Flying the Coop: Rehoming Our Backyard Chickens

Making the Difficult Decision to Rehome Backyard Chickens

One of the hardest parts of keeping animals is knowing when it's time to make a decision that's in their best interest. We loved raising our hens and watching them grow from fluffy chicks into productive laying hens, but we also knew they deserved a safe environment where they could thrive.

As much as we enjoyed collecting fresh eggs each morning, our plans had changed. Between future travel and the challenges of keeping chickens safely contained in the city, we realized another family could provide them with the space and attention they deserved.

Lessons We Learned from Raising Chickens

Looking back, raising backyard chickens taught us much more than how to care for a flock. We learned about responsibility, predator protection, coop design, egg production, and the daily commitment required to keep healthy, happy hens.

Although saying goodbye wasn't easy, it was comforting to know they would have room to free-range on ten acres and continue living the good life. Sometimes being a responsible animal owner means making decisions that are best for the animals, even when they're difficult for us.

Our four hens found a new home today. They're headed for a nice farm north of us and will be free ranging 10 acres! I placed an ad last night and woke up to an avalanche of emails! It was a tough choice picking the right family. One person said their hen was lonely and would enjoy the companionship. I almost picked her, but then thought, did something eat the rest of their chickens? Another woman said she had just built a coop and wanted these to be her first chickens! She was so excited. Another guy said he'd like them as he had just built a rabbit hutch. Hmmmm

I selected the family who promised to take good care of them, as their chickens were pets too.

We decided to re-home our hens due to several factors. Mainly, we feared for their safety as they kept escaping from their coop. We had already lost another hen this way and it was a very sad loss. The other reason is over our decision to travel. We're already discussing our next trip by the end of the year. We realize that re-homing them is the right decision.

We are very glad to have had the experience of raising our own chickens in the city, and are thrilled that we've experienced them mature and lay their first eggs.

It was a great learning experience.

Would we raise chickens again? Absolutely. Despite the early mornings, escaping hens, and occasional heartbreak, the experience was one of the most rewarding homesteading adventures we've ever undertaken. I have a feeling it won't be our last flock.