out at your coop most days. The majority of your time at the coop, will simply be enjoying your flock, and bonding with them! Here are some critical elements of a low maintenance chicken coop:
Automatic Chicken Coop Door
One of the best time-saving investments is an automatic chicken coop door. It opens and closes based on the sunlight, so you don’t have to wake up early to let your flock out, or rush home at dusk to secure your flock for the night. Chickens are prey animals, and cannot see well at night. So chickens will naturally put themselves to bed for the night. The automatic door will then keep them secure for the night.
Be sure to get your automatic door from a reputable company because it is important for the door to work properly and reliably, or else it could be dangerous for your flock. This one from Run Chicken is popular among chicken enthusiasts, and for good reason. The door comes with 2 AA NiMh rechargeable batteries that are charged from a solar panel with up to 5 years of battery life. It is solar powered and works flawlessly even in extreme weather -15°F to 140°F. It comes with all needed accessories and is super easy to mount yourself.
- Solar Chicken Coop Door – included 2 AA NiMh rechargeable batteries that are charged from a solar panel with up to 5 years of battery life. Automatic chicken coop door is solar powered and works perfectly even in extremely cold weather -15°F to 140°F. Solar panel does not have to be placed directly under the sun light for auto chicken coop door to work perfectly. Batteries are pre-charged, so you can start using the chicken door immediately.
- Easy to mount – It takes no more than 10 minutes to install automatic chicken coop door. Complete accessories included, easy and convenient, waterproof. Set once and your solar chicken coop door will work for many years without disruption. Enjoy your free time knowing your chickens safe and sound wiht this chicken door opener
- Completely safe – the safety mechanism detects if any chickens are in the way when the chicken coop coop door is lowering. The chicken door will stop, reopen, and then try to close again. This chicken run feature will protect your precious chickens from getting hurt.
- Strong and durable – sturdy all-aluminum body easily keeps predators out and keeps chickens safe. High-quality powder coating makes the solar chicken door resistant to snow, rain, heat, and dust. Run Chicken automatic door with solar power will last for many years.
- Light sensor and timer – the automatic chicken coop door automatically opens in the morning and closes in the evening. Easily programmable timer using the button on the drive unit or programmable with app. Configurable for any situation. Automatic mode works fantastically for 95% of users.
Easy Clean Nesting Pads
In order to get clean and healthy eggs, you need to ensure your chickens have constant access to clean nesting boxes. This can be easily achieved with either easy to clean nesting pads, or replaceable nesting pads that can be easily switched out as needed.
Easy To Clean Nesting Pads: These washable silicon nesting pads are great because they can be quickly, and easily hosed off to ensure they are always nice and clean for your chickens.
- EASY CLEANING – No smell or damp will live in your chicken coop as the 6 nesting box mats are breathable and waterproof. Simply collect the intact eggs, shake the nest box pads off and replace in the hen nesting boxes. For deep cleaning hose down
- NO MORE BROKEN EGGS – Flexible plastic chicken coop bedding to cushion the fall, your girls can do their egg laying without you having to worry about breakages. The holes in the hen nesting pads mats also allow droppings to fall through, meaning a cleaner, healthier coop. The perfect chicken accessories
- DURABLE & SCRATCH PROOF – The nest box liners for chickens are made from strong poly that’s built to be Chicken proof. No more clearing straw and hay pads strewn around the coop, the mat will be long lasting. If you like your ladies to have a scratch around, add fresh pine shavings on top
Replaceable Nesting Pads: For my own flock, I am a big fan of the Eaton Pet and Pasture Replaceable Nesting Pads. My birds love scratching around, and getting them just right to lay their beautiful eggs. The box comes with 10. I only change them out once a month, unless they get visibly dirty before then.
- PREMIUM & SUSTAINABLE: At Eaton, we’re committed to producing the most premium products while also minimizing our impact on the environment. That’s why we use 100% sustainably harvested aspen excelsior to create our premium nesting pads. We understand the importance of sustainability in agriculture and the impact that it can have on the planet, which is why we have carefully selected materials that are both eco-friendly and of the highest quality.
Step 2: Simplify Feeding & Watering
Manually refilling food and water daily can be tedious. Switching to feeders that hold a lot of feed, and keep pests away saves you a lot of time and hassle. (See: 7 Best Waste-Free Chicken Feeders) The same goes for water. Get a waterer that holds a lot of water, so you don’t need to refill it every day.
Feeder:
This Rent A Coop Feeder ensures your chickens always have access to food while preventing waste and keeping rodents out. It holds 10 lbs. of feed, has 4 feeding ports, and even includes an anti-roost cone. The anti-roost cone prevents the chickens from roosting on top of the feeder. Eliminating the need to constantly clean chicken poop off of the feeder also supports the goal of low maintenance backyard chicken keeping!
- One Lifetime Feeder for Your Flock: Our Chick2Chicken Medium Ports are safe and accessible for chicks as young as 3 days old, through adult chickens! Also perfect for Quail, Pigeons, Doves, and other small birds!
- Large Capacity: Fewer fills for easy maintenance! The feeder holds 10lb of pellets, crumble, or scratch grains with 4 feed ports
- Clean and Cost Effective for the Whole Flock: Innovative design keeps dirt and debris OUT and feed and water IN. No more wasted feed on the ground! Easily accommodates larger flocks with 4 Medium Ports. Suitable for up to 20 chicks or 12 adult chickens
- We Thought of Everything: Medium ports include sliders to close off access and keep unwanted guests out; Anti-Roost Cone keep your chickens from roosting and making a mess. This weatherproof feeder can be placed anywhere and is suitable for all seasons
- What’s in the Box: 10lb. Feeder; 4 easy-to-install ports with slider port covers, Anti-Roost Cone, and lid
Waterer:
This 5-Gallon Rent A Coop Waterer is perfect for a low-maintenance coop. It holds tons of water, and the 4-horizontal nipples keep dirt and debris out of the chicken water, so you don’t need to change out the water each day! You’ll quickly learn with chickens that they get dirt and dust (And poop) everywhere! With other waterers, the water constantly gets dirty. So even if it holds a lot of water, you still need to change out the water, often daily, because it gets so dirty. This waterer keeps the water filled, and clean! It’s also designed for corner placement, so it doesn’t take up as much space in your chicken run.
- Automatic Drinker with 4 Horizontal Nipples: Prevent side-drinking by positioning the red horizontal nipple at eye-level with your animals
- Large Capacity: Fewer fills for easy maintenance! The Waterer holds 5 gallons with 4 Horizontal Nipples. Great for large flocks! Multiple chickens can drink at the same time. Suitable for chickens seven days and older up to fully-grown chickens
- Clean and Cost Effective: Innovative design keeps dirt and debris OUT and water IN. No backflow from nipples into the waterer. Fresh clean water is always available for your chickens!
- We Thought of Everything: Removable cap on lid allows you to easily refill from the top; anti-roost cone to keep your waterer clean; horizontal nipples with dribble dishes will kepp your coop clean and dry
- What’s in the Box: One 5 gallon BPA-free food-grade plastic bucket waterer (corner placement), lid, anti-roost cone, horizontal nipples with attached dribble dishes, and a cap plug. NOTE: CHAIN IS ONLY AVAILABLE WITH 2 GALLON WATERERS
Step 3: Cut Down on Coop Cleaning Time
Keeping the coop clean doesn’t have to be a daily chore. A few simple upgrades, and choosing the right bedding and equipment can make maintenance quicker and easier. (See: How To Maintain A Clean Chicken Coop)
Bedding:
Sand is a great low-maintenance chicken coop bedding. It’s also great bedding for keeping a healthy flock. Sand doesn’t hold bacteria as much like other bedding options, it dries quickly, and provides ample dust bathing spots for your flock. Dust bathing helps chickens stay clean and pest free. It’s also very easy to clean, because you can just scoop and sift, similar to how you clean kitty litter boxes. Mixing in a PDZ Coop Refresher and Nesting Herbs is also a great way to control odors.
- Herbal Aromatic Freshness: Carefully crafted with a premium mix of calendula, basil, lavender, blue cornflower, lemon balm, rose petals, and rosemary for enhanced coop wellness. Our blend infuses your coop with the soothing scents, keeping it naturally smelling fresh and pleasant.
- Deters Pest: The natural properties of these herbs help deter pests, ensuring a cleaner, safer coop for your chickens.
- Natural, Chemical-free & Safe: Made from 100% natural herbs, this blend is safe for chickens and promotes a chemical-free approach to coop care.
Cleaning Tool
This Chicken Coop Scooper works amazingly with sand, but can work for other bedding as well. It also doubles as a rake. This scooper was specifically designed for cleaning chicken coops and runs, so it’s really effective at getting the job does efficiently. It’s well worth it given how much easier it makes chicken chores.
- REMOVES 2X THE WASTE: Other scoops leave small waste behind. The Coop Scoop is designed with perfectly sized sifting holes and shown to remove twice the amount of waste as other scoops!
- 2-IN-1 PATENT-PENDING DESIGN: The Coop Scoop is the FIRST tool to combine raking and sifting in one ergonomic scoop—made just for chicken keepers. Don’t be fooled by knockoffs. Integrated rake tines gather droppings and feathers while the sifting scoop separates waste from valuable bedding, eliminating the need for multiple tools. Patent-pending in both utility and design!
- SOLID HANDLE: The 36″ long handle is ergonomically designed to sift and reach waste with one hand without bending over, while remaining short enough to maneuver in small spaces and clean litter shelves. Built with solid, non-collapsible components for long lasting durability.
- PREMIUM CONSTRUCTION: Made in the USA from durable post-industrial recycled polycarbonate, engineered for everyday wear and tear for farm and backyard chicken coops. The Coop Scoop is SHATTERPROOF, lightweight, rust-proof and preforms well in extreme temperatures! It has even survived being run over by a car without cracking.
Step 4: Minimize Predator Risks Without Extra Effort
Keeping predators away from your flock is one of the more stressful parts of chicken keeping. No one wants to lose one of their feathered friends to a predator.
There’s several things you can equip your coop with to keep predators away from your flock. Some of which include solar powered lights and Animal Barrier fencing (to prevent animals from digging into your coop). Also, be sure to use the appropriate hardware cloth when building your coop. Do NOT use chicken wire. Chicken wire keeps chickens in, it does NOT keep predators out. You’ll also want to use at least a 2-step locking mechanism on your coop doors. A general rule of thumb is that if a young toddler could figure out the lock…so could a racoon. They are surprisingly smart.
Step 5: Keep Chickens Entertained Without Extra Work
Bored chickens can develop bad habits like feather pecking, aggression among the flock, and even health problems. The key is providing enrichment that doesn’t require constant attention. Especially if you don’t have time to spend with them every day, or an area where they can safely free-range for a large part of the day, enrichment items in the coop are essential. (See: 15 Best Chicken Coop Toys To Provide Enrichment For Your Flock)
Here are a few “fan favorite” chicken coop toys:
Best Selling Chicken Coop Toys For Low Maintenance Backyard Chicken Keeping
- 【Funny Chicken Toys】7 Pcs chicken coop accessories contains: 2 x chicken swings, 1 x chicken xylophone, 1 x chicken pecking toy, 1 x chicken mirror with bells, 2 x hanging chicken feeder
- Value Chicken Playset Including: 1 x chicken xylophone toy, 2 x pieces chicken veggies skewer and 1x piece chicken vegetable string bags and 1 x chicken swing and 1 x chicken mrrorWith convenient hook design, you can easily install on the cage, coops or fence.
- Diverse Toys: this set of toys includes 7 chicken toys, such as a volcanic stone chewing toy, a ladder with a bell, a xylophone, a shaking mirror and a chewing stone; These toys offer your pet a wide range of entertainment options, helping them kill time and exercise both physically and mentally
- Funny Chicken Toy: The xylophone toy is special designed for chickens. Each xylophone was fitted with a built-in bolt, two gaskets and a metal wing nut, so that it can be mounted on the inside or outside of the chicken cage, no extra tool is required for installation. You can also just put it on the ground, it will be tilted at an Angle for the chicken to peck at. When your chickens peck at the chicken xylophone toy, it makes beautiful sounds.
- Funny Chicken Toy: The xylophone toy is special designed for chickens. There are two chains with hooks that can be hung in the chicken coop. When your chicken pecks at it, it makes beautiful sounds. On the bottom of the xylophone, there is a floral grinding stone that is rich in mineral for the chicks to peck and play with.
- Colorful Chicken Toy Set: the product contains 1 chicken wind chime toy, 2 one sided mirrors (red and yellow) and 4 beak grinding stones; These chicken coop toys are designed with charming multi color design, which are designed to enrich the physical and mental activities of the chickens, ensuring that your chickens stay active and happy, reducing boredom and stress
- CHICKEN COOP ACCESSORIES : This enhanced version of our chicken chew toy features an extra-long design, offering more teething stones for longer use. The combination of calcium stones with different colors can not only attract poultry to bite and play, but also decorate the cage.
- Chicken toys for coop accessories: Set include 1* wooden chicken swing toys, 1* Chicken bird toy ladder, 1* Mirror with bell, 1* Xylophone Toys, 1* pecking toy, 1* Fruit string bags, 1* vegetable skewer. Hook design, Easy installation, This kit is a good helper to relieve chicken’s boredom and pressure.
- Nice combination: you will receive 2 pieces one-sided mirrors (red and yellow) and 4 pieces beak grinding stones (you should notice the pendant on the stone is in random color), enough quantity to make your chicken cage interesting
- Design: Vehomy chicken mirrors toys were designed suspension hook and both side mirrors, make it easy to hang it in any chicken coop and cage.
Final Thoughts…
You don’t need a huge amount of time or effort to keep a happy, healthy backyard flock. By automating key tasks, using easy-clean solutions, and predator-proofing effectively, you can enjoy fresh eggs without feeling overwhelmed. Whether you have four chickens or a few more, these simple tips will help you manage your flock with ease!
What You’ll Find Here
Are you eager to embrace the homesteading lifestyle, but worried about not having enough land? Fear not, for you don’t need vast acres to become a mini homesteader. With a little creativity and effort, you can transform your backyard into a thriving homestead, complete with chickens and a garden. Imagine the satisfaction of growing your own food and using it to whip up delicious, healthy meals. And if you’re ready to take the plunge and raise backyard chickens, you’ve come to the right place. This is where we’ll guide you through the world of modern homesteading.
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