Keeping Chickens in Your Back Garden: A UK Beginner’s Guide

There’s something wonderful about stepping into the garden on a Sunday morning and collecting a handful of warm, fresh eggs. Keeping a few hens is easier than many people think, and more and more British households are giving it a go.

This guide covers everything you need to know before you bring your first hens home: the rules, the kit, the costs and the daily routine. We’ve kept it practical and jargon-free.

Is keeping chickens right for you?

Before you buy anything, it’s worth being honest about what’s involved:

Hens need care every day — letting out, feeding, water and egg collecting — including holidays and wet January mornings.
They live a long time. Many hens live 6–8 years or more, though they lay fewer eggs as they get older.
You’ll need someone to cover when you go away. A friendly neighbour who’s happy to be paid in eggs is ideal.
Foxes and rats are a real issue in both towns and the countryside, so security and tidiness matter.

If that all sounds manageable, read on.

The rules: what you need to check first

Register your birds. Since 2024, everyone who keeps poultry in Great Britain must register them — even one pet hen. It’s free. See our guide: Do you need to register your chickens in the UK?
Check your deeds or tenancy. Some properties have covenants or rental terms that forbid keeping poultry.
Skip the cockerel unless you want chicks. Hens lay perfectly well without one, and crowing at 5am is the quickest way to fall out with the neighbours.
No kitchen scraps. It’s illegal in the UK to feed kitchen or catering waste to poultry, including pet hens.

How many hens should you start with?

Hens are sociable flock animals and shouldn’t be kept alone. Three is a good number to start with — if one becomes ill or dies, the others still have company. A healthy young hybrid hen can lay around 250–300 eggs a year in her first couple of years, so three hens will usually keep a family well supplied.

Choosing your hens

Hybrids (such as the brown hens you often see in gardens) are bred for laying, are generally friendly and easy to keep. They’re the most popular choice for beginners.
Pure breeds such as Orpingtons, Sussex or Pekins look lovely and have great personalities, but usually lay fewer eggs.
Rescue hens — ex-commercial laying hens — can be rehomed through charities such as the British Hen Welfare Trust. It’s a rewarding way to start, and they usually settle in quickly.

Buy from a reputable breeder or rehoming charity, and look for bright eyes, clean feathers and an alert, active bird.

The kit you’ll need

Item	Why you need it	Our guide
Coop and run	Safe shelter at night and a secure space during the day	Best chicken coops UK
Automatic door (optional but recommended)	Shuts hens in at dusk, even when you’re not home	Best automatic coop doors
Feeder	Keeps feed clean, dry and away from rats	Best chicken feeders UK
Drinker	A constant supply of clean water	Coming soon
Bedding	Keeps the coop dry and comfortable	Best chicken bedding UK
Layers’ pellets and grit	A complete diet plus grit to help digestion and strong shells	—
Red mite treatment	Mites are almost inevitable in UK coops	How to get rid of red mite

How much does it cost to keep chickens?

Costs vary a lot depending on the coop you choose, but as a rough guide:

Set-up: anything from around £150 for a budget coop and basic kit to £800 or more for a premium plastic coop, run and automatic door.
Hens: usually somewhere around £15–£30 each for a point-of-lay hybrid; rescue hens are often rehomed for a small donation.
Ongoing: feed, bedding and the odd treatment typically come to a few pounds per hen per month.

You probably won’t save money compared with supermarket eggs — but you’ll get fresher eggs, great compost for the garden and a lot of entertainment.

A day in the life of a hen keeper

Morning: let the hens out (or let the automatic door do it), check food and water, and give everyone a quick once-over.
Daytime: collect eggs — ideally once or twice a day.
Evening: make sure everyone is back in the coop and shut the door securely at dusk.
Weekly: spot-clean droppings, top up bedding and check for red mite.
Every couple of weeks: do a full clean-out of the coop.

Keeping your hens safe and healthy

Foxes: lock hens in every night, use strong mesh rather than thin chicken wire, and stop foxes digging under the run. See how to fox-proof a chicken coop.
Rats: use a rat-proof feeder, sweep up spilled feed and store feed in metal bins.
Red mite: check the perches regularly, especially in summer.
Worms: many keepers worm their hens a couple of times a year — ask your vet or a poultry supplier for advice.
Find a vet who treats poultry before you need one. Not all small animal vets do.

Seasonal tips for British keepers

Spring: the best time to get new hens. Laying picks up as the days get longer.
Summer: provide shade and plenty of fresh water, and watch closely for red mite.
Autumn: most hens moult — they lose feathers and usually stop laying for a few weeks. It’s normal.
Winter: keep the coop dry and draught-free but well ventilated, stop water freezing, and expect fewer eggs as the days shorten.

Frequently asked questions

Do hens need a cockerel to lay eggs?

No. Hens lay eggs without a cockerel. You only need one if you want fertile eggs to hatch chicks.

Will chickens ruin my garden?

They can, if they have free rein. Hens love to scratch and dust-bathe, and they’ll happily eat seedlings. Many keepers fence off flower and vegetable beds, or let hens out only for supervised periods.

Do chickens smell?

A clean, well-managed coop shouldn’t smell much. Regular cleaning and absorbent bedding such as hemp make a big difference.

What happens to hens in winter?

Hens cope well with British winters as long as their coop is dry, draught-free and well ventilated. They’ll lay fewer eggs during the darker months.

This guide is general information for UK backyard keepers, written in October 2026. For specific health concerns, always speak to a vet.