Urban Farm Online $10 for 1year subscription! Expires at Midnight!

Dusk sets in around 5pm this time of year.  Daylight is at a premium in a household of many children whose super power is channeling Jack Lalane and Jack Black.. at once.
Our use of electronic devices  sets our energy bill at a premium.

My chickens of course are oblivious to this non-weather we are having.
Soon my crocus' to will pop out at me like Steve Martin complete with banjo.
 ((Actually that I would really enjoy that.   Just putting that out there Universe.))


So we've been doing a lot of reading.. for today only you can get Urban Farm Magazine for $10 for a full year subscription. I subscribe every year and wanted to share this year. I can't tell you how useful this magazine is, seriously order your subscription today. Then we (all four of you who read this blog) will have so much more to talk about.

Happy New Year

Urban Farm Magazine $10/1yr. 01/05/12 only

Dead Fancy Bird Zen

It doesn't matter how far I travel I'm always reminded that born and raised in Idaho back in the 1970s was about living in a farming community. Everyone had chickens, gardens, squash patches, fruit trees and most of all grown up trees. Big trees.
I took from this upbringing the revelation that there is inherent good in those who care for their environment. Their land, their family, their character.

So why am I writing about a Dead Fancy Bird? 
HRH Margaret is.. or rather, was, my fancy breed bird. She was a Belgian d'Uccle Mille Fleur.

My Spidy-senses should have been tipped off by the fact that her name weighed more than she did. 

If anyone has happened to catch my previous posts, on my ill-fated dabblings into the magic of hatching eggs, you will understand the following better than anyone else.


Maggie was the lone chick to have survived my inept hatching contraptions and various flock attacks by dogs and the weather.  She was almost a year old, and quite gorgeous. You might remember that I ordered all those wonderful fancy eggs not too long ago. Yep. I thought I was Caroline fricking Ingalls. In reality it was a little closer to this:

Anyhow-- she managed to survive my best attempts to snuff her here at Chicken Survivor Island.
Over this last year it seems I've become the female equivalent of Lenny from the Grapes of Wrath.
Thank God someone talked me out of rabbits. Gretchen Anderson might have had to give some quote on how many Backyard Chicken Keepers go off the deep end.

Ok.. I have to stay focused.

Maggie's breed type and champion lines were what attracted me to her. Her brother Winston died last year from-- I kid you not-- a heart attack after a vicious puppy barking incident involving my chihuahua.
Heart attacks in certain fowl are not uncommon. This can actually happen in some breeds of birds... and I knew that.
I also knew that even with champion breed lines, certain birds requires a home for which those types of breeds are more suited.

So...at the end of the day I'm left with no one to blame and a Dead Fancy Bird. I get the Zen and learned my lesson from her death. So please don't flame me with hate mail.

Still, the Idaho Matriarch in me didn't like not having something to show for the effort. Needless to say I have a ziploc bag full of beautiful speckled super soft feathers that I'm determined to make into jewelry.
I'm sure my creations will be picked up immediately for Paris Fashion Week and I'll start a charity in HRH Maggie's name dedicated to congenital heart defect among fancy bird breeds.

But most likely they will end up gracing our Holiday Tree... glued to macaroni art and covered in glitter.

I promise to think about my Dead Fancy Bird Zen every time I look at the feathers.

Chicken Mites the not so glamorous side of chicken care.

Ok Folks-- just warning you in advance- this is not a post for those wanting to see chickens frolicking in beds of clover, or chickens basking and napping in the sun in the shape of a heart.
Ok Just one.

Now it's time to be a grown up adult who is a responsible chicken keeper.

It's time to check your chickens for mites, ticks, worms.

There are several different types of mites/lice, but the most common ones have tell tale signs that are easily visible by inspecting the bird.

So lets all buck up and take a look at some good ol' chicken mite infestations.

Chicken with mites infestation on comb

Chicken feet with excessive 'crusty' looking scales are a sign of mites.

This is a close up of the chicken lice/mite eggs-- it looks like pretty gross.

These are the atrocious offenders in all their nasty glory. 

Feather mites leave behind what looks like mold on chicken feathers.

I won't post a picture here because honestly-- it's too gross.

But the big and most important place to check it the chicken's vent... *butt* this is where the mites will be most obvious since it's where the ticks and mites seem to thrive. 

I dusted my girls buts just this afternoon with an old salt shaker full of diatomaceous earth.  I got quite a work out chasing down chickens and sprinkling powder on em.


I personally like to treat minor infestations with Food grade DE (diatomaceous earth) which has less than 5% silicon. . This is a must have for any chicken coop. Dusted directly onto the chicken it will kill mites, ticks, and other nasty critters.

It's a bit hard to find Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth.
D&B Supply sells 50lb Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) for $31.99, which should last you about a year.

I also keep the ticks away and the smell of chicken poo to a minimum by dusting areas inside the coop, roost areas, and dust bath areas.


If you find that your chickens have a particularly nasty infestation nothing works better than good ol' Dawn dish liquid and Neosporin, followed up with regular a regular daily dusting of diatomaceous earth.

Then I came inside and washed my hands---- then I took a shower .... twice.

You chickens will love you for caring for them-- and honestly it's a easy measure for the gorgeous and delicious eggs, pest control and entertainment we receive.




How can you tell the difference between mites and lice?
Table 1. Comparison chart to distinguish between lice and mites.

	Lice	Mites
Size	2-3 millimeters long	1 millimeter diameter (ground pepper)
Speed	Fast-moving	Slow-moving
Color	Straw-colored (light brown)	Dark reddish black
Egg location	Base of feather shaft	Along feather shaft
Egg color	White	White or off-white
Best detection time	Daytime	Nighttime or Daytime
Location	Lives only on host	Lives on host and in environment

If your flock does have a serious infestation download this pdf guide here on how to treat your flock.

Common External Parasites in Poultry: Lice and Mites

Yawn-- coming out of hiberation.

Despite the recent show of snow and the harsh winds-- this is my type of weather. Brisk and sunny.
I've crawled out of my warm blankets and smile at chickens who are happy to see the ground and the beginnings of green shoots once again.

To further set the mood two of my chickens now more than a year old have gone broody.
My Showgirl Silkie (Freydis) and the other  black silkie (Kitten). Sadly they have no rooster to fertilize their eggs, but I may be bringing back our beloved silkie rooster Ralphie to help out with that department.
My spouse of course sports a sigh that tells me he remembers having to deal with Chez Ralphie-- a makeshift box in the mudroom where Ralphie slept and stayed in until 10am or so in the morning. This was necessary to keep peace with our neighbors-- and to not expose them to a 5am wakeup call.  Ralphie is coming back for vacation for a short time from the country to help the ladies fulfill their needs as mothers.
Soon we will have a few new clutches of silkie baby chicks and showgirl baby chicks.

The eggs have come with more consistency and we are averaging about 5-8 eggs a day. And I'm looking forward to keeping anyone who might be reading this blog entertained with the new spring and it's many adventures in backyard chickens.

Heat, Death and Eggs.

It's been freakin hot... and I've been busy getting our little suburban micro farm ready for the heat. Soooo... that's my excuse for the long absence. Not a very good one eh?

Well the green house is up, the new shades are in place, the a/c is getting a tune up and we've invested in a water-evaporator cooler to try to relieve the power meter from running round and round and burning a hole in our budget. Anyone else who  has done anything to prepare their house for summer? Tips, Idea's? Please do tell!

The chickens are doing well. Here is nut shelled update.

A dog we were fostering killed Ferdinand and Isabella my Rosecomb Pair and Ruby our big reliable Easter Egger. Children crying, feathers everyone, dog gone the next day.

RIP Ferdinand & Isabella





This silver lining was that now I deserved a trip out to Schwartz Farm in Parma Idaho.

Martha was out back and  I picked out a mottled blue banty Cochin, (Fluffy). Martha was good enough to let me buy her gorgeous Japanese/Serama Rooster ( Henry), and his mate- a petite grey Japanese bantam (Anne).

All are happily enjoying the backyard and all the bugs they can eat.

Oh oh!! The first chicks we bought from Schwartz Farm back in February are now laying eggs! For the last two eggs we've been finding a big beautiful soft suede colored egg in the coop.

Winnie our partridge silkie hen has become broody and is sitting on a clutch of eggs-- all of them are Henry and Anne's. She only leaves her nest twice a day to eat drink and indulge in a quick dust bath. This is her first try-- so I'm not going to get my hopes up. :(

My summer of failure ended in a happy note with finding a breeder in Ohio who sold and shipped me her beautiful blue silkie hen and some black silkie chicks.   I am still on the hunt to find some Showgirl chickens...

The chickens got under the solar tarp on my garden and made quick work of all the leafy greens, sparing only the prickly bush of the zucchini-- making it necessary to build a  greenhouse. Crafty chickens--- all my greens gone from our raised beds.

Still at the end of everyday I look forward to sitting on the lawn and watching the girls come running at me, heads bobbing back and forth to noodle out any treats in my hand.

They talk and parp at me and each other as if they are asking me questions then settle in next to me and nap at my feet.

Who loves free?

I've decided that for the few readers out there-- all three of you right? I would offer a give away this month..

To sign up- simply become a friend of Boise Backyard Chickens on Facebook
Or  you can become a follower of this blog by clicking on the follow me box in the lower right hand corner.


If you do both- you'll be entered twice and double your chances to win! 

I'm not Oprah- so no one will get a new dishwasher or tv, so calm down. Instead the winner will get...
A BRAND NEW CAR!  Just kidding.. ahh.

I'll draw names out of a hat in two weeks so go click that link now.

The winner will get:

The Joy of Keeping Chickens: The ultimate guide to raising chickens for fun or for profit. 

 

Incubation - Part II The Aftermath.

If anyone out there is actually reading this blog.. maybe someone may have been interested in what happened with my hatch.
It was a complete failure. 32 eggs-  Not one chick.  Not one hatch. In my hatching group everyone else got tiny bodies of lovey joy wrapped in fluff. I got a rock... then I got the rock taken away because I broke it.

Most likely my Franken-Bator was the final death blow.

I saw movement, but no pips, no little beaks breaking through the shell. On day 24 I candled them again-- no movement.  I opened them up yesterday (ironically) on Mother's day to find that their umbilical cord had not closed and they were all covered in a gooey sticky membrane with un-absorbed yolk sacks. 

Feeling like a gooey sticky membrane myself, I studied each little lifeless body to see that they also had malformed head and beaks. I referenced the "what went wrong" guide and figured it was the roller coaster ride of temps and humidity. 

I learned quite a bit. Darling hubby and kids brought up my spirits with coffee, good chocolate and a new book about chickens.



Relief is a much deserved after thought. In the future to anyone who might actually read this blog-- if you want to start hatching your own chicks here are a few very important lessons I will heed in the future.

1. To save my sanity- get three thermometers. A digital thermometer/hygrometer, a mercury and a stem thermometer.
2. Only candle eggs at 10 and 18 days. I think I candled the eggs too much and all that handling and opening the incubator took it's toll. 
3. Incubator location needs to be in a stable temperature area. I put my incubator in our mud room which fluctuates by 5-10 degrees... bad bad.
4. Don't use expensive eggs on your first hatch.  In hindsight I should have offered to hatch some barnyard eggs for someone else before popping in my super nice and spendy silkie and cochin eggs.
5. Learn from mistakes. ie: Don't do anything I did in my last post. Bad Bad.


I have a new sets of eggs in the Hovabator which I have placed upstairs in my walk in closet of all places.

Meticulous is my mantra for this hatch.

News Flash: We have lockdown, I repeat Lockdown.

It is officially 18 days from the first day I put my eggs in the incubator.
That means it's time for lock down.

Lock down happens 18 days after first day of incubation. On day 18 the incubator stays closed unconditionally for the next three days while the chicks hatch.

After fighting irregular temps and humidity in the Hovabator I am taking a risky and potentially dangerous course of action.. (cue movie trailer music and throaty guy voice over).."Lock down in a home made incubator".

So, okay, while obviously not the wisest course of action I was feeling entirely powerless with the fluctuating temps and humidity in the current incubator. I was also (probably irrationally) scared that there was no air flow in the incubator.

*warning: the following is going to make most of you seasoned fowl professionals cringe and or possibly induce eye rolling- please stop reading this woman's misguided actions now*

Faced with the idea that all my clutch (possibly five) that survived thus far are potentially a loss.. I made my own 'bator.
Ingredients for my idiocy.

1- 10 gallon fish tank (washed and dried)
1- Utensil tray (unused and waiting for a yard sale, to hold the eggs)
2- Kitchen sponges (brand new, to draw water up from the bottom of the fish tank)
2- Locker mates shelves (un-assembled and laid flat)
1- Toddler sock (soaked in water to aid in the humidity)
1- heat lamp 250 watt (make you crazy red bulb)
1- Fish tank air pump (gets sock wet with the bubbling action and also works as a fan.. sort of.)
1- Thermometer/Hygrometer (Timex: because if it fails me, it's going to take a licking)
1- Soft bath mat and or stroller snuggly (for insulation)

This is the result: (chicken experts after you've finished laughing at the above, please avert your eyes from the below)

The temps have been holding steady at 99-100 degrees and the humidity is steady at around 50%.

I've had my few schizophrenic moments of sitting next to the tank for what seems like hours, glaring red light burning my brain, staring at the eggs, swearing I just heard something or saw something move, I swear I heard something... I may have swatted at a few imaginary flies.
It was like living in the Kenny Roger's Roaster's Episode of Seinfeld.



My husbands laughter turned to a odd worried look when I told him I wanted to sleep in the mud room with the incubator, just in case I hear something again.

I'm waiting for that all glorious first pip.. that first sign of life.. and the relief and elation that I'm not a complete failure at hatching eggs.

Update in the morning-- I'm going to put another pot of coffee on.

Incubating Joy-- pt 1.

I am in week two of my incubation journey.

Two weeks ago I started with setting, what is now a staggered hatch.

Set on 04/16 Silkies @ 12 + eggs from Kentucky Silkies - Non standard colors

Set on 04/18 Cochins @ 12 + eggs from Ozark Bantams- black and white

Set on 04/20 Silkie Cochins @ 6+ eggs from the
T he Bantam Barn - Barred & Black silkie

After candling.. I think too much.. I'm down to

11 - Silkies, 6- Cochins and 4- Silkie Cochins.

The last two days were a frustration of fluctuating low temperatures (ideal is supposed to be 99.5) and my temps varied from 88-94. Humidity stayed pretty steady at 40-50 percent.

Luckily I have many good chicken keeping friends who are sending me lots of good juju.

It helps to have as much knowledge, even if it is hindsight. Here is a great Incubation Troubleshooting Guide I found on the Back Yard Chickens forum

I'll keep you updated.

Hatching Eggs?! Sweet Fancy Moses!

Taking care of older chickens (even pullets) is easy.
Clean water daily- Check
Clean food daily- Check
Open door for chickens to free range in yard- Check

Then.. then the unspeakable happened.
On a lark- I entered the "Egg Auction" section at the BYC forum.
It went something like this.
Oh hey- this auction is ending soon, and there are bids. Wonder how this works.. hmm.. oh I loved ebay, and am fully recovered from my ebay addiction days. And this isn't ebay- so lets make a super low bid for these dozen plus gorgeous silkie eggs.. there is no way I'm going to win.. so lets say hmm.. $8.00
Minutes wind down-- seven minutes the bid was entered. By minute 1 I was panicking-- with excitement and disbelief.
And loving every moment.
On their way with in the post are a dozen plus silkie eggs from Kentucky Silkies Breeders.


There you have it.

Ok. Ok. So I went the one place I had vowed was just entirely too much trouble and worry.

After pricing out Incubators and finding the cheapest place on the internet I did the math to find out it was cheaper to buy it locally from Dunlap Hatchery in Caldwell. The Hova-bator 1620N prices for about $57 and seems to fit my needs. I'm opting out of getting an auto egg turner, since I'm at home most of the time.

I purchased a Timex digital thermometer/hygrometer from Amazon.com (by far cheaper than buying it retail in store).

Then I realized the incubator has room for more.. and well the dozen or so eggs might be lonely... two auctions later. I called it good.

Silkies @ 12 + eggs from KentuckySilkies.com - Non standard colors

Cochins @ 12 + eggs from OzarkBantams.com- black and white

Silkie Cochins @ 6+ eggs from the BantamBarn.com- Barred and; Black silkie

I'm warming up the Hova-Bator today.

Already I am getting that chicken-high... ahh ..

Ohh-- and to top it off.. Ruby our new Easter Egger laid a gorgeous blue egg today.

Ahh-- I can feel the seratonin and endorphins just having a love-fest in my head...

New Chicks on the Block.

I couldn't resist. On Easter Sunday we happened to be in Parma, and I just had to stop by and see Jim and Martha and pick up something for me.
I had fully intended to pick up a red silkie.. nothing more.
Until I saw the sweetest partridge silkie with the biggest darkest eyes. I made her mine and named her Wilhelmina.
My son had to have one of his own as well. So we picked up 9 month old Amerauacana/Easter Egger and named her Ruby.

Ruby and Wilhelmina (Mina) are settled in nicely at home. Pictures to come.

The Neruda Exodus

She's alive and she home!

(Shes the chicken in the middle)
Last night as I my son was rounding up the chickens from their free grange playtime we noticed that the newest addition to our flock the new Ameraucana chick we named Neruda was missing. Soon we realized that she was under our backyard deck and would not budge. We tried everything we could to coax her out-- it was beginning to get cold out, winds blowing and the temp was dropping quickly towards the 50F degree mark.

We tried until past 10pm. Dark, tired and no signs of a peep.. we gave up. I silently hoped she was somehow still alive.
I bounded out of bed this morning and went to the backyard deck to check for any sign. Not a peep.


I went about the daily chores of being an artist, mother and all around superhero. I had finished a raised garden bed box and was hauling it out to the backyard when I heard it... the faintest "cheep, cheep, cheep". I rushed to the deck and slammed my ear to the boards... "cheeeeep"


My son and his friend were over and came out side at hearing that we had found Neruda! Already wearing my tool belt.. it was obvious... my son rushed to get my reciprocating saw and I got to work making well placed cuts. I could already hear my husband saying "You did what to our deck?!" Then I would remind him that I'm the household handy-diva... not him.

Scared she kept running away... until my sons friend swiftly like a chicken-snatching-ninja grabbed her in a flash and pulled her to safety. She is returned to the safety of the coop after some rest and relaxation,  food and feed inside the house.

Chicken Coop-- the saga.

It wasn't going to be that hard I thought.

I worked for weeks on plans and finally had a solid idea of how to go about things.

Lowes was my go to place for materials. I spent about $300 in materials and tools.. then spent the last of my sanity and hand strength building the darn thing.

Looking back- I would have still built the coop myself. It was the only way to get the satisfaction I wanted with the price tag I was ruled by.

So now I have a lovely tractor coop. It is 4x4x4.5. It has a chicken door, a back large access door. Tool cloth floor to allow for the deep litter method and easy cleaning. Vented ceiling that is screened in with tool cloth. Sloped roof and even a drop hatch door that leads to a chicken run beneath the whole coop.

I've never built anything larger than a cat scratch post.. which took me three days. eeysh.

So here she is in all her glory.. sporting all cedar walls---

I would have written sooner-- by my hands are still recovering from what I swear is carpel tunnel from building the glorious coop.

My little chicks are all settled in an cozy.

We lost 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte chick to some strange illness. But we are still ahead of the curve as far as fatalities go. We had been estimating we might lose as many as four. To date we have a happy healthy flock.

I am very attached to my Ameraucana's. Specifically a splash blue wheaten Ameraucana-- I've named her Ginsberg. Her sister Ameraucana's are Fehrlingetti and Neruda.

They are keepers for sure!

They're heeeerrree!

And it almost didn't happen.. thank you very much google  maps.

Yesterday my husband and I headed out with our youngest to the Schwartz Chicken Farm in Parma Idaho.

We knew we didn't have too much time because of long set appointments that we had scheduled.

So we drove out to Parma. We pass through Caldwell... and then into Notus.. and then into Parma. I've gotta say I'm biased because I love Parma.
I love the rolling spaces and the blue brush and the stark beauty of it all. It was looking especially gorgeous this morning with the fog sitting on the hills like gauzy cotton blanket.

So we took out our handy dandy phones/pda's and google mapped the directions to the Schwartz Farm.
3500 Elmore Rd Parma Idaho.

The maps directed up to a golf course. Then do a dead end street off of Ward lane. We'd been driving over 1 1/2 hours and we were due to be on our way back to Boise already.
Conversational polite scuffles ensued when my husband kept insisting that we come back another day.
I finally made a statement... "I'm not leaving Parma without my baby chicks!"

Silence. Then pouting on my point. My husband realizing how important it was to me charged ahead on our mission (I think the twelve point verbal presentation about the importance of getting what I want helped)... then there it was. I saw the Schwartz Farm Coop! We're Here... I think I actually clapped.

**Insert glorious opera aria here**

It may be a bit of a drive-- but oh so so so worth it.

I had exactly thirty minutes to get in there pick out my chicks and head home.

Ok-- so forgive me if the following sounds like an infomercial, but I have to brag on my chicken breeders Jim & Martha Schwartz. (and this is NOT a paid endorsement)

Jim and his Martha were wonderful. Big smiles and greetings from both of them.
They showed us around the coops and gave great information on the chicks. Martha was great at giving a guided tour of the chickens and any detail you want to know.
And the chickens! Oh-- I was like a hypoglyciemic kid in a candy store! Beautiful chickens everywhere, and in such great shape.
I chose Jim & Martha Schwartz' smaller chicken farm because I wanted a more personal experience. Here are some other reasons why.

• They guarantee the sex of their standard size chickens. If you by chance get a rooster.. just take em back and they'll make it right. 
• They are both founts of chicken knowledge and get back to you with quick responses. All of my questions were answered in a personable way. They really want to help their customers.
• They really care about their chickens and it shows. The chickens were all in such good form and really beautiful. 
• They are local! Buy Idaho! 
• For the experience. There is something special about going to a working chicken farm. Buying from a commercial hatchery or pet supply store is ok.... but I guarantee that you won't get the experience and the memories you will from a real personal experience. 
• They want  you to succeed. The relationship they have with their customers doesn't stop after you pick up your poultry. It will be a relationship.

If you are in the market for a coop you should definitely check out Jim's Coops! He has a selection and different types and styles. My favorite was the coop that looked like an outhouse, complete with toilet seat brooder ports! And his coops are made of cedar- (way good for chickens). But he can also build custom coops too.
If you are looking for a more personal experience in getting any of your poultry stock you really should go to the Schwartz farm first.

And psstt... they are getting a shipment of the Belgian D'Uccle Mille de Fleur' Bantams on Friday... EEEH!!! These are such sweet docile beautiful birds and sold out on almost all the chick provider sites via mail order and finding them around here isn't much better.
They are gonna go fast so better get your deposit in now!

So without further ado... meet my new baby chicks.!

2- Buff Orpingtons
2- Plymouth Barred Rock
2- Ameraucana's (I wish I had gotten more)
1- Buff Silkie
8- Silver laced Wyandotte

They are all settled in and cozy.

Here is the info for the

Schwartz Chicken Farm Coops or Chickens
3500 Elmore Rd Parma ID 83660
208-674-1012.

And here are the directions. Coming from Boise take I-84 towards Caldwell.
Take the exit 20, then make a left. Stay on through Notus and Parma. Then turn right on Pearl Rd and stay on the road. Turn left on Elmore to 3500 Elmore road. It should be on your right.
Just stay on those roads and you'll get there. 

P.S. Jim is also an author and has several Country lore books for sale. Definitely worth a read and priced way reasonable! I'm going to pick up a couple next time I'm out-- they will make great gifts for any Idahoan.
Check out the page and order your books online at JimSchwartzBooks.com then pick them out when you go to pick up your chicks!

Chick-mas eve

It's Chick-Mas eve! I can only liken the excitement to being a 11 year old with front row seats to the Jonas Brothers concert.
YEEEE!!

I was able to find everything I needed at the local Zamzows. They were really helpful, but a little low on stock as they said that Chicken stuff is starting to fly off the shelf. I did have to settle for plastic feeders. (I would have preferred galvanized. Brooder lamp with the 250 watt bulb is set up.
But the supplies I bought will more than do. 
1- Adjustable Brooder lamp $12.99
1- 250 Clear white brooder heat bulb $6.49 (I bought the cheaper clear lamp instead of the red one which only emits heat. The sales clerk let me know that it doesn't really matter which type you use)
1- Pine shavings in a compressed bale $9.89
1- Package of Zamzows starter chick feed - $11.99
1- Feeder base - $2.99
1- Fount base (water) - $1.99 (I actually grabbed the last one they had on the shelf)
2- Poultry Jars 1 qt. 2x 2.49 - $4.98
1- Poultry Vitamins $3.99
Total with tax came to $58.63 

Not bad I think for everything my chicks should need for the first few months of their life. 

I used an empty storage bin and a shelf in our mud room.

My brooder has been sanitized, a thin layer of pine shavings laid. Starter feed is loaded, and water is waiting to be filled. We have a cloth screen that will lay underneath a heavier metal screen.
I need to pick up a thermometer to ensure that the temp stays 99 degrees. Then each week after we will have to lower the temp from the brooder lamp by 5 degrees but shutting if off at times or using an oil heater I placed on the floor next to the brooder. 

I am agonizing about having to look at a silkie chick and just say no.. I'll tell you this readers.. I'm going to really try.

My biggest challenge is going to be keeping our kitty Pabu and our dog Moosie from disturbing (ie: eating) the baby chicks. Family members have been instructed to keep animals out for the first week.

Next post you'll see from me I will be the proud Mama of 14 baby chirpity chicks!

T-Minus three days...

Giddy with egg-citement.

My chicks are coming, my chicks are coming! This Thursday I will be picking up my chicks. My order has increased and changed a bit.
I was expecting to have a coop well underway in the construction stages by now. Unfortunately some sad family business kept us from being able to dedicate any amount of time to it.

Instead I used my handy-dandy computer to email my favorite chicken breeder- Jim and changed my order.
All are 1 day old chicks. This hopefully will allow for more time to get our coop built and chicken ready within the three months before introducing them to the wilds of our backyard.
2- Australorp
2- Ameraucana
10- Silver Laced Wyandotte

Did I mention that Jim Schwartz will guarantee the sex?!  How awesome is that! If a little rooster hardware begins to appear I can just swap him for a hen from Jim. (I wouldn't even begin to know how to sex a rooster.. I guess I'll know when he starts crowing).

I am getting a few insurance chicks as I hear it is normal for casualties along the way. And I'm going to try my best not to buy a few silkies... I wonder if they make a chicken patch for addictions.

I think I've almost perfected my coop plans and am now in the bidding war process. Thanks to everyone for their input on the coop design and for letting me know what is important to you. I promise if my coop goes well.. I will be happy to endorse the builder to you. And YES- for those DIY'ers I made sure to ask about a DIY Kit option.
To be safe I want to make sure the work is quality work. I've had bids so far everywhere from $200-400 in price range. While it would be easier to go with the lowest bid, I want to make sure that I go with quality too.
From the input I got the average spending range is $275- $375.

So keep checking for updates, better yet, become a subscriber and you can receive updates as they come. Save yourself the time of checking in every day.

For those of you who have chicks coming the release date for most hatcheries is Feb 17--- so make sure your brooders are ready! For information on setting up a brooder visit one of the links visit Backyardchickens.com

Bawk- Bawk!

Coop Dreams

I've become obsessed with designing the perfect coop for my new flock of backyard birds.
Generally when it comes to Chicken Coops you have three options.

1. Purchase a pre-made coop or kit either online or built locally. Prices range from around $400-$2000
2. Make your own coop. There are plans available to buy on the internet or you can design your own. Prices can vary- it can be less than $50 if you have scrap lumber, some spare paint and are handy with tools.

Here's my dilemna. I loved the pretty coops that are sold online as pre-mades. What I don't love is their price tag starting at $400 for a coop that needs to be assembled and that doesn't include the $100 shipping charge..


Another big problem is that I am not even a novice when it comes to wood working or even just plain building. I once built a cat scratch post.. it took me four days.
My brilliant husband isn't much better either... actually he's worse.

But we are adamant in our intent to do this project. After looking at about fifty different plans, we've decided on a hen house with a detachable chicken run and a slope roof. It has five roosts- enough for up to 10 chickens. Although I won't need that many, it's just nice to have the extra room.

I've been drawing and re-drawing plans and finally came up with a coop that looks almost exactly like this.

Assembled and shipped this coop prices at $1900.00
I'm hoping to build it for less than $450.00 which includes the purchase of a few power tools and paint (I know we're bad Idahoans for not owning power tools).

My plan dimensions are a bit different. Instead of the four roosts from the pre-fab coop, mine will have five, and a couple other niceties added.
Best of all it will be on four heavy duty wheels so the chicken house can be moved to new spots in the yard.

Almost equally importantly it will be an attractive coop. With neighbors it's not good to build some funky atrocity that looks like a small meth lab.

I will post pictures of the finished product online.

Become a follower of my blog and I will e-mail you the plans and detailed pictures.

Gaining momentum and have a plan now.

I've been reading more about keeping chickens and find I'm more convinced than ever to begin this little quasi-movement towards organic eggs.
There is something that is intrinsic in many of us to find our way back to a simpler way.
Lives have become less about acquiring material things and more about acquiring experience and cherishing the process of the journey...

Why keep chickens?

I'm sharing this list of top ten reasons comes courtesy of mypetchicken.com

1. Great-Tasting, Nutritious Eggs
   We all love our dogs, cats and fish, but do they actually produce something edible? Or pay their own way? Chickens do, and once you've dined on their eggs you'll never reach for a dozen in the supermarket again. They're so much more flavorful, in no small part because you'll eat them when they're only minutes or hours old, not weeks or months. You'll even see the difference in the yolks, which are a healthy orange - not the pale yellow you're used to. Plus, you can feel good about the organic eggs you'll be feeding your friends and family. All it takes to get organic eggs is organic chicken feed! Research shows that chickens allowed to roam freely and eat grass lay eggs that are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E and at the same time lower in cholesterol than store-bought, too. (Think of  your hair and skin...)

2. Chickens Have Personality Galore -- Seriously!
   Each chicken has their own completely unique quirky, kooky and endearing personality. They're stunningly beautiful too, parading around in a variety of colors, patterns, shapes and sizes. You'll name them, spoil them with treats, and pick them up and hug them any chance you get.
3. Get One Step Closer to Sustainable Living
   Do you find it disconcerting how far removed we all are from the animals and plants we need to survive? How our fast-paced lives and ever-increasing demands are trashing the planet that sustains us? Believe it or not, keeping a few chickens in your backyard equates to taking a stand against all this. 
4. A Healthy Lawn without the Chemicals
   Chickens LOVE to range freely, and allowing them to do so kills the proverbial two birds with one stone: they'll eat any garden pest they can get their beaks on (earwigs, grubs, beetles, even moles) and they'll turn it all into treasure in the form of fertilizer. Say goodbye to toxic, costly pest control solutions and wasteful bags and bottles of store-bought fertilizer. Chickens will even cut down on the amount of mowing you do because they love to eat grass. That's right -- you sit in a lounge chair with your mint julep while they do the hard work for you.
5. One Man's Unappealing Leftovers are another Chicken's Feast
   Chickens can eat almost anything people can, and they adore "people food" -- so you can throw those unwanted leftovers into the chicken run. No more feeling guilty about letting them rot in the fridge or throwing them out! Watch out for the garlic and onion, though, unless you want your eggs tasting funny.
6. A Balanced Compost Pile
   Composting is a wonderful way to reduce your ecological footprint, and a nitrogen-rich compost pile is a healthy compost pile. What better to provide the nitrogen than chicken poo? Eggshells are a great addition, too, especially in areas where there's lots of clay in the soil. At the end of the composting process you'll have "black gold" soil, so called because it's so rich and fertile.
7. Handy Leaf, Weed, and Grass Clipping Removal
   Leaves, weeds and grass clippings are a treat for Gallus gallus domesticus. They'll happily dig through whatever you give them, eat what they can, and pulverize the rest. Give a small flock a heap of yard and garden debris and a week later it'll be gone without a trace. No need to bag it and pile it by the curb!
8. Save a Chicken from a Factory-Farm Life
   If you're aware of conditions in factory farms, even in some of the so-called "free range" farms, we needn't say more. If you're not, please research it. Factory farming is terrifyingly cruel. The good news is that by keeping a few pet chickens of your own, you're reducing the demand for store-bought eggs and sending a message to those factory farms that you don't want what they're selling.
9. The Very Definition of Low-Maintenance
   Chickens don't need to be walked, brushed, or fed twice a day. Essentially all you have to do is gather eggs daily, fill their food and water containers a couple of times a week and change their bedding once a month! 
10. Be the Coolest Kid on the Block
    Despite their many merits, backyard chickens are still relatively uncommon. Wow neighbors, friends and family by being the first person they know to have chickens. Amaze them with the green eggs from your Ameraucana or Easter Egger hens. Confound them by scooping up your pet chicken and cuddling it. Astound them when your chicken falls asleep in your arms after you've lovingly stroked its comb and wattles. Make them green with envy at the lawn your flock has made effortlessly fabulous.
    Chickens are, after all, the most "chic" pet you could possibly have. And we think it's time everyone knew.

Egg-citing idea...

When proposing the idea of keeping chickens in ones backyard.. the response is generally one of stifled laughter and then a look of "huh.. that might work".

Ahh the romance and security of a urban chicken flock..
There are so many benefits of having a backyard flock of chickens..
The idea of fresh multi-colored eggs, the soft sound of clucking, children scattering chicken feed, and fresh organic eggs from home flock chickens are so so much better tasting that the starch white eggs in the grocery store (in my opinion).
Not to mention the free organic weed and pest control and lawn aeration that chickens are happy to provide.

But wait... I need to be realistic and focused.

I needed to decide what would best meet the needs of my family.
Two adults and four rapidly growing children.
What would my backyard accommodate?
What are the zoning laws? Am I allowed to even have chickens?
Where would I keep them?
What would my neighbors say?
Is someone going to answer that phone?! ... whoops sorry... that was well nevermind..

Somewhere in it all.. I know there will be chicken poop. Lots of chicken poo...


Glorious chicken poo! It's like crack for your lawn.

Back to business. I sat down and decided that I wouldn't be tempted by the cute little peeps from soft adorable chicks.. I would instead sit down and write down all the goals for my flock.
1. Good & steady egg production
2. A non-agressive flock
3. Pretty... yes I said it.. Pretty.

With my new goals in hand I went about finding out what the zoning laws are in Boise for chickens.

Here's what I found. A homeowner may keep (6) six hens (no roosters) in the Boise city limits.

So now I had to find out what chickens would be productive enough to meet egg consumption of a family of six. I figure we eat about 12 medium/small eggs a week.

Then I narrowed it down to the breeds that work best at being good/steady producers and do well in the Boise climate.
Here's the list I came up with.

AUSTRALORP- Not the Marylin Monroe of chickens, more like the nerd at the back of the class who is friendly, sweet and can produce more eggs than a Duggar.
PROS: 4-5 Large eggs a week at a steady pace. Not prone to try to fly away. Good in Boise climate. Can produce eggs even into the winter. Friendly. Docile.
CONS: Not so pretty and I worry that the chicken might know I'm only using her for her eggs.




AMERAUCAUNA/EASTER EGGER- Many hatcheries will sell Easter Egger chickens and call them with different names (Ameraucana, Americana). I think maybe some believe they will sell better with a schmancier name.

PROS: 4-5 Large eggs a week. Gorgeous pastel colored eggs. Good natured, friendly. Not prone to try to fly. Hens come in a variety of colors and usually with a cute soft ear and chin muff of feathers.
CONS: None chicken wise.. but while they are prettier than the Australorp they sit in the seats to watch the Silver Laced Wyandotte runway show.



SILVER LACED WYANDOTTE-Most popular and in most demand for a reason. They are just plain gorgeous birds. I picked the silver laced variety but they also come in Red and blue laced and white.

PROS: 3-4 eggs medium sized eggs a week. Good natured, friendly.. but most of all.. pretty, pretty, pretty.
CONS: The other hens may resent her for being so pretty and not producing as many eggs.



Below are a few sites I found really helpful in making my choices. I also was able to get valuable knowledge from Jim & Martha Schwartz who run a small hatchery in Parma Idaho and are my go-to-people for my chickens and guarantee the sex of their chicks which is important if your chick grows up to be a rooster instead of a hen. Roosters are big no-no according to zoning.

www.backyardchickens.com and www.mypetchicken.com and www.urbanchickens.org

Right now the demand for most breeds dwarf the supply and most hatcheries are already sold out of some breeds months and in some cases years in advance.

Many hatcheries and websites that sell chickens/chicks require that you purchase at least 15-25 chicks at a time and the shipping fees are almost always $35-$50. So getting them locally is a big plus.

I will be picking up my little flock soon...
1- Australorp (20 wk pullet ready to lay eggs) - $15
1- Ameraucana/Easter Egger (1 day old pullet chick)- $5
1- Silver Laced Wyandotte (1 day old pullet chick) $-5

All said-- my little $20 flock should hopefully produce my family with 12-15 gorgeous, super tasty and totally organic eggs.

In the plans are a coop and a brooder (a place for the chicks to live and grow until they get nice n'big).

There is a lot of speculation over whether this whole urban organic flock movement is just a fad.

I'm only sure that I'm bound to have a load of new experiences. Good and bad... but mostly good.

Actually I think mostly great.