The Chicken Chronicles, Part 2: The “hows” of backyard hens
Brought to you by SSUCF: THE SECRET SOCIETY OF URBAN CHICKEN FARMERS

Story by Ms. Hen Herder; caretaker of urban hens Soufflé, Camilla, Honey and Bunny

If you are reading part two of these chronicles, we must have you interested in this whole crazy idea. Below you'll find the basic supplies necessary for the first month of chicken raising.

The four basics:

A cage: In the beginning, your chickens will be very small and helpless. You'll want to keep them indoors where it's temperature controlled and safe. My chicks lived in a birdcage for the first month of their lives. We changed the paper in the cage daily, and kept them in an area where we could easily vacuum up any food or bedding that escaped the cage (yes, chickens can be a bit messy).

Chick feed: I made my own chick feed (you can easily find websites with “recipes”), but your local feed store will carry chick feed or “starter”. This feed contains more protein than adult chicken feed and you should not substitute regular feed while your chicks are young.

Water bottle: Use a rabbit water bottle for your chicks (the kind you hang upside down on the cage with the metal spout). We used a lid off a jar (don't use anything deep – chicks can easily drown!) for the first few days with our chicks, and then gave them the water bottle. They had no problem figuring out how to use it, and it reduces the mess they can make with the water.

Chicks: Lastly, of course, you'll need your chicks! This is the fun part – picking out the type of chickens you want in your backyard. First, you'll need to decide what your priorities are. Do you want lots of eggs? A specific color of egg? Pretty birds? All of the above? Do some research on breeds, but for beginners a few breeds are very popular:

Rhode Island Reds: My little lady Camilla is a RIR, and she is a faithful egg layer and a spunky personality in the coop. She produces beautiful brown eggs.

Plymouth Barred Rock: My hen Soufflé was the first to lay an egg, and is another champion egg layer (these first two breeds are known for their production). She is big and fluffy and I like to think of her as the “goofball” among my hens. She also produces beautiful brown eggs.

“Easter Eggers”: Sometimes listed as Americanas (or variations of this name), these birds have been bred for the color of their eggs. Blue, green, or sometimes cream – you never know what color eggs you'll get until your hen starts laying (but a hen will only produce one color, so you'll know what to expect after the first egg). My hen Bunny hasn't laid her first egg yet, so I'm still waiting for that first “Easter Egg” in the laying box!

Buff Orpingtons: Not as common a pick as the first three, but my fourth hen Honey is a big, fluffy, huggable honey-colored hen. This breed is supposed to be very docile and easily picked on by other hens. Not true for Honey! Honey is an assertive bird that stands up to my other three hens without a problem. I understand this is not typical for the breed, though, and buffs are usually kept only with other buffs to avoid problems. The picture above is of little Honey when she was only a few weeks old.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Get sexed chicks! If you're backyard chicken farming, the last thing you want to hear in the morning is a “cock-a-doodle-doo”! This happened to me with my “hen” Fritatta, who grew up to be a beautiful rooster (his picture was in the newsletter). He has since relocated to my sister's ranch where his crowing is easily tolerated by his new flock of hens.

Good luck on your venture! Next month: BUILDING THE COOP!