THE CHICK-SHAW

Raising and keeping chickens is a commitment — more commitment than work after you’re all set-up for them. We have been planning and preparing for a small flock of egg-laying hens and jumped at the opportunity to adopt these 10-month old Rhode Island Reds from just over the bay.

These “girls” were perfect — since we wanted to free-range chickens primarily for tillage, pest/weed management, and fertilization around the farm. With a mobile coop (aka., the chick-shaw) and a portable fence we will turn the chickens out to free-range in areas where we want orchards and garden, or along fence lines to control spring’s explosion of weeds and pests.

Collecting farm-fresh eggs the first day our flock arrived is certainly a welcomed bonus. They are delicious and loaded with nutrition. Some call eggs, “the perfect food” and swear you could live on eggs and water alone. We’re getting 10-12 eggs a day which is exactly where these twenty, fine hens should be laying. As Spring nears and days get longer, that will likely double. Assuming the hawks, fox, coyotes, and raccoons don’t catch up with any. The coop has 1/4 and 1/2” wire mesh to keep out predators any larger than a mouse.

Oh, chickens will eat a mouse…. They are omnivores and the list of things they shouldn’t eat is short.

Chickens are hardy, adaptable, and the girls came from a farm where hawks were a constant and patient threat. We have a family of Red-tail Hawks nearby so thankfully these chicks are already street-smart; they know to pipe-down and take shelter at the hawk’s call.

Spring is a more common time to adopt chicks and hens but we wanted to get the chicken-tractor team situated before the river of Spring vegetable and garden chores kicks-in. Certainly, there will be more chicken updates, chicken jokes, and eggs. Lots of eggs.