Chicks and the city

Urban America is clucking! Maybe it’s the growing desire to get back in touch with natural foods; maybe it’s the economic crunch. And maybe, like me, more and more people are learning to love the company of chickens. Deep in the hearts of our country’s most cosmopolitan cities, urban chicken farmers are sprouting up like spring flowers. Some have been at it for years, keeping their little flocks tucked tightly under wing because in many cities — and even smaller towns and suburbs — backyard chickens have long been illegal. In my book, MaryJane’s Outpost, I featured Taylor and Morgan Valliant, a Missoula, Mont., couple who were unwittingly raising outlaw chickens in their tidy backyard coop in 2007. When the city stepped in and gave them 10 days to disband, they were shocked. “We are interested in sustainability and raising food,” Morgan explained. “We’ve just had a baby and we’re interested in raising him to understand where food comes from.” Fortunately for the Valliants and other locavores, the growing demand to reconnect with real food has started to turn the tide. Today, Missoulians can legally keep up to six hens within city limits, and other cities are following suit. So if you’ve ever dreamed of having a little farm where you can walk around and fill a basket with fresh eggs each morning, now is the time. (Just think — pets that help with breakfast!) Fresh eggs from hand-raised hens are actually healthier than their commercially raised counterparts because they boast more nutrients and omega-3s and less cholesterol, and the flavor of store-bought eggs pales in comparison. Plus, you can’t help but be charmed by chickens — the funny way they waddle up to greet you, the quirky tilt of their feathered heads, the soothing array of chortles from contented biddies. There’s just something about them that’s good for the soul. The secret to raising chickens is that there is no real secret at all. It’s easy. You don’t need to buy acreage or be an expert. As long as you keep them clean, fed and watered, they’re happy. Here’s how to get started. Housing Your Hens Chickens thrive on fresh air and sunshine, but they also need a secure shelter where they can escape bad weather, lay eggs, roost at night, and avoid predators like dogs, possums and raccoons. There are lots of different coop design ideas; depending on how much work, you want to put into the construction. Karin Smith of Ellenwood, Ga., designed an adorable “5-Star Hen Hotel,” which is detailed on my Web site at www.maryjanesfarm.org/Recipes-Patterns-Instructions. If you’d rather not start from scratch, check out the ready-to-assemble coops from Henspa (www.henspa.com). For a ready-made and decidedly chic coop, look to the Eglu from the U.K.-based company Omlet (www.omlet.us). You can also find more information about choosing the right coop, chicken coop pictures and chicken coop plans at Urban Chickens (http://urbanchickens.org). Feeding Chickens will eat just about anything, but they need a good balance of nutrients in order to lay eggs. And if you’re interested in eggs of the highest quality, it’s important to seek out a source of organic food (called “layer ration”) for your hens. Henspa is developing a growing list of organic feed producers on their Web site listed above. (Follow the “Organic Feed” link.) And you can supplement your flock’s diet for free by feeding them all sorts of fresh kitchen scraps, from fruit and veggie peels to cereal and spaghetti. Chicken feeders and water-suppliers are contraptions that allow you to feed your flock without the mess of open bowls or pans. It’s cheap and easy to make them yourself using the instructions on the Backyard Chickens Web site (www.backyardchickens.com). But if you’d like to buy ready-made containers, go to your local farm-supply store, or order them online from My Pet Chicken (www.mypetchicken.com). Finding Your Flock Chickens fare best in the company of others, so you should have at least two hens in your coop. (There’s no need to have a noisy rooster around; hens lay eggs all on their own.) The easiest way to collect chickens is by finding a local source, but if you don’t know a neighborhood “hen-thusiast,” mail-order chicks are the way to go. Start by exploring the possibilities at McMurray Hatchery (www.mcmurrayhatchery.com). Egg-Cellent Online Resources Just Food, New York City, NY (www.justfood.org/cityfarms/chickens) Seattle Tilth Association, Seattle, WA (www.seattletilth.org) The City Chicken, Vancouver, WA (http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/) A Flock of Your Own (www.gatewaytovermont.com/thefarm/chickens.htm) Not sure whether backyard chicken keeping is legal where you live? Search your city at http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/chickenlaws.html