Foundations of Backyard Flocks

This unit introduces essential knowledge and skills for planning, establishing, and maintaining a small backyard chicken flock. Students will learn legal requirements, basic chicken anatomy and behavior, housing and equipment needs, feeding and bedding basics, and foundational biosecurity and health-management practices to prepare for more advanced production and processing topics in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze local regulations, zoning, and stewardship considerations to create a compliant site and cost estimate for establishing a backyard flock
• Apply knowledge of chicken anatomy, breed characteristics, and production goals to select appropriate breeds, determine flock composition (roosters vs hens), and plan flock size
• Demonstrate the ability to design or select suitable housing, brooder arrangements, bedding, nesting, feeding, and predator/pest controls that meet basic welfare and environmental needs
• Evaluate biosecurity measures, common diseases and parasites (including avian influenza risks), and basic treatment decision-making to develop a flock health and emergency response plan