There’s no need to go to the grocery store. Head to your backyard instead.

Urban homesteading has grown by more than 30 percent since 1989. Scientists estimate that it can meet 15 to 20 percent of the world’s food demand, especially in cities.

One great way to provide food is to raise chickens. But don’t set up a coop just yet.

What exactly is urban homesteading? How can you maintain chickens? What you should do to keep yourself and your chickens healthy?

Answer these questions and you can raise beautiful birds in your own backyard. Here is your quick guide.

The Basics of Urban Homesteading

Urban homesteading is the process of growing food in your backyard. It is sometimes called “backyard homesteading” or “hobby farming.” It helps with home self-sufficiency, as a family produces its own sustainable food.

Some households produce enough food so they don’t have to go to the grocery store. Others produce some food to feed themselves or sell to others. Urban homesteading is incredibly flexible, and you can decide how much you want to get involved.

Read some homesteading ideas before you get started. Raising chickens is one of the most common ones.

Collect some tools like a feeder and waterer. Find strong bedding that provides plenty of room for your chickens. You should also get a nesting box so your birds can store their eggs.

Read your local regulations before you start homesteading. Some municipalities set restrictions on how you can raise backyard chickens. Others prohibit homesteading entirely.

Maintain Your Chickens

You can buy a flock of live chickens, or you can buy some eggs and incubate them. If you are incubating eggs, follow the instructions very carefully. Use an egg incubator and monitor the progress of your chicks.

Even adult chickens need support every day of their lives. Fill a trough or bucket with water in the morning. Make sure the container is clean, especially of feces and shavings.

You should fill your feeder with feed. You will need to add more whenever it runs low, which can occur at any moment. Keep an eye on it throughout the day.

Visit your chickens every couple of hours or so. Collect their eggs and put them in the nesting box or incubator.

Look for signs of good health. Your chickens should be active, playing with each other. They should have bright eyes and smooth feathers that don’t sag.

Keep Yourself Safe

Chickens can carry a number of infectious bacteria. Many of them carry E. coli and Salmonella. You can catch them and get devastating diseases, so you need to take some precautions.

Before you enter your coop, you should put on safety gear. Wear gloves, eye protection, and a face mask that filters out bacteria. You should put on boots that you leave and wash outside.

Do not cuddle with or kiss your chickens. If you must carry them, use both hands and hold onto their legs.

Do not bring them inside your house. If you are going to kill or give them to someone else, conduct your business outside. Clean the chickens to remove any bacteria.

If you are going to cook a chicken, be thorough. Remove its feathers and then dissect it. You should be careful when removing the intestines so you don’t spill out their contents.

Cook your meat to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of your meat. If it is under 165 degrees, put it back in your oven.

When you poke or cut into the meat, its juices should be clear. Break your bird down into individual parts and look at the juices carefully.

Common Chicken Diseases

Chickens can contract a number of diseases. Behavioral diseases are mental ones.

A chicken may start acting aggressively. It may charge as it approaches you, or it may attack other birds. Chickens with anxiety will pluck their feathers and eat eggs and dead birds.

Give your chickens plenty of room, including space to play. Provide an adequate supply of food and water.

You can do the same thing for nutritional diseases. Signs of these diseases include soft bones and decreased egg production. Supply your chickens with food and monitor their progress.

As mentioned previously, chickens contain bacteria and pathogens. They also have parasites.

There are many infectious and parasitic diseases for chickens. Infectious bronchitis is the chicken equivalent of the human common cold. It is not fatal, but it is contagious and harmful.

Each disease requires its own treatment regimen. But there are some general steps you can follow.

Isolate sick chickens in a separate coop. Contact a company like Altus Pest Control who can kill parasites and pests in your coop.

Keep the environment of your chickens as clean as possible. You should perform a deep cleaning on their bedding every few months. Remove any places where feces have gathered.

Vaccinate your chickens from birth. Young birds can acquire diseases like Marek’s disease, which can rob them of their sight. You can find vaccines for bronchitis and Marek’s disease at many retailers.

How to Raise Chickens

Urban homesteading is sweeping the nation. It is backyard farming, namely of chickens. You will need some tools, including bedding and fencing.

But you can maintain chickens yourself. Supply them with food and water every day.

Be very careful when interacting with your birds. Wear gloves and a face mask. Do not bring them into your house unless they are de-feathered and butchered.

Diseases can run rampant through your coop. Monitor your birds and isolate your sick chickens.

Urban farming is the future. Follow our coverage for more farming and hobby guides.