Keep chickens at home the right way — calm birds, clean eggs, fewer disasters.
The Chicken Keeper is a warm, family-friendly guide for UK gardens. Breeds, coops, runs, feeding, health routines — and the parts people conveniently leave out.
Created by real chicken keepers. We’ve made the mistakes first — so you don’t have to.
Start here
If you do these in the right order, chicken keeping stays fun instead of turning into daily damage control.
Free tools that save you pain
- Breed Finder: stop choosing based on cute photos.
- Coop & Run Size Calculator: stop under-building and living in mud.
- Beginner checklists: so you don’t forget the boring-but-critical bits.
- Help! My chicken… triage: when something feels off, start here.
- UK cost calculator: plan the real monthly/annual cost (and avoid surprise resentment).
These are deliberately practical. If you want “inspiration boards”, the internet already has 10 million of them.
Coops & runs deep dives: coop size, run size, mud control, mesh vs wire.
Want to keep your flock calm?
Most “problems” aren’t random. They’re design problems.
- Ventilation beats “warmth” (ammonia is the enemy).
- Secure nights beat “hope” (foxes don’t negotiate).
- Cleaner water beats expensive supplements.
- Bigger runs beat constant pecking drama.
Free printable: UK Backyard Chicken Starter Checklist
Short, practical emails that stop beginner mistakes — plus the printable checklist as your first download.
- Space + coop/run sizing prompts (so you don’t buy the wrong coop).
- Predator-proof hardware list (the non-negotiables).
- First-week routine to settle hens fast and spot problems early.
- Buying birds safely (so you don’t bring disease home).
Quick FAQ (UK)
Do I need a rooster for eggs?
No. Hens lay eggs without a rooster. A rooster is only needed if you want fertilised eggs for hatching.
How many chickens should I start with?
Usually 3–4 hens. Chickens need a flock, and small groups are often less stressful than keeping just two.
What’s the biggest predator risk in the UK?
Foxes. The answer is not “hope” — it’s hardware cloth/welded mesh, strong latches, and a routine every night.
Will chickens destroy my lawn?
If they have access to it, yes — eventually. Plan for rotation, protected beds, or a dedicated run area.
Books (now live)
Prefer something you can hold? Our two KDP books are available on Amazon UK — a straight-talking guide plus a simple flock diary.
The Chicken Keeper
A straight-talking beginner’s guide to keeping garden chickens — setup, routines, health, and the reality nobody posts.
Happy hens. Proper eggs. No nonsense.
The Chicken Keeper’s Diary
Your daily, weekly and monthly checklist bible — egg tracking, health notes, cost tracking, and routine prompts.
Daily checks • Weekly health checks • Monthly reviews • Cost tracking