Chickens 101

My friend Jovanka is one of the best recyclers I know. Not only does she do the regular curbside duty, but she’s great about passing on clothes that no longer fit her kids and magazines she’s done reading. Once every couple of months or so, I can count on her to show up with a sack full of goodies for my girls and me to enjoy.

Last night, she gave me the June/July issue of Organic Gardening magazine , which you can see the cover of above. Jovanka knows I’ve been pining away for some backyard chickens, so she thought of me when she spotted that Appenzeller Spitzhauben pullet named Heidi posing for the camera.

The cover story is a good summary of what you need to know if you’re thinking of keeping chickens. It offers suggestions on the best backyard breeds (Buff Orpinton, Black Australorp, Cochin and Barred Plymouth Rock) and gives advice on building a coop. Here’s an excerpt:

“The coop itself should have wooden boxes filled with straw in which the hens can lay their eggs (one box for every two hens, because they will share), a place to roost off the ground and at least 2 to 4 square feet of floor space per bird.”

There are books and websites dedicated to the topic of keeping chickens (DTE writer and chicken mama Cheryl-Anne Millsap has recommended this site to me in the past), but if you’re looking for a quick primer on the subject (not to mention some beautiful photos of chickens), buy the latest issue of Organic Gardening—or ask a friend to pass it along when she’s done.

Speaking of chickens, mark your calendar. The annual Slow Food Spokane River urban chicken tour will be held June 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year’s location: the South Hill. Organizers say you’ll be able to complete the entire tour on foot or by bicycle. It’s another great way to learn about keeping chickens.

And stayed tuned to Dwell Well this week. I’ll be featuring the coop my talented friend Brad Bork built recently at his home in North Spokane. It’s a beauty, complete with plumbing and window boxes for flowers.