🐔 Backyard Chicken Starter Checklist

From Stafford Hill Farms — raising premium ready-to-lay pullets in the Appalachian foothills of North Carolina.

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✅ Before Your Pullets Arrive

• Coop is clean, dry, and predator-proof (hardware cloth, not chicken wire)
• Coop has at least 4 sq ft per bird inside, 10 sq ft per bird in the run
• Ventilation is in place — high vents, not drafts at bird level
• Nesting boxes installed (1 box per 3–4 hens)
• Roost bars are higher than nesting boxes (12–15" wide, rounded edges)
• Bedding in place — pine shavings (avoid cedar)
• Waterer cleaned and filled with fresh water
• Feeder filled with layer feed (16–18% protein)
• Oyster shell available free-choice for calcium
• Grit available if birds will free-range or eat treats

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✅ First Week Essentials

• Keep pullets confined to the coop for 3–5 days so they learn it's home
• Check water and feed twice daily
• Watch for pecking order behavior — some is normal
• Look for signs of stress: huddling, not eating, labored breathing
• Collect eggs daily once laying begins (reduces breakage and egg eating)
• Note which hens are laying — Golden Comets typically start at 18–20 weeks

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✅ Ongoing Weekly Tasks

• Refresh bedding and spot-clean the coop floor
• Scrub and refill waterers (algae builds fast in warm weather)
• Check for mites or lice — look under wings and around the vent
• Inspect the coop for gaps, damage, or signs of predator activity
• Collect and date eggs — store pointy-end down at room temp up to 3 weeks

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✅ Monthly & Seasonal Tasks

• Deep clean the coop — remove all bedding, scrub surfaces, let dry fully
• Dust bath area is accessible and dry (sand + wood ash + food-grade DE)
• Trim overgrown feathers around the vent if needed
• Adjust lighting in winter if you want year-round laying (14 hrs light/day)
• Deworm if needed — consult your vet or extension office

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✅ Supplies to Have on Hand

• Layer feed (crumble or pellet)
• Oyster shell & grit
• Pine shavings for bedding
• Electrolytes (Sav-A-Chick) for stress or heat
• Vetericyn wound spray for minor injuries
• Blu-Kote antiseptic spray
• Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp/gallon water, 1x/week for gut health)
• Diatomaceous earth (food-grade) for pest prevention

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✅ Know Before You Buy

• Check your local ordinances — many areas limit flock size or ban roosters
• Have a plan for a sick bird — find a poultry vet before you need one
• Ready-to-lay pullets (like ours) skip the brooder phase — no heat lamp needed
• Our pullets are vaccinated for Marek's Disease and raised on pasture

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Ready to get your flock started? Shop our ready-to-lay pullets →

Have questions? Visit The Learning Coop for guides on feed, care, and what to expect in the first 6 weeks.