Life is better with Chickens
Recently, I made arrangements to see a woman about some birds. I met Angie soon after moving to College Station and have enjoyed running into her and the cute littles around town over the last year and a half. Angie and her family were happy to share their agriculture experience.
Upon arrival, I was met by Angie and Grayson, clad in his muck boots, wranglers, and belt buckle. He was so excited to introduce me to his brood. The whole family was outside caring for the chickens and taking care of the days chores.
Two years ago when Aaron and Angie were looking for a home in College Station, it was a requirement that the new home have the space needed for chickens and raised garden beds. They had family and friends that were raising chickens for eggs. They also had a consumer relationship with a local farmer. These relationships coupled with their desire to know where and how their eggs were produced spurred them to start their own brood.
As they have transitioned through several flocks, Angie and her family have learned some things and find many benefits to raising their own chickens. Not only do they have fresh eggs each day but also the chickens keep the bugs down. They find it is also a fun hobby & teaching tool for the children. Aaron mentioned that raising chickens has helped in teaching the children responsibility, work ethic, and caring for something beside oneself. Cradling a chicken named, Charlotte, Grayson shared how he collects eggs, feeds the chickens, and helps with cleaning the coop regularly. Angie lit up as she spoke of the “Christmas morning” effect of opening the coop to check for eggs each day. Will there be eggs today? How many? What size and color? This venture started as a way to be more cognizant about where their eggs come from but has become so much more. It provides peace of mind and something the family can enjoy together.
As I visited with Aaron and Angie about their transition from first time chicken growers to now, they shared some things they have learned through trial and error as well as visiting with other growers. If you are looking to raise chickens, the Brinkmeyers have some suggestions for you.
Do your research. Raising chickens is more then buying chicks from the local feed store. Yes, they are cute little things but they grow up. Different breeds have different temperaments and purposes. Prior to getting your chicks, think about where you want to put the enclosure. Chickens are grub animals. They will peck and scratch the ground until all that is left is dust. If you value an overly aesthetic landscape, your desire to have chickens may conflict. You should also be aware of their nutrition needs. If you only feed vegetable scraps, your brood may not have all of the nutrients needed to produce eggs daily and consistently. It’s also important to know something about poultry digestion. Chickens have a gizzard. The gizzard is a muscular part of the stomach that grinds up the food the birds eat. The gizzard type stomach requires grit to help break down food. If you are local, Angie and Aaron recommend Brazos Feed and Supply for your feed supply and poultry needs.
Texas heat is hard on chickens. As a midwest girl, I never gave a thought to the heat. In Illinois, we don’t really worry about summer but have concern through the winter months and the frigid temps. Heat bulbs are used to keep the chickens warm and encourage egg production through the winter. Not here in Texas. The first summer with chickens, Angie and Aaron lost birds in the heat. To combat the heat and prevent future losses, they installed sprinklers for the summer months.
Be prepared for potential predators. Though the Brinkmeyer family doesn’t live far from the city streets, Aaron indicated that he has experience with hawks, snakes, and bobcats preying on his flock. Their chickens used to be free range during the day and cooped at night. With the development in College Station, prey animals are being driven from habitats and being seen closer to their property. Most recently, Aaron has seen bobcats around their home. Now, the chickens are enclosed in a fenced coop and range area with netting over the top to keep the chickens from flying out and hawks getting inside. Snakes are always a possibility. It’s not been super common but they have found a snake or two inside the coop when collecting eggs.
Pecking order is a real thing. When ever Angie and her family introduce new chickens to the flock, there is typically a “bully” hen who will peck the new bird(s). After a good pecking, the mean girls will accept the new coop members. However, Angie typically takes the ring leader out of the main flock for a few days to help with the transition and limit hen-pecking.
Chicken manure is hot! Not temperature hot but nutrient hot. Chicken manure is high in nitrogen. Plants needs nitrogen but high nitrogen fertilizer can burn your garden crops. If you are going to use chicken manure for fertilizer, it is a good idea to let it compost a bit. This will allow the nitrogen content decrease to a safe level for your garden.
Check local ordinances. If you live inside city limits of College Station or Bryan, it is important that you check local ordinances before starting a backyard flock . Depending on which land use zone type is assigned to your property, you may need a permit from the city. College Station ordinance also indicates that you must keep the chickens in an enclosure that is at least 100 feet from any other dwelling that isn’t your personal dwelling. The enclosure should keep the chickens from access streets, alleys, parks or others’ private property. Roosters (males) are prohibited within city limits.
After leaving the Brinkmeyers, I headed over to Texas A&M University campus for a poultry show. I can honestly say I have never seen that much poultry in one place. Their were birds everywhere – chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese galore. A poultry show in College Station. This city surprises me on the regular. I am truly enjoying exploring local agriculture and can’t wait to share it with you all.
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