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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 26, 2015)
Fine-feathered friends Celebrate spring with a flock of backyard chickens o you long for a more idyllic life, but aren’t sure how to get it? Is there a bit of farmer lurking LQ\RXURWKHUZLVHFLWL¿HGVRXO"+DYH\RXHYHU looked up from the pale, factory-farmed eggs on your plate and felt like breakfast ought to taste a whole lot better? ,I \RX¶YH RIIHUHG D UHVRXQGLQJ ³\HV´ WR WKH TXHVWLRQV DERYH KDYH D OLWWOH H[WUD VSDFH LQ \RXU garden, and are ready to take your lo- FDYRUH FRPPLWPHQW WR WKH QH[W OHYHO WKHUH¶VDFKDQFHWKDWDÀRFNRIEDFN\DUG chickens could be just right for you. You don’t need to know a lot to get started keeping chickens — part of their FKDUP LV WKHLU RYHUDOO VLPSOLFLW\ ² EXW you do need to know a little. To get you going, here, in an eggshell, are the basics. D From brooder to coop Once home, you’ll need a brooder for your little ones ²DFR]\VSDFHWKDWZLOOEHWKHLUTXDUWHUVXQWLOWKH\¶UHIXO- O\ IHDWKHUHG DQG FDQ OLYH LQ DQ RXWGRRU FRRS WKUHH WR IRXU months). Your brooder should be small and simple to clean (wooden crates work well, as do wire dog kennels). Place it RXW RI GUDIWV DQG FORVH HQRXJK IRU IUHTXHQW FKHFNLQJ ZKLOH FKLFNVDUHVPDOODQGEHVXUHWRHTXLSLW with a heat lamp for temperature control, DVZHOODVWKHREYLRXVIHHGHUDQGZDWHUHU When they mature from chicks to pul- OHWV LPPDWXUH KHQV PRYH \RXU ELUGV gradually to the coop — a few hours at a time each day — in the same way you ZRXOG³KDUGHQRII´SODQWVIRUWKHJDUGHQ Whether it’s a chicken palace or a hum- ble lean-to against the potting shed, your coop needs to shelter your birds for years Picking up chicks to come, and a little planning goes a long Spring is the perfect time to start your way. ÀRFNDQGZKDWFRXOGEHPRUHHPEOHP- Photo by Lynette Rae McAdams <RXU KHQKRXVH VKRXOG SURYLGH DW atic of the season than a new baby chick Undoubtedly one of the best rewards of chicken keeping, OHDVW VTXDUH IHHW RI LQWHULRU VSDFH SHU ² D WLQ\ ÀXII RI SHHSLQJ SHUIHFWLRQ" fresh eggs come in a beautiful variety of colors and sizes. KHQZLWKVTXDUHIHHWSHUKHQLQDQDF- You can order your chicks direct from a companying outside run. Place the roost hatchery, but the best way to ensure you’re getting healthy away from feeders and waterers (chickens are professional birds that suit your needs and climate is to hand-select them poopers, especially while roosting at night), and create easy from your local feed store or farm supply. DFFHVVWRQHVWLQJER[HVIRUERWK\RXU³JLUOV´DQG\RX &RQVLGHUFKRRVLQJ³VH[HG´FKLFNVZKRKDYHDSHUFHQW 5HPHPEHUWKLVDERYHDOO(YHU\RQHORYHVDFKLFNHQGLQ- chance of being female (gentle clucking is typically preferred QHUVHFXUH\RXUFRRSDJDLQVWDOOSUHGDWRUV,W¶VZLVHWRFRYHU to sunrise crowing, and no, you don’t need a rooster to get \RXUUXQDQGHYHQEXU\ZLUHDURXQGWKHSHULPHWHUWRGLVFRXU- HJJV3LFNFKLFNVWKDWDUHYLEUDQWDQGEULJKWH\HGDQGGRQ¶W age persistent diggers (like dogs and raccoons). show signs of listlessness. Fair Warning: baby chicks will be- guile you with their cuteness. Decide ahead of time how many Caring for hens chickens you want and stick to it. 7KHGD\ZLOOFRPHZKHQ\RXUELUGV¿QDOO\EHFRPHKHQV DURXQG¿YHPRQWKVRIDJHDQGWKDWGD\LVPDUNHGE\WKH KDSS\ DUULYDO RI DQ HJJ )RU WKH QH[W \HDU RU VR HYHQ WKH VPDOOHVW ÀRFN ZLOO OLNHO\ SURYLGH PRUH HJJV WKDQ \RX FDQ eat (you’ll be popular with neighbors and friends). The more \RXUKHQVKDYHDFFHVVWRIUHVKDLUDQGIRRGZLWKSOHQW\RI garden scraps and bugs to scratch after, the more beautiful WKHLUHJJVZLOOEHZLWKWKLFN¿UPZKLWHVDQGGHOHFWDEOHJROG- en yolks. 0XOWLSOHVWXGLHVFRQ¿UPWKDWHJJVODLGE\SDVWXUHUDLVHG free-ranging hens are healthier too, with less fat and choles- WHUROPRUH2PHJD¶VDQGKLJKHUOHYHOVRIWKHEHQH¿FLDOYL- WDPLQV.(DQG' Though a hen’s peak egg production begins to decline after two years, healthy birds will continue to lay for eight to 10, just not at the same rate. To keep your gathering basket full, WKLQNDERXWVWDJJHULQJ\RXUÀRFNDQGDGGLQJDIHZQHZELUGV HYHU\RWKHU\HDU %XW GRQ¶W YDOXH \RXU FKLFNHQV RQO\ IRU WKHLU HJJV ² LQ- VWHDGWKLQNRIWKHPDVSHDFHIXOVZHHWO\FOXFNLQJH[WHQVLRQV RI \RXU JDUGHQ (YHQ LQ UHWLUHPHQW WKH\¶UH VXSHUE FXOWLYD- Photo by Lynette Rae McAdams tors that offer compost-enriching fertilizer, chemical-free Pearle and Virginia, two 8-year-old hens in Ocean Park, Washington, wait outside their pen, long- pest control (no slug is safe), and a new life for breakfast and ing for an extra ration of scratch grains. baked goods. 4 | March 26, 2015 | coastweekend.com Submitted photo She’s only a day old, but this little chick is ready to take on the world. More info Chickens are welcome in all unincorporated areas of Pacific, Clat- sop and Tillamook counties. If you live inside city limits, check local municipal codes before starting your flock. Here’s an overview: Long Beach, Washington: Not allowed Ilwaco, Washington: Allowed, pending coop design approval ($50 fee applies) Astoria: Allowed (roosters discouraged) Warrenton: Allowed on properties larger than one acre. Gearhart: Up to four birds allowed; no roosters. Seaside: Not allowed Cannon Beach: Not allowed Manzanita: Not allowed Coastal Life Story by LYNETTE RAE MCADAMS