Even the most Eco-Friendly home isn’t compete without a coop and some friendly pet chickens to go inside it. Chickens make wonderful companions as well as provide fresh eggs, a natural chemical-free bug and weed controller, and supply their owners with some quality fertilizer. So here’s a simple step-by-step guide on raising your very own chicken family.
1- Obtaining Chicks- Chicks can be bought anywhere from Hohl Feed & Seed in downtown Bellingham to Craigslist. Usually they must be purchased three at a time. Don’t know what breed to get? Here’s a wonderful Breed Selector tool from mypetchicken.com. http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx
2- Raising Chicks- Baby chicks need to be kept inside until their about 4-5 weeks of age so you’ll need to have an adequate predator and draft protected environment prepared for them. Baby chicks have a particular smell and create lots of dust so you’ll want to keep them somewhere you don’t mind getting a little messy. Provide chicks with a two square feet per chick living environment at least 12” tall so they can’t escape. Finally, chicks like to be toasty, we’re talking 90 – 95 degrees, a 250-watt infrared heat lamp is the best way to achieve this. Provide them with some water and medicated chicken feed to keep them healthy and you’ll have some hens in no time.
3- The Coop- Unfortunately, chicken massacres are common in the Columbia Neighborhood thanks to our residential raccoons. So, once you’re chickens are finally ready for the great outdoors their going to need a coop that resembles Fort Knox. http://www.backyardchickens.com/coopdesigns.html has some great coop designs to protect your feathered friends from predators, also check out their have-a-heart trap to capture any unwanted guests http://www.backyardchickens.com/coopdesigns.html.
So now you’re ready to raise some chickens! Just make sure to warn your neighbors before you invest in a rooster…
