The Seattle Traveler

Chicks in the City

by Mary Jo on May 5th, 2007

Yes, you can have chicks in the city of Seattle!

City ordinances allow residents to keep three chickens per standard city lot, enough to supply you with about a dozen and a half eggs per week. And, you don’t have to worry about an obnoxious crowing rooster waking you up — you don’t need a rooster unless you want to produce live chicks. So it can just be you, and the gentle clucking rhythm of hens.

Owning chickens is not like having a cow for a pet, it requires a fair amount of preparations, as well as ongoing maintenance and daily care. Make sure that you are ready for the effort and commitment before bringing your chicks home.

First, you’ll need a place for the critters to live as they grow from that “ah” stage of adorable, fluffy little chicks into more demanding, but egg producing, hens. The coop needs to be large enough to accommodate the chickens, providing them with a place to eat, sleep, and forage, while keeping them safe from predators like hawks and raccoon.

A coop need not be a costly undertaking, and, if using recycled supplies, it can be inexpensive and eco-friendly. Of course, you ca also choose to make your coop a designer focal point of your landscape, boosting the cost higher. Whichever way you decide to go, remember that the coop fencing must extend well into the ground, keeping the chickens safe from predators that could dig their way in.

Shopping for your new chicks is easy and inexpensive. They are readily available at farm and feed supply stores in the spring time, at most county fairs, and from local breeders. Do a little research before making a purchase, opting for a gentle breed more suited for city life. Some breeds are more aggressive than others, and the phrase “mad as a wet hen” can ring all too true.

Chickens will help your household “green” factor, and can consume large amounts of kitchen and yard waste. They’ll eat most vegetables and fruits, weeds, along with leftover rice and pasta that you are throwing out. With very little effort, what goes to the landfill will be greatly reduced. Chickens are a big fan of slugs, all too prevalent in rainy Seattle, and chicken manure makes a great fertilizer and compost. You’ll be reducing your carbon footprint in any number of ways.

Daily maintenance is required, besides the expected food and water. You’ll need to clean the coop regularly to prevent disease and odor, and you will need to monitor their health and provide veterinarian care, as needed. The coop will need regular maintenance to make sure that nothing get in. . . or out.

In return for your efforts, you can expect the hens to typically lay one egg a day, enough to provide reasonable protein for a household.

Before making the chick commitment, you can check out information at Seattle Tilth , a non-profit community group that teaches people how to improve their environment by using organic gardening techniques. Seattle Tilth is a great source of information for all sorts of environmental information. It also offers City Chickens 101 , a class on raising city chickens.

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Tags: b5media, Seattle, The Seattle Traveler, Travel, Travel & Culture, Vacation, Washingto State, Washington, Seattle Tilth

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POSTED IN: Family Fun, Sound Like a Local - Local "speak", Uncategorized