From the age of three, I had always wanted to be a veterinarian. A few undergraduate classes in carcass evaluation, cattle judging and less than savory experiences in the University of Minnesota's numerous poultry barns quickly changed my mind. I attended Avian Sampler one day to find egg-laying hens as far and wide as the eye could see, each in its separate one by one foot wire crate. The barn smelled horribly and a walk to the end of the stack of cages as the professor lectured revealed a 20 year-old hen, it's neck drooping with a neurologic condition of some sort. It was clearly a matter of time before this hen starved to death for an inability to feed itself. This fact, combined with the ideas I had about helping animals simply didn't jive. I completed my major as a vegetarian and became a major source of comedy and entertainment for the so-called "farm kids". Years later, I decided I would right this small wrong the best way I knew how, by keeping three hens of my own for egg laying purposes in my backyard and as pets. I wasn't sure where to start or how to make them comfortable. I hope the information I have come across as a proud, urban, free-range egg farmer will be helpful to those who are interested in doing the same thing. Happy birds make for tasty eggs.
I live in a harsh climate and needed to know what breed of chicken would thrive in the harsh winters of the north. I recommend using a resource at www.mypetchicken.com called the "breed finder tool". You are able to select which breed will work best based on climate, whether or not you want a rare/endangered breed, importance of egg-laying frequency and if you would like a colorful egg basket. I chose a French breed of chicken called a Faverolle that is very hardy in the winter, has feathered feet, is very docile and quirky. Now that I knew which breed I preferred, I needed to choose a coop. City living requires a permit signed by all neighbors within a certain distance of your home (check with your local Animal Control agency for details) so I applied for the permit via Animal Care and Control. Amazingly, my neighbors were thrilled to be expecting new, feathered neighbors and most were easily persuaded when promised a few eggs! I looked at several coops on-line, including the ever popular, plastic, Eglu. I would not recommend this coop for the comfort of the chickens unless you are only planning on raising two hens with your child. It is made of a thick plastic and sits right on the ground so it is not designed well for cooler climates or easy cleaning. I even saw one site describe it as the IMac of chicken coops. I chose a nice coop to comfortably accommodate 3-5 hens from a website, www.greenchickencoop.com which uses recycled materials, local woodworkers and earth-friendly materials. They were friendly and inexpensive to deal with. My coop arrived in about 3-4 weeks and I chose to get my Faverolle chicks locally as they are proven to be much more healthy and long-lived than those bought from hatcheries, where diseases can be rampant and treatment ethically questionable. Most cities and towns have chicken rescue organizations as well.
For laying hens to be, I started my chicks on a 19% protein grower mix until they were large enough at about four months to reduce their protein to 18%. I had been feeding them grit all along because chickens lack a stomach and have a gizzard where food is deposited and mixed with small rocks and gravel (grit) to digest it. I just started adding oyster shell to their basic diet as well because it provides calcium when the hens are getting broody and old enough to lay eggs (around 6 months). The extra calcium is needed so the chickens body isn't depleted of it causing weak bones and/or death to form a solid eggshell. Some people choose to give their chickens ground up eggshells, however I don't recommend it because it can lead to the destructive behavior of egg eating once your hens are laying. They also like the taste of eggs! In addition to the basics of the hens diet I covered, my hens get almost any bit of kitchen compost that is small enough to fit in their beaks and weeds from the yard and garden. If you use chemicals on your lawn, absolutely do not give your chickens weeds or garden waste. I've found that my hens have a particular taste for fresh greens such as; kale, spinach, collards, and mustard greens. They also love ripe tomatoes, ground up breakfast cereals, oats, and just about anything else I've given them. I have been told to avoid giving them apple seeds and avocados and anything too large to fit down their throats as you don't want to lose a favorite hen to choking.
I also let my hens out of their enclosed run and coop area to free range in the backyard where they can find all kinds of beetles, grubs and slugs which are another excellent source of protein and an essential part of the free-range chicken's diet. You'll notice your chickens will become incredibly docile, some will respond to their names, and they will definitely know that you mean above all things FOOD ! They each develop their own unique personalities and that, for me, has been the most interesting and rewarding part of having city chickens.