If you would have told me six months ago that I would love chickens, I would have choked on my coffee. We got our three little birds purely for their utilitarian value—namely, the eggs they would produce. We raised them from chicks, and although they were cute, how committed I was to the endeavor remained to be seen, especially when we’d had them for a good six months, and they still had produced no eggs.
But then Lucille went missing.
Lucille (thus named because her red comb flops down over her face similarly to the way Lucille Ball’s red bangs flopped down over her forehead) decided not to come home to roost in the coop one night. After looking everywhere in the backyard, I realized I wasn’t going to find her that night, and I’d have to wait til the morning to know what happened to her. As I tossed and turned, worrying she’d be eaten by a predator, or she’d somehow jumped into a neighbor’s yard, I began to come to the slow awareness that I enjoyed having THREE chickens–I didn’t want to only have TWO chickens. And it wasn’t just that I liked having three chickens, I realized how much I enjoyed so many things about them: how they always have something to say—the little soft clucks and sometimes louder croaks, their silly little waddle-run, like they’re hiking up invisible skirts, and the surprising softness of their feathers.
I prayed for Lucille. When I finally drifted off at 3 a.m., it was with the fear of waking to find feathers scattered across the backyard. When I woke up, I knew there was a slim chance she’d be pecking away in the backyard, so as I walked to the dining room to look out the window, I prayed silently one more time. The Florida summer had fogged up the windows, and for a second I thought my fears had come true—no sign of her. But as I squinted once more through the glass, there she was. Through the misty haze, that little red comb bobbed up and down, Lucille alive and well, poking around the yard like nothing had happened. Relief flooded over me, and as I rushed outside to make sure she was truly okay and let the other two out of their coop, I had to admit that these girls had stolen a little piece of my heart.
Here are some things I’ve learned as a new chicken mama in the past several months. I’ve read articles online, purchased this “Let’s All Keep Chickens” book after hearing the author on a podcast, but found as usual, the best teacher is experience, so this is what has been working for us:
THE COOP
We began with a $200 coop from Tractor Supply while deciding our commitment level to these chickens. It served the purpose when the chicks were young, but because it wasn’t well built, it broke down pretty quickly in our Florida summer storms. After much research, we bought the Over EZ Small Chicken Coop which is a more weatherproof and secure coop for the chickens. I painted it black to match our aesthetic, and it’s quite the cute little addition to our back yard.
We do a deep clean on the coop every Saturday. Here’s how we layer the coop:
- Baking soda sprinkled all over the floor (this helps with keeping the coop smelling fresh, & adds an extra layer of cleanliness for them)
- Dried Lavender leaves sprinkled all over the floor (this deters pests)
- Large wood shavings from Tractor Supply
- Nesting Pads (USA grown) for the nesting boxes
- Fresh marigolds sprinkled in their nesting boxes*
*We grow a pot with fresh marigolds, mint, and lavender beside the coop to deter pests as well.
FEEDING THE CHICKS
The chicks were a few weeks old when we got them, so we began feeding them organic, non-gmo chick feed from Mile Four. Mile Four has an easy to use feeding system that moves them through the process from chicks to layers. I wanted our eggs to have bright yolks like we’d seen in England last year, so we began adding fresh marigolds & chili flakes to their feed when they were 6 months old. The marigolds are good for their respiratory systems, and they don’t have heat receptors, so the chili flakes help to mitigate other critters from wanting their feed, while also giving the yolks of the eggs a prettier hue.
Now, I make a mix of feed. chili flakes, and oyster shell for the chickens to get the nutrients they need. I just add 1 bag of each in the mix.
- Mile Four Organic, Non-GMO Chicken Feed – we started with the baby version and graduated to the layers version
- Frontier Co-Op Chili Flakes
- Oyster Shell (for calcium)
Chickens love treats, so I’ll occasionally give them some fruit or veggies that are on their way out, and also give them a few grubs (for treats & extra protein) almost every day. They are now producing 2-3 eggs per day, and are a happy addition to our home.
Who knew how much love chickens would add to our lives?
