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
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looked up from the pale, factory-farmed eggs on
your plate and felt like breakfast ought to taste a
whole lot better?
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garden, and are ready to take your lo-
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chickens could be just right for you.
You don’t need to know a lot to get
started keeping chickens — part of their
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you do need to know a little. To get you
going, here, in an eggshell, are the basics.
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From brooder to coop
Once home, you’ll need a brooder for your little ones
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months). Your brooder should be small and simple to clean
(wooden crates work well, as do wire dog kennels). Place it
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with a heat lamp for temperature control,
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When they mature from chicks to pul-
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gradually to the coop — a few hours at
a time each day — in the same way you
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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.
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Photo by Lynette Rae McAdams
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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
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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.
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chance of being female (gentle clucking is typically preferred QHUVHFXUH\RXUFRRSDJDLQVWDOOSUHGDWRUV,W¶VZLVHWRFRYHU
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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.
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eat (you’ll be popular with neighbors and friends). The more
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garden scraps and bugs to scratch after, the more beautiful
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en yolks.
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free-ranging hens are healthier too, with less fat and choles-
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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,
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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