Watch Homestead Jenn and Homestead Phil live on Pittsburgh Today Live making fresh eggs!

Yes! Click here for the location closest to you.

Yes! During the rental, the hens can be adopted with or without the coop!

Yes! If your friend or neighbor is unable to check in on the chickens, bring the hens to us in a carrier or ventilated box, and we'll chicken sit for you while you are away! For Standard Rental Packages and "Chicken Only" Rental Packages, the fee is $25 per week. For Standard Upgrade, Deluxe, and Eglu Rental Packages, the first week is included with your rental. Each additional week is $25 per week.

The Rent The Chicken Gift Options are a perfect solution!

We offer a 5-week indoor hatching experience to families, senior care homes, schools, libraries, and more to see the progression of egg to chick without the commitment. Click here for more information!

Visit www.GiveTheChicken.com for more information!

Jennifer Trainer Thompson, author of The Fresh Egg Cookbook: From Chicken to Kitchen, Recipes for Using Eggs from Farmers' Markets, Local Farms, and Your Own Backyard, published by Storey Publishing, says that an egg's nutrition contains protein second only to a mother’s milk.

Your backyard chicken eggs also contain 9 essential amino acids and 13 essential vitamins! Each egg has a low fat content of just 5 grams—and it's one of the few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D. According to Wikipedia, natural Vitamin D is claimed to have benefits including promoting good bone health, anti-cancer properties, and more!

A study by Mother Earth News showed that farm-fresh eggs from pasture-raised hens are healthier than those from confined factory-farm hens, including:

• 1/3 less cholesterol

• 1/4 less saturated fat

• 2/3 more vitamin A

• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids

• 3 times more vitamin E

• 7 times more beta carotene

We have organic or non-GMO feed available upon request. Because the cost of premium feed is higher, there is an upcharge if organic or non-GMO is your preference. A few of our locations only offer non-GMO or organic feed as part of their standard rental packages.

No. A rooster is only required if you want fertilized eggs that can become chicks.

No. Your hens will make some noise, but they won’t crow like roosters. Roosters crow all day long and not just in the mornings!

We understand that animals sometimes get ill or predators find crafty ways to have chicken for lunch. We will replace chickens free of charge within our Free Delivery areas, as long as the death of the Rent The Chicken was not due to neglect. Chickens have been known to live for more than 10 years.

We provide full support for your birds during the rental period. If a chicken becomes sick while in your care, simply give us a call.

Chickens have their highest egg production during the first three years of their life. After that, the number of eggs laid per week will gradually decrease. Some chickens have been known to still lay one egg per week at the age of seven.

The hens we bring to your home are typically between six months and two years old.

You can expect a total of 8–14 or 16–28 eggs per week from your Rent The Chicken hens, depending on your Rental Package.

Never!

Yes! We supply the feed, food dish, and water dish. You just need to make sure the hens have food and water available at all times!

Absolutely! Just make sure their food and water is full when you leave. You can gather the eggs when you return. If you plan on being gone for longer than three days, please ask a friend or neighbor to check on their food and water while you are out of town. Don't forget to have them pull the eggs for you! If your friend or neighbor is unable to check in on the chickens, bring the hens to us in a carrier or ventilated box, and we'll chicken sit for you while you are away! For Standard Rental Packages and "Chicken Only" Rental Packages, the fee is $25 per week. For Standard Upgrade, Deluxe, and Eglu Rental Packages, the first week is included with your rental. Each additional week is $25 per week.

Rentals are for 5–6 months depending on your region. In warmer climates, rentals are available to start any time; however, in cooler climates, rentals are delivered in April or May. We do sell out often, so be sure to place your deposit sooner rather than later!

Eggs should only be washed just before cooking. The hens leave a natural protective coating on the eggs to keep them fresh. Eggs can last for days without refrigeration as long as you don't wash them. We always recommend the water test to tell if your eggs are good or bad.

All you need to do is a water test. Fill a container with water and place the egg in it. If the egg sinks, it's a good egg. If it floats all the way to the top, it's probably a spoiled egg—so please discard it.

We have never had a chicken hurt from a stray alley cat. It is highly unlikely that a cat will hurt a chicken—usually, the cats are more scared of the chickens!

We also have a system for introducing your family dog to your new chickens. Our system has worked so well that sometimes, when we come back to pick up your hens at the end of the rental season (if you chicken out), the dogs are unhappy with us taking the coop away!

We know that your hens are part of your family. We also understand that some people may not want to keep chickens after the rental period, so we’ve created a system to ensure those birds can safely return to our farm. Because of these two factors, we do our very best to provide the safest coop possible for the birds. We like to say our coops are predator resistant, not predator proof. If a predator is determined, they may be able to get into the coop. This is very rare, and if it happens, we will replace the lost birds and inspect the coop for any design changes that may need to be made.

We recommend supervised free-range time to help deter predators. In addition, the coop has an attached run, which allows the hens to enjoy the feeling of free-ranging as you move the coop through your yard—while still keeping them protected.

Yes! Please click here for more information!

Yes! Click here to read about our School Partnerships and how we cater to a school's calendar year.

At the bottom of each specific location link, there’s a description about each of our local Homesteaders!