Urban Chicken Q & A and a giveaway!
If you've been sitting on the fence about urban chicken keeping,
than this post is for you!
than this post is for you!
We are pleased to part of a fifteen-day Blog Book Tour celebrating the release of
Gail Damerow’s “The Chicken Encyclopedia" from Storey Publishing.
Gail has been my go to girl for years...Her book "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens"
has been my constant companion since becoming a backyard chicken keeper.
I have multiple printings of this oh so helpful book!
So when I was asked to do a Q & A with Gail for my blog,
I jumped at the chance.
She is my chicken mentor that I don't even know!
Because my love of urban chicken keeping, I asked her some questions that
we are frequently asked here on the BOHO Farm.
So with no further delay...
Urban Chicken Q & A with Gail Damerow
Do chickens have a shorter life span in an urban environment? and what is the average lifespan of a chicken?
If they do it would be for the same reasons some chickens have a short life span no matter where they live: they either got out and got eaten, or something got into their housing and went after them. One of the biggest culprits anywhere is pet dogs; not just the neighbor's dogs, but also sometimes the chicken owner's dog. Even the most chicken friendly dog may one day get excited and chase after them.
(We had this happen with our Scottish terrier Blanca, she bite Henny Penny's tail feather's off and a chunk of her back end and we spent an expensive Friday night at the avian specialist as they performed chicken surgery...it was our daughter's chicken...fyi.)
(We had this happen with our Scottish terrier Blanca, she bite Henny Penny's tail feather's off and a chunk of her back end and we spent an expensive Friday night at the avian specialist as they performed chicken surgery...it was our daughter's chicken...fyi.)
A chicken may live 10 to 15 years. Few chickens live out their full, natural lives. Chickens raised for meat have a short life of only 8 to 12 weeks. Chickens raised for eggs or as breeders are usually kept for 2 or 3 years, until their productivity and fertility decline. A chicken kept in a protective environment may survive as long as 25 years, although geriatric hens lay few eggs.
What are some breeds that are good for an urban environment? How about family friendly breeds?
Oh, boy. So many choices are available it's hard to know where to start, or stop. To name just a few of the more docile breeds (which are good for both urban and family purposes): Ameraucana and Araucana, related breeds that both lay eggs with blue shells; Brahma and Cochin, rather large breeds with feathered legs; Houdan and Polish, two docile breeds with an awesome topknot of puffy feathers; Delaware and Plymouth Rock, both of which originated in the USA and lay eggs with brown shells; and, of course, among bantams the ever popular Silkie, with its super friendly demeanor and feathers that look more like fur.
I get asked this all the time...but I never have had to clip my girls wings...do you clip wings and why or why not?
Not usually, because we don't need to. But occasionally we get a chicken, especially a young one, that won't stay where it's supposed to, so we clip its wing to keep it from flying over the fence. When you clip only one wing, the bird can't get enough balance to fly well. Generally, after our chickens mature they get too heavy to fly, so wing clipping is just a temporary measure.
How much space do chickens really need?
As much as they can get! How much space they can get by with depends on their age, breed, and numbers; whether they are confined or have access to an outdoor run; and the climate. Young chickens need more space as they grow. Active breeds need more space than placid breeds. A few chickens need more space per bird than lots of chickens living together. As a minimum I would provide heavy breeds with 3 to 4 square feet per bird; light breed with 2 to 3 square feet per bird; and bantams with 1 to 2 square feet per bird.
Does chicken poop cause diseases?
If you eat it. Some people let chickens run around in their gardens, in which case poop can get on the veggies. But in a normal situation where the chickens are confined to their own area, as long as you wash your hands after handling or tending your chickens, you should be okay. Little kids may need to be reminded to keep their hands out of their mouths while visiting the family flock.
What would be your top three reasons for keeping chickens in the city?
Fun, fun, and fun. If that's not enough reasons: To get eggs that are fresher and safer than those produced by industrial agriculture, and that haven't been passed through dozens of hands and shipped hundreds (or thousands) of miles. And so kids can grow up having some idea where their food comes from. Contrary to what some kids believe, eggs are not manufactured in plastic cartons.
Smell and flies? Any tips?
Keep bedding clean and dry. Odor generally comes from moist bedding, which may be a result of too many chickens for the size of their housing. If flies get to be a problem, use fly traps or good-quality flypaper, or introduce natural fly predators.
What would be a good size flock for a beginning urban chicken keeper?
That would depend a great deal on how much space is available and how many eggs are desired. I wouldn't want to have fewer than three hens, because chickens are social animals. If you have three hens that average 150 eggs per year each, that'd be around 450 eggs, which might be plenty for a family of two or three but not enough for a family of six. Most hatcheries include in their breed descriptions information on egg production, which varies with breed and strain.
And last but not least, the most frequently asked chicken question...
Do you need a rooster? Of course, I ask this kind of tongue and cheek. :)
Oh, yeah! Everyone needs a rooster. They're half the fun of keeping chickens. But contrary to common belief, hens will lay just as many eggs with or without a rooster. The only difference egg-wise is that the eggs won't be fertile and therefore can't hatch. So in areas where chicken keeping is legal, but roosters are not, the hens will get along just fine without one.
Thank you Gail for the great Q&A what a treat to do this with you!
Book Giveaway
To celebrate the release of The Chicken Encyclopedia,
Storey Publishing is giving a free book to one BOHO Farm and Home reader.
Just post a comment below on this post or on our BOHO Facebook page
and you'll be entered to win!
US residents only.
Join along on The Chicken Encyclopedia Blog Tour
3/3 Vintage Garden Gal
3/4 The Garden Roof Coop
3/5 Common Weeder
3/6 Chickens in the Road
3/7 Garden Rant
3/8 Fresh Eggs Daily
3/9 My Pet Chicken Blog
3/10 Coop Thoughts
3/11 BOHO Farm and Home
3/12 Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs
3/13 A Charlotte Garden
3/14 Farm Fresh Fun
3/15 The HenCam
3/16 Life on a Southern Farm
3/17 ADozenGirlz, The Chicken Chick™
3/18 North Coast Gardening