by Julie Wenger Watson
You don’t have to be a farmer or live in the country to enjoy the benefits of agriculture. A remarkable amount of food can be raised in a small space. With a few containers of tomato plants, you’ll have produce to share by summer— and don’t get me started on zucchini!
If you’re ready to expand your urban farming beyond the basics, however, consider chickens. Smart and endlessly interesting, poultry make excellent backyard companions, returning beautiful and delicious eggs for your efforts.
Why Raise Chickens?
The vast majority of city dwellers who raise backyard flocks do so for eggs, not for meat. Although breed, age, diet, and light are all factors, some hens can lay an egg a day during peak laying season, so a small number of hens can provide plenty of omelets for an entire family.
Beyond high-quality, fresh eggs, chickens bring educational opportunities, natural fertilizer and pest control, kitchen-scrap disposal, and a surprising amount of fun. They can be pretty good pets too, especially if raised from chicks. Chickens can be trained to come when called, fly onto your shoulder, and eat from your hand.
With countless breeds, it’s easy to find a good fit for your particular needs.
Chickens in the City Limits
Many Oklahomans are surprised to learn that it’s legal to keep poultry in the city limits. Regulations vary by city, so it’s important to check local ordinances before purchasing a backyard flock. In Tulsa, homeowners are allowed as many as six adult chickens and 14 chicks younger than eight weeks. In Oklahoma City, homeowners can keep as many as six hens, but roosters are not allowed.
Remember that neighborhood covenants and homeowners’ associations might still prohibit poultry even if the city allows it.
Getting Started
Living in an agricultural state such as Oklahoma, resources are readily available to help you on your poultry journey. One of the best places to start is Oklahoma State University Extension. The website, http://extension.okstate.edu, has information on a wide range of topics, including fact sheets and an online course related to backyard flocks. Extension offices are in all 77 counties. If you prefer to visit in person, find the location at http://extension.okstate.edu/county.
Starting your flock with baby chicks offers a rewarding experience, especially for young kids who are captivated by the tiny, fluffy creatures. In spring, chicks are available from agricultural supply stores such as Atwoods, feed stores, and local producers. Purchasing your animals from a reputable seller, such as Murray McMurray Hatchery, https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com, for example, ensures a healthy beginning.
Housing Your Chicks
Until chicks are six weeks old, house them in a draft-free, well-ventilated, escape-proof, heated pen, or “brooder,” with walls at least two feet high. These pens are commercially available, but they can also be made from other enclosures such as large plastic storage bins. Cover the bottom of the brooder with three to four inches of absorbent bedding, and keep it clean and fresh. Provide age-appropriate fresh food and water in chick-specific dispensers.
Newly hatched chicks need a minimum of one-half square foot of space each, and chicks older than four weeks need at least three-fourths square foot of space each. Once chicks are about six weeks and have their feathers, they can be moved outside, assuming the weather is warm enough.
Countless options exist for premanufactured chicken coops with nesting boxes. If you’re handy, you can easily find plans in books and online to build your own. Don’t forget to make your coop and run predator proof — use fencing with small holes, bury it deep enough to discourage digging under, and use netting at the top of the run to deter attacks from the air.
Chicken feed, feeders, and waterers can be purchased at many regular pet stores and at agricultural supply and feed stores. The nutritional needs of your particular flock will vary by age, and the requirements differ for egg layers versus meat production.
Keeping Chickens Healthy
Purchasing healthy chicks or pullets (young hens) from a reputable seller is the first step to building a healthy flock, along with maintaining a clean, sanitized environment for your animals.
In recent months, “avian influenza” has been in the news, in connection with national egg shortages. Commonly known as “bird flu,” it is a contagious viral infection that affects birds but can also infect other animals and humans.
Although the risk of avian influenza to humans is relatively low, it’s always important to practice good “biosecurity” when raising any kind of livestock — even backyard chickens. Those measures begin with good hygiene for yourself (washing hands before and after working with chickens, for example) and for the environment (feed, water, and bedding all should be kept fresh).
Wild birds, particularly waterfowl, can carry avian flu. It is important to keep your domestic chickens away from wild birds, especially in migratory seasons. Housing your birds indoors or in a fully covered run will also help to reduce the potential for exposure.
Finally, monitor the health of your flock. Keep an eye out for symptoms such as increased mortality, coughing, or lethargy, and report any sudden health changes to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
Above all, enjoy your flock! Take good care of your chickens, and they will reward you with delicious eggs and countless hours of entertainment.
