Pandemic projects: Father-daughter duo raise chickens, build ‘winter palace’

As COVID-19 spread across the globe last year, like many of us, Gerald Hickman worried.

“One of our first concerns about the pandemic was are we going to get any food,” he recalled.

So, in early April, he and his daughter, Shannon Hickman, bought four day-old chicks.

“Shannon wanted sheep, or maybe ducks,” he said grinning. “But she settled for chickens.”

Gerald, a retired wildlife biologist, is no stranger to raising chickens.

“My mother raised chickens and sold eggs. One of my earliest jobs was cleaning out the coop.”

More than just a source of eggs, the chickens are part of Shannon’s plan to revitalize their Cheney backyard into a thriving ecosytstem.

“Our whole backyard is a permaculture effort to build and improve our flower and vegetable gardens, save water, and improve the world,” Gerald said.

And their four fluffy chickens are integral to the process.

Using a variety of YouTube videos as a resource, Shannon designed a chicken tractor (also known as a chicken cultivator).

“It’s a way to increase biology and nutrients into the soil, and get rid of the compaction,” she explained.

The chicken tractor is a coop on wheels. It features all the comforts of home for their hens, including a dirt bath, nesting box, and automatic food and water dispensers. It had to be lightweight enough for Shannon to move easily, yet sturdy enough to keep out predators.

“We used cedar fence boards,” she said. “The nesting box is at an angle, so the eggs roll out.”

That’s where Gerald comes in.

“I collect the eggs every morning,” he said.

Shannon said she feeds her feathered friends a diet of fermented chicken feed similar to sauerkraut or kimchi. The nutrient-rich feed makes great fertilizer for their yard and garden beds.

“We move the chicken tractor every day,” Shannon said. “It gives them fresh grass to work.”

Their tractor has been across the entire yard at least twice, and father and daughter are pleased with how the chicken-fertilized and cultivated soil is springing to life.

“The grass is coming back a lot taller,” said Gerald.

Once the chickens were happily ensconced in their moveable home, Shannon began work on their “winter palace,” fashioning the permanent coop from a converted dog kennel.

“It’s in the sunniest spot in the yard,” she said. “I started it in August, but didn’t finish it until we got our first snow in October.”

The winter palace has all the amenities their brood could want, including a swing and a xylophone.

When asked if any of them had plucked out a tune, Shannon sadly shook her head.

“Not yet,” she said.

She also repurposed a wood-trimmed glass door their neighbors were getting rid of. Now, her chicks have a coop with a view.

Maple leaves line the coop and nesting box which she said breaks down into excellent compost for the raspberry, tomato, herb and garden beds she designed.

“We’re getting a bunch of edible bushes and trees from the conservation district,” Shannon said. “The chickens will get the low-lying berries, and we get the rest.”

To ensure both coops are predator-proof, she surrounded them with hardware cloth,

“We want to keep them safe from raccoons and neighborhood cats,” Gerald said.

Aside from eggs and soil cultivation, he’s discovered another benefit of chicken ownership – feathers.

“When the chickens molt, I collect and save the molted feathers for fishing,” he said. “The soft hackles of the hens make excellent trout flies. I share the feathers with my friends, as well. But we are not allowed to pluck any feathers.”

The best part of this pandemic project for Shannon is letting the brood roam during their daily walkabout.

“I’m excited to come out every day and see the chickens,” she said.

She stooped down, and a hen hopped up to perch on her shoulder.

“Shannon speaks chicken,” her father said.

The project has inspired her.

“I want to do regenerative agriculture,” she said. “I’d love to find a group of people to pursue this with.”

Gerald is delighted with what Shannon has created in their backyard.

“I never thought the winter palace was going to work, but this is amazing,” he said. “There was a lot of carpentry work, so I got to help her. The best part of this has been bonding with my daughter.”

———

Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@juno.com