Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Need to raise some chickens and need help.

I would look for a company that writes farm policies, not all of them do. Ask neighbors that are farming for the name of their insurance company. I went through the same issues that you are having.

If you plan on doing agriculture long term you will want poultry fencing (1x2" square) or you will be replacing chicken wire every few years as it rusts, gets weak and breaks easily. I've never seen the poultry fencing in 6' widths, I built my frame with 4x4 posts and hung 2 rows of wire horizontally, any excess can be cut or bury it. I use zip ties to connect the two rows together. Zip ties have to be periodically replaced because the UV breaks them down. I also covered my pen with this wire and used a fence stretcher to get it tight but my span wasn't that great. Chickens can and do make deep holes for dust baths and if you don't bury some fence they will compromise their own security.

I've done the chicken thing for a lot of years and it's a lot of work. Are you sure you want to do chickens? It's a year round commitment. I think something like raising turkeys would be easier, you would have to fence in a larger pen but you wouldn't have to worry about caring for them over winter. You probably have a few places around you that will process them for you, you just raise and grow them, take orders and have them processed for Thanksgiving . With chickens if you have layers, even if it's a few, you should collect eggs 2 x's/day and if you want eggs in the winter you have to provide them with artificial light (added cost that's hard to recoup tax wise). Going out getting eggs or changing water in the winter gets old.

Make sure your pen door is wide enough to fit a wheelbarrow through and save all of your receipts for your project including equipment and tools too as they are tax deductible. Register your farm with the farm bureau.