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Is part of your moving to Nova Scotia dream raising chickens for fresh eggs? Walking out to the coop in the morning to pull a fresh egg out from under a happy chicken is a special delight that doesn’t get old (though cleaning the coop in the dead of winter isn’t as pleasant).

Whether you want a tiny coop with two or three hens, or a larger barn with free-range chickens, here are a few things you should know.

Understanding regulations

In most counties, including suburban and rural areas of the Halifax region, a small number of egg-laying hens are allowed. In some counties, you can have roosters too, or chickens in larger numbers.

If you have your heart set on raising backyard chickens in Nova Scotia, make sure they’re permitted in the area you’re considering buying in. I recommend you contact the local municipal office for specific zoning regulations.

Learning how to raise chickens

Spend time researching what chickens need before you start building the coop. There’s a ton of great information on Backyard Chickens, as well as in the Facebook group Maritime Fowl. Understanding what they need in terms of space requirements, how to protect them from weather, what to feed them, and how to care for them if they’re injured is important.

Building a chicken coop

Chicken coops can be small or huge, simple or elaborate. You might want to have a covered run or let them free-range. These decisions are quite personal and will depend on things like how large your property is, how far from the road or house your coop is, and how much you want to spend.

Where to buy chickens in Nova Scotia

You can buy different breeds of chickens from most of the feed stores in the spring. You’ll need to order them in advance, and pick them up on a specific day in a time window.

You can buy chicks (sexed or unsexed), or pullets, which are just older chickens closer to laying age. Chickens can live for 10-12 years, though their egg production slows down as they age. Also, in rural areas, many people raise specific breeds of chicken and you can buy them privately, or attend a poultry sale.

When buying chicks, you will need to raise them with a heat lamp in a brooder box, and give them special attention until they’re a few months old and more hardy.

Raising backyard chickens can be rewarding and fun, especially if you raise them from chicks!