If your eggs come with barcodes, you might be tempted to hop into today’s backyard chicken trend.
The pandemic-era chicken craze is still flying high, with roughly 11 million households now waking up to the sound of little peeps in the backyard.
“I love that sound,” says chicken expert Craig Beam, owner of the 5-acre Beam Farm poultry enterprise in Harrah.
The self-described “chicken tender” says his family business started with six chicks in 2021 and grew to about 5,000 chicken and quail eggs sold yearly in
48 states.
Several factors are driving the country’s rise of chicken raising, says Mason Huddleston, Oklahoma County’s agriculture/4-H educator.
“I think the first reason is everyone kind of sees that glaring price tag” on eggs, Huddleston says. “And … this new generation that’s starting to get homes are very much more health conscious than in previous years or even decades.”
He says folks are seeking self-sufficiency, locally sourced food and opportunities to teach kids responsibility through chicken care.
Chicken Swag
“Chickens don’t need chandeliers,” says Beam. “But they do need adequate space.”
Indeed, social media touts chicken coops decked out with ornate wallpaper, tiny pianos, mirrors, framed pictures and, yes, chandeliers.
But rather than swag, chickens need a dry, draft-free chicken house measuring at least 1.5 to 2 square feet per hen, states Oklahoma State University Extension guidelines.
“Chickens need food, they need water and they need to be able to stay dry,” says Beam.
Power to Peeps
Yet, keeping chickens inside Oklahoma homes is generally prohibited — a notion Reba McEntire’s great-grandfather would have undoubtedly resisted. (Her book, Reba: My Story, recounts that his beloved chickens lived inside his Oklahoma home, even roosting on his headboard.)
But today’s regulations are strict. For instance:
Oklahoma City (lots under 1 acre):
– Up to 6 chickens or quail, any age, allowed.
– No roosters, says Christopher Smith, code enforcement superintendent.
– Minimum 8-square-feet-per bird roaming area, housed dusk-to-dawn in minimum 4-square-feet-per bird coops.
– Sanitary coops, at least 10 feet from rear property lines and 30 feet from adjacent dwellings.
Tulsa (non-agricultural residential zones):
– Maximum 6 adult hens and 14 chicks under 8 weeks old allowed.
– Roosters are generally prohibited, except in Agricultural-Residential areas.
– Housed in sanitary screened coops/pens at least 50 feet from neighboring residences.
Regulations vary statewide. Before starting a backyard flock, check with your county extension office, local municipality and homeowners’ association.
Fowl Fallacy
“A lot of people think they’re going to be saving a lot of money on eggs,” says Huddleston, “and that’s simply not true.”
Pre-built chicken houses run from the $67 chicken shack to the $1,500 poultry palace. Add chickens, fencing, waterers, feeders, feed and fake owl statues.
You’ve quickly put $2,000-plus into your egg enterprise. That would buy about 800 dozen eggs – enough to feed the average person for over 30 years.
But Beam says most resilient folks can raise backyard chickens and enjoy priceless top quality, sustainably produced eggs … without the barcode.
“Just don’t panic,” Beam says. “And don’t overthink it.”
