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Backyard Chickens – Then and Now

Mr. Quackers — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:00:32 +0000

In her book, Iva Wells writes about her regular experience with mail order chickens through the decades.

On a recent visit to our family farm, I encountered an autobiography written by Iva Wells, a neighbor and family friend. She is a woman has lived in northern Minnesota and North Dakota of her life and has chosen to recollect some of her farming lifestyle memories throughout her years. Of her many trials and triumphs living the agrarian ideal, Iva writes about purchasing, receiving, and raising chickens. Here is an excerpt from her book Family Life on a Reservation Farm: The Autobiography of Iva Wells.

Chickens and Eggs

To supplement the income from the cattle, most farm women had a flock of chickens to raise and tend. Every spring, one could walk into most rural post offices and hear the peeping of baby chicks, which had arrived through the mail. The chicks were usually in groups of 25 within each of 4 compartments in a cardboard box with small holes for ventilation. The chicks were a common spring sound in the post office as they waited to be picked up by the farmer. They had probably been on the road from the hatchery for two days. They would be in good condition with very few fatalities because they lived those first few days from the yolk of the egg, from which they were hatched.

Jim built a very nice “brooder house” for my baby chicks which would be their until fall. This brooder house was kept warm by an oil stove with a metal skirt called a “hover” around it. I always ordered 400 chickens every March. As soon as I would get them home, I would take them into the warm brooder house and one at a time, I would dip their beaks in warm water and then let them run to a feeder where they would immediately begin to pick and eat food.

The chicks would gather and lay under the hover to keep warm. The temperature had to be kept at a warm, even heat to prevent the chicks from crowding together in a pile and suffocating the ones on the bottom. Since it was only March, we could and often did have some vicious snowstorms that had me worrying all night about those little baby chicks! I would wonder if the stove was heating properly or if the strong winds had blown out the flame!

Some March storms were worse than others. One year, I had many sleepless nights and I would get up, dress, and walk in knee-deep snow every 2 hours to check on the chicks!

A backyard chicken flock from some time ago

It is interesting to see the decades old tradition of mail-order chicks from a historical perspective. The logistics and concerns of receiving chicks remains largely the same – chicks are hatched and shipped the through the postal service, their two-day journey is supported by the nutritious yolk, and warmth is the key for young poultry. However, much of the technology has changed in the process – mail order catalogs are being replaced with eCommerce poultry websites, planes now fly many young birds to their destinations, and electric heat systems now take the place of coops heated by an oil stove.

The practice of raising chickens and other poultry has been a source of income, food, and fulfillment for countless generations. As Americans look for ways to be more environmentally friendly, economically self-sufficient, and nutritionally more in-touch, examples such as these prove that we often need not look any further than the agrarian practices of the past to find guidance for the future.

Laffayette, Colorado Next in Line to Legalize Backyard Poultry

Mr. Quackers — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:11:40 +0000

Over the past few years we have occasionally featured stories of the countless cities across the United States which have underwent to process to legalize the practice of raising chickens and other fowl in urban backyards.

It is no secret that the popularity of backyard chickens is surging, as families and hobbyist reap the environmental and economic benefits of domesticated poultry.

One of the latest in this long line of communities seeking to officially condone this practice is Lafayette, Colorado. Lafayette, a very green conscious and socially minded city near Boulder and Denver, brought the debate before the city Planning Commission this week. Most likely, the Planning Commission will bring a recommendation before the City Council next month and a proposed amendment allowing backyard chickens will be enacted.

The package of rules and regulations proposed which the Lafayette Planning Commission are relatively common. The group derived the regulations from the ordinances they saw as most appropriate in the nearby cities of Longmont, Fort Collins, and Boulder.

Limit of 3 hens per household
No roosters
Birds must be sealed in a backyard chicken coop at night
Birds must have an enclosed 100 sq. foot chicken run
No slaughtering is allowed in backyards

One rule that many chicken owners may find a bit restrictive is the limit of 3 hens per household. An average size family which regularly consumes eggs, would most likely still need to purchase eggs with only 3 laying hens. This is especially true during the winter months, when hens do not lay as much, according to Melissa Held of nearby Longmont.

However, regulators feel the need to restrict the number of hens to deter backyard chicken owners from obtain too many eggs, and potentially selling them – a practice which could be a potential violation of regulations.

The popularity of urban poultry is continuing to rise, and currently does not show signs of slowing down.

How Do I Safely and Humanely Get Rid of Unwanted Ducks or Chickens?

Mr. Quackers — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:40:37 +0000

There are several ways to help me find a good home! Don't just leave me!

We occasionally read or hear about tragic stories of people dumping ducks, chickens, and other birds in dumpsters or outside. There is absolutely no reason to ever dump birds in an environment where they cannot survive. All birds, especially domesticated ducks and chickens, have value and can be given a good and purposeful home.

Many people do not realize that most ducks and chickens one comes into contact with are domesticated breeds. Thus, they had their wild instincts bred out over time in order to achieve the most desirable farming traits. They will not adapt to a wild environment in most situations, and certainly should not be killed or dumped simply because they are unwanted.

If you have ducks or chickens which you cannot care for or do not want, please do not destroy them. These are several key options which you can pursue to find them an adequate home, all of which require little effort.

How to find a good home for unwanted ducks or chickens -

Post an ad for free ducklings or chicks on Craigslist.org . People all over the country raise ducks and chickens for a variety of beneficial purposes including egg production, pets, and as meat. If you simply advertise on Craigslist that you have some free birds available to be picked up, you will receive plenty of interest. Often time times, a good home can be found within a few hours.
Look for people seeking ducks and birds in your area on farming message boards, such as BestFarmBuys.com or AgriSeek.com . If you find the right person, you may even be able to sell you birds and make some money.
Contact a local farm or hatchery and ask them to take the birds. There are countless places which raise birds for a variety of purposes all around the country.
Contact a local wildlife rehabilitater or waterfowl rescuer. While this a great option and a valuable resource, these valuable people are very busy. Thus, it may be better if you attempt one of the options above prior to contacting a rescuer.
Contact your local Fish and Game department. Again, this option should be used only when you’ve attempted the first three options.

Why Raise Waterfowl?

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:23:20 +0000

Why would anyone choose to raise waterfowl?

A countless many enjoy participating in this endeavor for a wide variety of reasons including -

Pets – Waterfowl make great pets as one watches their growth, behaviors, and playful antics.

Shows – Raising waterfowl for shows and exhibitions is a highly engaging and competitive pursuit.

Farms – Waterfowl provide excellent farming assistance as they are avid controllers of insects and grass in their environments.

Food – Historically, waterfowl have been prominent food source. People consume the meat and eggs, yielding exquisite dishes.

Today, the typical reason people have waterfowl is to keep as pets. They provide countless hours of enjoyment through observation and interaction. If one raises a duck or goose from its infancy, they can grow to become excellent companions.

Ducklings are ridiculously cute

Also, Showing ducks and geese at fairs and poultry exhibitions provides fulfillment for the farm hobbyist. These events serves as venues for breeders and hatcheries to showcase their unique flocks and network with other enthusiasts.

On a farm, waterfowl can provide many benefits to the crops and environment. For example, ducks and geese can serve to weed and remove harmful insects from grasses, crops, and gardens through with their avid foraging. Furthermore, many environmentally conscious farmers utilize waterfowl to accomplish this task as it is a natural and organic alternate method as opposed to herbicides and insecticides.

Ducks patrol and maintain their grounds.

Finally, waterfowl are source of meat and other products which provide tremendous quality and functionality. Duck has always been a staple meat to many cultures. Furthermore, feathers offer soft and warm stuffing for pillows and coats. Even the fat can be used to make shortenings and hand cremes!

With such a wide range of uses, raising waterfowl can appeal to many tastes and functions. If you are interested in raising waterfowl, learn some breed-specific waterfowl information and order some ducklings to get started!