The Joy of Chickens

Across the country, people are discovering the joy of raising chickens in their backyards. There's of course the benefit that you'll have fresh eggs for cooking. Then there's the plus that their waste will serve as an excellent fertilizer for your garden.

If you've got chick fever, we're offering up advice based on our experiences raising a clan foisted upon us last year.

Caution: the more chickens, the more mess, the more time involved in their care! So be conservative with your “flock” until you know how much of your time will be involved.

First of all, make sure that your city allows chickens. Interestingly enough, a lot do, but itʼs best to check with your city first. Equally important, you should check with your neighbors. Chickens (hens, that is) are quiet, but roosters can make noise, depending on the breed and the individual rooster. Chickens, like people, have their own distinct personalities.

“Red," our rooster, is a real asset to the coop. He protects the hens and only crows when he feels there is danger near. Danger to a rooster could be a gardener with a leaf blower.

Chickens need a coop, a place to be protected at night and from the elements. And that coop must be kept clean. A clean coop means healthy birds. No one wants the heartbreak of a sick bird.

Your hens will need a nesting box in which to lay their eggs. Although we have six nesting boxes, they only use one or two. And they all want to use the same one! They also need a pole on which to roost; this is where they sleep or rest.

Food, of course, is a necessity. If you can let your chickens range, thatʼs great, but itʼs not often practical in urban areas. We buy chicken food at the local feed store, the Feed Barn at 34192 Doheny Park Rd. in Capistrano Beach is a good source. But we also feed them fresh vegetables daily. Fresh water in a special dispenser is another necessity. Donʼt put a bowl of water down; theyʼll walk in it, make it dirty, and then they wonʼt drink it because itʼs dirty.

OK, so maybe chickens are not the smartest, but we love them anyway!

If this has piqued your interest in raising chickens, I suggest you check out backyardchickens.com or the book Raising Chickens for Dummies.