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Chickens Feed Me |
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| By Aaron Newton in Eating Local, Green Living, Permaculture | July 23, 2006 | ||
How many of you have always wanted chickens? If you’re apprehensive about raising your own urban flock here’s your chance to follow along. It’s a Hands-On Groovy Green Project and you’re invited to watch as we raise 10 baby urban chicks. Readers will even get to help with their names. What follows is an article written earlier this year and revisited as an introduction to the adventure of raising city chickens. There will regualr posts on our Breaking News Blog concerning the progress of this backyard flock. Get excited. We are!
Maybe those of you who live in urban or suburban areas here in the United States have never really
considered keeping a small flock of fowl right on your own property. Stop and ask yourself whether you’ve never considered the idea because you don’t really want anything to do with chickens or because you thought it wasn’t possible where you live? If it’s the latter you can toss out the notion that keeping chickens in town isn’t possible. It is very possible and you can start raising your own poultry as soon as you’d like. For several years I fondly looked forward to the day when I could move to a home outside of the city where I could do all the things I’ve want to do for so long. With more room I could garden, grow fruit trees, start a compost pile and yes, raise chickens. Then one day I discovered something once phrased quite eloquently.
“I used to fantasize about living in a healthier place, one where I could ride my bike, for example. Then, one day, I started riding my bike. Now, without having fled or escaped to anywhere, I live in a place where I can ride my bike.”
And if she likes he can live in a place where he raises his own chickens.
A few backyard chickens can provide:
1. Hormone-free and antibiotic-free eggs; a wonderful source of protein that tastes better and is healthier than store bought eggs
2. Fertilizer for the garden in the form of chicken manure from kitchen scraps that chickens love to eat.
3. Pest control of insects and grubs for your yard.
4. Wonderful companions.
Chickens are incredibly easy to care for. If you’re thinking of raising some backyard fowl there are a few things you should know. Starting with the basics it’s necessary to understand the difference between hens and roosters. Aren’t chickens loud most people ask? The answer is that boy chickens (roosters) are loud. They crow, especially early in the morning and are sure to annoy the neighbors. Raising roosters in an urban environment is not suggested. Many municipalities don’t allow it anyway. Girl chickens called (hens) don’t make much noise. They do coo and occasional squawk when they get excited but on average they make much less noise than a dog. Some municipalities have adopted standardized zoning regulations that don’t even allow hens to be raised inside of the city limits. There are three approaches to dealing with this fact of location. The first is to lobby for a change in the law. The second is to attempt to acquire a personal variance. The third is to respectfully approach your neighbors with your intentions and if there are no objections quietly set up your chickens. A small flock of 3 or 4 hens will probably go unnoticed even in urban areas.
The next question most people ask is about how to get eggs without any roosters. The answer is that chickens lay eggs regardless of whether or not there is a male around to fertilize the egg. The vast majority of the eggs purchased in at the grocery store are unfertilized. Without a rooster none of your eggs will ever develop into chickens. That might not be such bad things however since most people with urban chickens only have room for a few.
Housing your flock can be accomplished by building a chicken tractor or chicken ark as they’re called in the UK. This mobile, bottomless cage system works great for housing chickens. It will contain and protect your chickens while providing them with a humane and enjoyable home. Chickens need a minimum of about 2 square feet of covered area to protect them from the elements. If you want eggs it’s best to provide a nesting box for the chickens to lay eggs in. They will make their own nest in the absence of a box. They may even lay their eggs out in the open but they seem to appreciate a box. Chickens need at least 8 square feet of outdoor area. Technically they can survive completely indoors. This is how they’re raised in commercial operations. But you’ll have happier chickens if they get a little running room. They love to scratch and strut. Even in an urban environment chickens face the threat of predators. Neighborhood dogs, owls and even raccoons will eat chickens. The chicken tractor helps to ensure the safety of your flock. They come in all shapes and sizes.
They even come in fashionable varieties.
Many people don’t realize chickens can fly. If you don’t provide them a home to sleep in at night chickens will often fly up into the safety of nearby trees. These trees may or may not be on your property. This could cause a conflict with neighbors and is another reason to provide your chickens with a home. You can clip their wings to keep them grounded. This is accomplished by spreading one wing and cutting off the very ends of the feathers. You don’t cut back far enough to hurt the chicken. It just throws off the balance of flight and causes the chicken to crash if it tries to takeoff into the air. Regardless of how permanent or how mobile you make you chicken housing structure it’s a good idea to provide the chickens their own abode.
You will need to provide your flock with a supply of water. A helpful hint is to tie the water container several inches above the ground. This will keep debris from flying into the water as the chickens scratch about. The container will still need to be cleaned periodically. An old dish scrub brush kept next to an outdoor faucet works well for this purpose. You will also need to supply your chickens with food. Chickens will eat just about anything from your kitchen. They love table scraps and unlike dogs they prefer veggies. Unlike my wife they love leftovers. They especially enjoy spaghetti- think worms. They’ll also eat any sort of grain or fruit left over in the kitchen. Chickens are omnivores and will eat meat although I never feed them chicken. Chickens will chase and eat crickets. They love to scratch for grubs and bugs. They’re a great addition to the pest control division of my garden. Along with table scraps it’s a good idea to purchase chicken feed from a farm supply store, especially in the winter. My chickens get a mix that includes chicken pellet feed, scratch grains and a small amount of crushed oyster shells. Sometimes the food goes in its own container designed for chickens; often though it just gets spread on the ground in their outdoor area. They seem to enjoy scratching through their food.
Chickens work well as an excellent way to rapidly compost the organic material coming out of my kitchen. The manure the chickens generate is an excellent fertilizer for the garden. Chicken droppings must be aged before they are used. If not they will burn the plants. This is easily accomplished by using a layer of leaves collected in the fall to line the interior of their structure’s outdoor area or chicken run. During the fall, winter and early spring the chicken tractor is left in roughly the same spot. Every so often all the leaves, chicken poop and loose soil from the chicken run are raked up and removed. This material gets placed in a sunny spot and begins to compost. Afterwards the layer of leaves in the chicken tractor is replaced. By time the spring garden is ready to be planted the manure is ready to use.
The chickens do roam loose in the backyard when I’m around, especially in the warmer months when there’s plenty of grass and insects for them to eat. During this time of year they mainly feed themselves during their “pasture time”. The occasional animal does wander into the area but the chickens are quick to run to their home at the first sign of danger and they are seldom left them to wander if I’m not close by. Rarely do the chickens venture more than 100 feet from their home. As it gets dark there’s no need to round them up. They make their way back to their tractor all on their own.
Chickens do need protection in the form of shade from hot summer days. The amount you provide will depend on your climate. Likewise you will need to provide a heat source in the winter if you live in a cold region of the globe. Chickens do fine down to the freezing point. At that temperature they can experience frost bite. My rule of thumb is to supply heat in the form of a light bulb to ensure the interior of their home never falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The light seems to help promote winter season egg laying.
Chickens will begin laying eggs about 6 months after hatching. During the first year of its life a chicken will be most prolific, laying fewer eggs each following year. Evaluate your commitment to the idea of a backyard flock because your chickens could live 6 to 8 years. All of this though depends on the breed. There are many different types of chickens. Do some investigating to determine which you would like to raise. There are even dwarf chickens or bantams that are smaller and therefore more appropriate for undersized backyards.
Do not be overly frightened by the Avian flu. It has not shown up in migratory birds here in North America. The virus spreads from wild fowl to domestic birds through interaction and then spreads to humans through direct contact. IT CAN BE EASILY AVOIDED by not allowing your birds to come into contact with wild, migratory birds. For most urban dwellers this is easy to do. Seldom do flocks of wild geese land in the average suburban backyard. The chicken tractor will ensure that the already unlikely contact between wild fowl and your birds does not occur. The second layer of precaution is proper handling of your birds. Recently children in the country Turkey were infected with Avian flu after playing with severed chicken heads. This is not a good idea. In fact it’s smart not to handle your birds too often and remember to wash your hands thoroughly after any contact with them. The chances of getting sick because you raise chickens are minuscule. Most of what is covered in the mass media concerning Avian flu is fear mongering. Factory chicken farms where birds are raised in cramped quarters are the most likely breeding grounds for an outbreak of the illness. Be safe but don’t let anyone scare you needlessly.
Having covered most of what you need to know concerning backyard chickens are you ready to bring home your own baby chicks? Brooding chicks is an exciting experience as you bring home your recently hatched chickens and care for them until they’re ready to live outdoors in the home you provide. They’ll need to be kept out of the elements until they get a bit older. Spring is a good time of year to acquire your chicks as they are extra susceptible to cold until they grow fully formed feathers. You can inquire locally at farm supply stores. Some of them will sell chicks usually around Easter. If not they may know of local sources maybe even local farmers who will sell or trade for chicks. You can also buy them from hatcheries by mail order. The biggest problems will be the minimum purchase most companies require. Most backyard chicken owners don’t need 30 chickens! Persistence will award you with a reliable source. Many suppliers will be unable to tell you if you are purchasing hens or roosters. If this is the case you should plan on ending up with 50% of each. Make plans ahead of time on how you will humanely handle your roosters if you can not keep them. Often you may find people further out of town willing to adopt your roosters. Try www.freecycle.com for giving them away as well.
Before you get your little darlings home you’ll want to have their temporary home set up. You’ll need to get a container, the large Tupperware type works well. Use newspaper as a lining. This will allow you to clean up droppings easily. Some people have mentioned problems with wet newspaper sticking to the chicks but I haven’t had this problem. A light bulb for heat will be need, hung so that its height above the chicks can be adjusted. A stronger bulb works better. Have a spare on hand. You’ll need a container for food and a container for water. You can purchase metal containers for each purpose that screw on to regular mason jars. These work best at keeping the chicks and their poop out of their food and water. You can as always improvise though with containers from around the house. Special chick food can be purchased from your chick supplier, a feed store or online. While you’re buying get some chick grit. This will supply the chicks with the small stones they need to aid in digestion. Bring the chicks home as soon as possible if shipped by mail. Adjust the height of the bulb, their heat source. If it’s too low the chicks will get hot and move away from the bulb. If it’s too high the chicks will get cold and cheeep! (complain) from underneath the bulb. You should start at 90 degrees Fahrenheit and decrease the temperature by 5 degrees each week. The chicks will let you know (cheeep! cheeep!) if you get it wrong. After about 6 weeks they’ll have most of their feathers and can be moved to an outdoor home depending on the weather and how weatherproof you’ve built their permanent home. A final note, be sure to check the chicks for poop build up on their underside. They can “paste up” and this blocks waste removal. Wipe with a wet cloth to solve the problem.
Raising backyard chickens is a fun and rewarding experience. What a wonderful way to provide food for yourself, fertilizer for you garden, pest control for your yard and the enjoyment of being around these intelligent and amusing creatures. Best of luck.
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[...] why, for example, small scale chicken farmers will use conventional bulbs to keep young chicks warm. If you’re not raising chickens indoors but still use conventional bulbs, you’re [...]