How to Raise Chickens

With the recent recall of 380 million battery hen eggs in the US (due to, amongst other things, concerns about salmonella), I am grateful for the home-raised, truly free range eggs here at my family's farm. Growing in popularity and arguably vogue, chicken-rearing, even in big cities, is increasingly becoming the preferred way to have that morning omelet (especially when you can ensure safety and nutrition without the use of antibiotics, coloring agents, and synthetic hormones).

Chicken or the Egg

Step 1. Check local regulations and/or homeowner association rules regarding chicken ownership.

In some cities, including NYC, chicken are considered pets so they aren't subject to zoning laws. But you don't want to purchase a coop before knowing whether your chickens will be welcome.

Step 2. Select a Coop

The main purpose of the coop is to provide a resting place for the chickens during times of rest. The coop should have wooden boxes filled with straw for the hens to lay their eggs, a place to roost off the ground and at least 2-4 square feet of floor space for each bird. You'll need to cover the coop floor with pine shavings (or some other form of natural absorbent material, such as hay or straw - which should be replaced every month or two) and then cover with dirt. You should also attach an outdoor run area (8-10 square feet per bird) to give the chickens a place to exercise. Some books suggest keeping this area enclosed, but a chain-link fence works in our case. Depending on any other critters you might have in the area, it might be worth having a lookout for the bolder ones who aren't afraid of stray cats (roosters are generally quite good about protecting their brood).

Step 3. Choosing a Breed

This steps is one of the most crucial and deep consideration should be taken to assess whether the chicken's character traits with work with your local climate, and if they are known to get along with any other chickens you might have or want to get in the future. Since chickens are a social bunch, you'll want to get at least 3 hens. Popular breeds include:

• Buff Orphington: Originally from the UK, these large, gentle birds have beautiful orange feathers, a calm disposition and tolerate the cold weather.
• Araucana: This breed lays blue eggs, and while from Chile, are considered a North American standard, and usually rumpless (missing their last vertebrae and lacking a tail).
• Barred Plymouth Rock: This US breed has black and white feathers, and lay brown eggs. Known to be a very friendly lot.
• Black Australorp: This breed is quite colorful, as they have red combs with black feathers and lay large brown eggs. b
  

There are also many other breeds that you can enquire about to suit your local needs at your local farm supply store. Certainly, we would recommend purchasing locally, but several companies also ship 6 day-old chicks via the Post (please do be careful that you check their procedures)

Step 4: Ongoing Care

Chickens need food and water, daily, of course. There are many handy waterers on the market, which you can find online or in stores but they also work well with a simple pail that is filled and refreshed regularly. Organic chicken feed is necessary for a balanced diet, and you can also give your chickens bread, fruit and vegetable scraps as well. This is of course, a much better and cleaner way of composting. Our chickens go wild for most anything you give them - and it's so much fun to watch them excitedly gobbling up their favorite "dishes."

Step 5: Collecting Eggs

Egg collecting is generally a bit delicate in the beginning, as the chickens get used to your presence and certainly their new surroundings, but once they've all settled, you should be able to collect an egg from each *almost* daily. The best way to collect them is to go early in the morning and gently reach under them as they're roosting. Make sure your movements are slow so that you don't risk a good pecking.

Step 6: Cook and Eat!

Fresh eggs require very little preparation from coop to pan. Perhaps a quick washing here and there, but given the natural environments and your own monitoring of the eggs, they can go quickly into a pan without worrying about any other procedures. We would recommend however, that if you don't eat them right away, they be stored in a refrigerator or other cool environment.

Although I didn't grow up with chickens in my backyard, it's certainly become one of our family's favorite hobbies. We've seen our compost and trash piles diminish greatly, and a new found appreciation for our small vegetable garden - as we compete for the ripest of home-grown produce. Our son has been absolutely fascinated by the chicken - egg - pan - plate food cycle, which has also been a wonderful learning tool, particularly as he now also takes the time to remind the chickens to lay their eggs every night.