Chickens not just for farmers anymore

FINDLAY — From savings at the grocery store to the comfort of having a sustainable, trustworthy food source, keeping chickens can offer numerous benefits for those who seek to raise them. Sarah Pugh, of Findlay, said she and her family decided to get backyard chickens five years ago as a way to save money, and have discovered benefits that go beyond a price tag. Pugh said she opted for a cost-effective path to prepare for their first chickens, purchasing two laying hens and a chicken coup from a seller on Facebook. The family then added six baby chicks. Pugh said the two hens steadily produced two eggs per day, and the chicks began to lay eggs going into the summer of COVID, just when prices at the grocery store were beginning to spike. While the supply of eggs saved the family money, she said, the process wasn't without trials. At one point, two of their chicks passed away, which the family replaced, and a predator later invaded the coup, causing more of the small flock to be lost. Pugh said one of the difficulties of keeping chickens is ensuring their safety, since animals, especially raccoons, can be relentless trying to get into a coup. In the five years since the family began to keep chickens, Pugh said she has enjoyed watching her children learn and appreciate the keeping of hens, and the food cycle in general. She said her kids have learned, "This is where your food comes from," which often can be a mystery to those who haven't been exposed to keeping animals and growing food. In addition, she said, they continue to learn and practice the ethical treatment of the hens and chicks. Pugh said in 2025 her son was old enough to join 4-H, and they purchased four chickens for him to show at the fair in the Fancy Chickens category. She said she kept track of what they spent on the chickens versus what they would have spent to buy similar eggs at the grocery store. They feed their chickens organic feed and they are pasture raised, and the family spent $407 for the birds themselves and the feed, she said. In contrast, since the birds produced four total eggs per day, had the family purchased four organic, pasture-raised eggs per day at the store, the total cost would have been $490. Not only did raising the chickens for eggs save the family money, she said, but it provided the security of knowing the exact source of the food, ensuring it came from a healthy and humane environment. The family next is planning to begin raising meat chickens, which result in "huge birds" that can be a substantial cost savings versus buying whole chickens at the store, which can be expensive and tend to be smaller. Pugh said the costs associated with establishing a coup can be "very minimal," if someone seeks to maximize their savings. A coup, wire fencing, a heat lamp for chicks, feeders, water trays, nesting boxes, and bedding typically are used for housing poultry, and different types of feed are available, according to almanac.com and backyardchickens.com. Pugh said purchasing used items, moving the coup periodically to allow access to fresh grass, and feeding scraps all can be money saving options. If cost isn't an issue, farm stores like Rural King and TSC carry materials needed to start a backyard coup. Guidelines for scrap-feeding chickens are available online, and local regulations and zoning should be considered before starting a backyard flock. Pugh said local 4-H poultry clubs also can be a great resource for information about raising chickens.