Poultry Finance & Insurance

When I first started keeping backyard chickens, insurance was the last thing on my mind. I had six hens, a modest coop, and the naive assumption that my homeowners policy would cover any issues. Then my neighbor’s dog got into my run, killed three of my best layers, and damaged the coop door. That is … Read more

Last month, a friend called me in a panic. Her Buff Orpington had pecked a neighborhood child who reached into the run uninvited. The child needed minor first aid, and the parents mentioned involving their insurance. My friend assumed her homeowners policy would handle it. She was partially right, but the situation revealed just how … Read more

Last summer, my neighbor’s rooster got loose and scratched a delivery driver who was dropping off a package. The driver needed a tetanus shot and minor wound care. What should have been a simple insurance claim turned into a nightmare when my neighbor discovered her homeowners policy specifically excluded livestock-related injuries. The medical bills, potential … Read more

When my neighbor’s coop got destroyed during a severe thunderstorm last autumn, she assumed her homeowners policy would cover the damage. The answer surprised both of us. According to discussions among chicken keepers on the BackYard Chickens forum, coops are often considered outbuildings and may be automatically covered under standard homeowners policies. However, according to Allstate’s … Read more