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By Patrick WatkinsPhoto: Easter Egger chicken, known for blue eggs
April 27, 2024 (Alpine) -- With grocery prices skyrocketing and everyone looking for a way to cut back on costs, a fun and surprisingly low maintenance way to save money is by owning chickens. Now don’t mistake low maintenance for entirely no maintenance. Chickens aren’t just simply egg machines; some initial effort must be made. Here are some basic tips as well as things to avoid if you’re bringing chickens into your own backyard.
My personal experience raising hens started five months ago when the skyrocketing egg prices and avian flu reports made me give into impulse and finally start a flock. I took the longer route of raising them from a young age, and this comes with its own set of pros and cons. A big issue new owners run into is figuring out whether their chicks are male or female, especially with most cities not allowing roosters. Experienced flock owners have methods such as wing shape, but the rest of us are left guessing if Betty is in fact a Bruno until a larger comb develops on boys at about six months.
Having plenty of questions still, I reached out to local chicken expert Richard Edwords for more information. Edwords, an Alpine resident, has taught courses on how to raise chickens. He sells chickens and fertilized eggs to the public, and can be reached at Beeguy54@gmail.com or (619) 992 0277.
Photo: White Leghorn chickenRight off the bat, he warned, “Not having a predator-proof chicken coup is a common mistake new owners will make.” Edwords went on to say that although coyotes are the most common predator that people think of in San Diego, they often forget about skunks, possums, and raccoons. These critters are lurking in most of our backyards and will happily gobble up your chickens given the chance; in rural and mountain areas, mountain lions and bobcats also prey on poultry.So it’s best to batten-down-the-hatches and have as secure of a coup as possible.
These crafty critters aren’t the only animals you have to keep out. With an avian flu spreading like wildfire around the country, another overlooked risk to your flock is potential disease spread by migratory birds and even sometimes local birds. Avian Flu has already killed at least 53 million chickens in recent years, with numbers still rising. If Avian Flu is diagnosed, entire flocks must be euthanized by law to prevent spread of the lethal disease, so it is best to keep any birds away from your flock.
Other common headaches these birds can bring are lice and mites. Similar to Avian Flu, these pests can be brought in when outside animals share food and water sources. Luckily for backyard chicken owners, there's a real simple counter measure. According to Edwords, “Dry and dusty dirt patches are the best defense against lice.” A patch of dirt gives chickens the chance to take a dry bath, rubbing dirt in between feathers, helping remove and prevent lice. Medications do exist but these can make anything your chickens produce funky and full of chemicals for up to 10 days, so it's best to keep it natural and stick to dry dirt.
There are surprisingly a lot of different breeds of chicken, so it can be hard to decide on a good fit for your backyard. You have easter eggers that resemble a hawk and lay all sorts of colorful eggs earning their name, or even death layers that produce eggs well beyond the typical three year laying span most hens have. However if you asked Edwords he’d tell you, “The best hen to have around your backyard hands-down has to be the White Leghorn.” These girls are smaller than most chicken breeds, so they’ll need less feed. They produce more as well as larger eggs, making them a clear winner. Edwords and I both think you can never have too many chickens, however many cities don’t agree.So be sure to check local laws in your city or in the county, for those of you in unincorporated areas, to find out what's allowed in your area.
Similar to humans, chickens are most productive when happy and healthy. An important part of this is dependent on hens’ diet. Simply feeding them scratch grains isn't enough; they need bugs, fruit, and vegetables as well to give them the required nutrition they need along with calcium for stronger eggshells. Edwords urges chicken owners to steer clear of giving them meat unless thoroughly cooked due to parasites, so before you feed your hens their long-lost cousins as a snack, give those leftovers to the dogs.
Once you start to get the hang of everything, chickens are a blast to have around and always entertaining, while giving you a sense of purpose and connection to your meal. With a little effort and a trip to your local feed store, you’ll be crossing eggs off your grocery list in no time.
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