allow you to order just hens and you don't need a rooster for good eggs! Try to keep your chicken hobby as cute and clean as possible. No one likes living next to an ugly, smelly mess. By ordering plans to build a cute "city friendly" coop or purchasing a ready-made one, you fend off a lot of problems before you begin. Check online for plants in your yard that may be toxic, as chickens love to eat greenery and your garden is 'on the menu'! It follows that you should never use pesticide spray on or around plants that chickens may eat, and never use slug and snail killer pellets as they will kill your birds. Chickens naturally scratch and dig in the dirt with much gusto, so don't expect them to steer clear of your prize-winning petunia patch. If you don't want them to eat it and/or dig it up, fence it off. Be careful what you use to clean the chicken coop with; ensure that it is non-toxic. Also, when cleaning, consider wearing a respiratory mask to protect you from any airborne parasites, especially if you are sickly or liable to respiratory illnesses. Always wear gloves when cleaning out bird droppings. Roosters are loud! All male chickens love to crow and they do it in the morning, noon, night and every chance they get in-between. Keep that in mind if you have close neighbors. Hens, on the other hand, are not as noisy, but they do cackle