Every January, something funny happens to chicken keepers. We stand outside the coop, breath puffing in the cold air, looking at our flock and thinking, “This is the year. I’ve got this figured out.”
We make big plans. We set good intentions. We promise ourselves we will do better, be better, and absolutely not bring home more chickens.
Sound familiar?
If you have ever made a New Year resolution for your chickens, and then quietly broken it by February, you are not alone. Not even close. Let’s talk about the most common chicken resolutions we all make, why we make them, and why they sometimes fall apart faster than a flimsy feed scoop.
Then spring hits. Suddenly, there are chicks everywhere. Feed stores. Online ads. Friends texting photos that start with “Just look how cute…”
Next thing you know, you are standing in your yard holding a box that chirps.
Why does this resolution fail so often? Because chickens are like potato chips. It is hard to stop at just one. Also, we are optimists. We believe we can squeeze just one more bird in there.
A more realistic version of this resolution might be, “I will think very hard before getting more chickens.” Even then, no promises.
Check out: Chicken Math 101 – with Quiz!
The first week goes great. The second week too. Then life happens. It rains. It freezes. You get busy. Suddenly it has been three weeks, and you are pretending not to notice the smell while tossing in fresh bedding on top.
Here is the truth. Perfection is not required. Chickens do not need magazine level cleanliness. They need dry, safe, and reasonably clean spaces.
Instead of beating yourself up, aim for consistency, not perfection. A regular schedule that works for your life is better than a perfect plan you cannot keep.
Check out: How to Clean a Chicken Coop Like a Pro
We promise ourselves to cut back. Less bread. Fewer snacks. More balanced feed. Then you walk outside with a bowl of leftovers, and those chickens come running like you are a rock star.
They look at you. They cluck. They stare. And suddenly, you are saying, “Just this once.”
Treats are fun. They build trust. They make chicken keeping enjoyable. The key is moderation. Think of treats like dessert. A little is fine. A lot every day causes problems.
A good goal is to use treats as enrichment, not meals. Your chickens will still love you. Probably more, since they will feel better too.
Check out: Feeding Treats to Chickens in Moderation
The latch that sticks. The door that needs a better hinge. The spot predators keep testing. The roof that leaks just a little.
Every year, you say, “I will fix that.”
And every year, it somehow survives another season.
The problem is that these small issues feel manageable, until they are not. A tiny gap becomes a predator problem. A small leak becomes soggy bedding. A loose latch becomes a heart stopping morning surprise.
If there is one resolution worth keeping, it is this one. Small fixes now save big problems later. Pick one coop improvement this year and actually do it. Your future self will thank you.
Check out: Top 15 Chicken Coop Mistakes
Then everything goes fine, and the books stay closed.
Until one day, something looks off. A chicken is quiet. An egg looks strange. And suddenly you are panic searching online at midnight.
Learning a little bit at a time, before there is a problem, makes chicken keeping less stressful. You do not need to become an expert overnight. Even understanding basic signs of illness, normal poop, and seasonal changes helps a lot.
Think of it like learning the basics of car care. You do not need to be a mechanic, but knowing when something sounds wrong matters.
Check out: Injuries, Diseases, & Cures
We often rush through chores. Fill feeders. Change water. Collect eggs. Done. But watching chickens tells you so much. Who is eating. Who is bossy. Who is acting odd. Who might be getting picked on.
Plus, it is calming. Chickens are little therapists with feathers. Watching them scratch and gossip about nothing important is good for the soul.
Even ten quiet minutes a day helps you catch problems early and enjoy your flock more.
Check out: Ten Reasons You Should Spend Ten Extra Minutes With Your Flock Every Day
We promise to prepare better. Extra waterers for summer. Wind protection for winter. Shade. Ventilation. Backup plans.
Then the season changes fast, and we scramble.
Preparation does not have to be complicated. A short checklist for each season can save stress. Think ahead. Store supplies. Make small changes before they are urgent.
Your chickens do not care about excuses. They care about comfort.
Check out: 6 Seasonal Care Checklists for Backyard Poultry (Spring to Winter)
Comparison steals joy. Your flock is unique. Your setup works for your space, your time, and your budget.
Healthy chickens do not need to look perfect. They need safety, good food, clean water, and care. That is it.
If your birds are thriving, you are doing a good job.
Check out: 15 Signs Your Flock is Healthier Than Average
Who is laying. Who molted. Who stopped. When you last treated for parasites. When the coop was repaired.
Most of us rely on memory, and memory is not always reliable, especially when chickens all look the same at a glance. Simple notes go a long way. A notebook. A calendar. Even notes on your phone.
Future you will be very grateful.
Chickens will surprise you. Things will go wrong. Mistakes will happen. You will learn as you go. That is normal. No one starts out knowing everything.
If your chickens are fed, watered, safe, and cared for, you are doing something right.
Chicken keeping is not about perfection. It is about progress, patience, and learning to laugh when things get messy.
Check out: 15 Little Chicken-Keeping Mistakes You Don’t Realize You’re Making
Some resolutions will stick. Others will quietly fade by spring. That does not mean you failed. It means you are human, and chickens are unpredictable.
Pick one or two goals that truly matter. Let the rest go. Enjoy your flock. Laugh at the chaos. Celebrate the small wins, like a warm egg on a cold morning.
So tell me, which chicken resolution do you always make, and which one do you secretly break every single year?
Also see: 11 Things Chickens Teach You About Simple Living
We make big plans. We set good intentions. We promise ourselves we will do better, be better, and absolutely not bring home more chickens.
Sound familiar?
If you have ever made a New Year resolution for your chickens, and then quietly broken it by February, you are not alone. Not even close. Let’s talk about the most common chicken resolutions we all make, why we make them, and why they sometimes fall apart faster than a flimsy feed scoop.
Resolution 1: I Will Not Get Any More Chickens This Year
Ah yes. The classic. The king of all chicken resolutions. You look at your coop. You count your birds. You tell yourself, “This is the perfect number.”Then spring hits. Suddenly, there are chicks everywhere. Feed stores. Online ads. Friends texting photos that start with “Just look how cute…”
Next thing you know, you are standing in your yard holding a box that chirps.
Why does this resolution fail so often? Because chickens are like potato chips. It is hard to stop at just one. Also, we are optimists. We believe we can squeeze just one more bird in there.
A more realistic version of this resolution might be, “I will think very hard before getting more chickens.” Even then, no promises.
Check out: Chicken Math 101 – with Quiz!
Resolution 2: I Will Clean the Coop Every Single Week
This one feels responsible. Grown up. Organized. You imagine a spotless coop. Fresh bedding. No smells. Happy chickens.The first week goes great. The second week too. Then life happens. It rains. It freezes. You get busy. Suddenly it has been three weeks, and you are pretending not to notice the smell while tossing in fresh bedding on top.
Here is the truth. Perfection is not required. Chickens do not need magazine level cleanliness. They need dry, safe, and reasonably clean spaces.
Instead of beating yourself up, aim for consistency, not perfection. A regular schedule that works for your life is better than a perfect plan you cannot keep.
Check out: How to Clean a Chicken Coop Like a Pro
Resolution 3: I Will Stop Feeding So Many Treats
This one usually comes right after a health scare, soft eggs, or a very stern look from a vet or fellow chicken keeper.We promise ourselves to cut back. Less bread. Fewer snacks. More balanced feed. Then you walk outside with a bowl of leftovers, and those chickens come running like you are a rock star.
They look at you. They cluck. They stare. And suddenly, you are saying, “Just this once.”
Treats are fun. They build trust. They make chicken keeping enjoyable. The key is moderation. Think of treats like dessert. A little is fine. A lot every day causes problems.
A good goal is to use treats as enrichment, not meals. Your chickens will still love you. Probably more, since they will feel better too.
Check out: Feeding Treats to Chickens in Moderation
Resolution 4: I Will Finally Fix That One Thing in the Coop
You know the thing.The latch that sticks. The door that needs a better hinge. The spot predators keep testing. The roof that leaks just a little.
Every year, you say, “I will fix that.”
And every year, it somehow survives another season.
The problem is that these small issues feel manageable, until they are not. A tiny gap becomes a predator problem. A small leak becomes soggy bedding. A loose latch becomes a heart stopping morning surprise.
If there is one resolution worth keeping, it is this one. Small fixes now save big problems later. Pick one coop improvement this year and actually do it. Your future self will thank you.
Check out: Top 15 Chicken Coop Mistakes
Resolution 5: I Will Learn More About Chicken Health
This is a good one. An important one. Many chicken keepers promise to learn more about parasites, nutrition, common illnesses, and normal behavior.Then everything goes fine, and the books stay closed.
Until one day, something looks off. A chicken is quiet. An egg looks strange. And suddenly you are panic searching online at midnight.
Learning a little bit at a time, before there is a problem, makes chicken keeping less stressful. You do not need to become an expert overnight. Even understanding basic signs of illness, normal poop, and seasonal changes helps a lot.
Think of it like learning the basics of car care. You do not need to be a mechanic, but knowing when something sounds wrong matters.
Check out: Injuries, Diseases, & Cures
Resolution 6: I Will Spend More Time Just Watching My Chickens
This one might sound silly, but it is one of the best.We often rush through chores. Fill feeders. Change water. Collect eggs. Done. But watching chickens tells you so much. Who is eating. Who is bossy. Who is acting odd. Who might be getting picked on.
Plus, it is calming. Chickens are little therapists with feathers. Watching them scratch and gossip about nothing important is good for the soul.
Even ten quiet minutes a day helps you catch problems early and enjoy your flock more.
Check out: Ten Reasons You Should Spend Ten Extra Minutes With Your Flock Every Day
Resolution 7: I Will Be Better Prepared for the Seasons
Every year, weather surprises us. Even when it should not. Too hot. Too cold. Too wet. Too dry.We promise to prepare better. Extra waterers for summer. Wind protection for winter. Shade. Ventilation. Backup plans.
Then the season changes fast, and we scramble.
Preparation does not have to be complicated. A short checklist for each season can save stress. Think ahead. Store supplies. Make small changes before they are urgent.
Your chickens do not care about excuses. They care about comfort.
Check out: 6 Seasonal Care Checklists for Backyard Poultry (Spring to Winter)
Resolution 8: I Will Stop Comparing My Flock to Everyone Else’s
Social media is wonderful, but it can make us feel like we are doing everything wrong. Someone always has a cleaner coop. A prettier run. Bigger eggs. Calmer birds.Comparison steals joy. Your flock is unique. Your setup works for your space, your time, and your budget.
Healthy chickens do not need to look perfect. They need safety, good food, clean water, and care. That is it.
If your birds are thriving, you are doing a good job.
Check out: 15 Signs Your Flock is Healthier Than Average
Resolution 9: I Will Keep Better Records
This one sounds boring, but it is useful.Who is laying. Who molted. Who stopped. When you last treated for parasites. When the coop was repaired.
Most of us rely on memory, and memory is not always reliable, especially when chickens all look the same at a glance. Simple notes go a long way. A notebook. A calendar. Even notes on your phone.
Future you will be very grateful.
Resolution 10: I Will Be Kinder to Myself as a Chicken Keeper
This might be the most important resolution of all.Chickens will surprise you. Things will go wrong. Mistakes will happen. You will learn as you go. That is normal. No one starts out knowing everything.
If your chickens are fed, watered, safe, and cared for, you are doing something right.
Chicken keeping is not about perfection. It is about progress, patience, and learning to laugh when things get messy.
Check out: 15 Little Chicken-Keeping Mistakes You Don’t Realize You’re Making
A Gentle Conclusion to Start the Year
Every New Year brings fresh hope, and a few unrealistic plans. That is part of the fun.Some resolutions will stick. Others will quietly fade by spring. That does not mean you failed. It means you are human, and chickens are unpredictable.
Pick one or two goals that truly matter. Let the rest go. Enjoy your flock. Laugh at the chaos. Celebrate the small wins, like a warm egg on a cold morning.
So tell me, which chicken resolution do you always make, and which one do you secretly break every single year?
Also see: 11 Things Chickens Teach You About Simple Living
