Talking chickens
With a little help from her feathered friends, Dumpling, JoJo and Tilly, Krista Martin presented a backyard chicken-keeping basics class Saturday at Monongahela Area Library to a packed room of about 40 poultry enthusiasts.
Martin, secretary of Uniontown Poultry Association, and her sister Liesa Stiller, the association’s treasurer, spoke about breeds, housing, feeding and keeping fowl healthy during the seminar.
Martin, who keeps about 15 female chickens at her Daisytown residence, and Stiller, a breeder, said many people interested in raising chickens simply go to the closest farm supply store and buy what’s available, usually hybrid chickens.
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Martin said. “But with a purebred, you know what you’re going to get.”
The sisters suggested potential chicken keepers first research to find the right breed.
“When you go to the store and tell them you want chickens, they’re going to direct you to leghorns,” Stiller said. “There’s nothing wrong with leghorns – they’ll lay an egg a day for years. But one thing they are not going to tell you is that leghorns are crazy. If you’re trying to make friends with your neighbors, you’re probably not going to want a leghorn.”
Leghorns are very active and can “pick on” each other, Stiller explained.
As a basic rule, she recommended getting pullets, or females under a year old, for those who want to raise fowl for their eggs. Stiller advised getting hardier birds because they are easier to handle and can withstand colder temperatures.
She also recommended getting more than one, as the birds don’t respond well to being alone.
Ideally, Martin said backyard chicken raisers should have a pen twice the size of a coop in a fenced-in yard to keep out other animals.
As for feeding, the sisters agreed chickens aren’t particular.
“What do chickens eat?” asked Martin.
“What don’t they eat?” replied Stiller. “Chickens are omnivores. They will eat anything and everything.”
Stiller and Martin give their chickens feed as well as table scraps – minus large amounts of sugar, salt or fat.
Martin showed the class how to check the birds regularly for any health issues. She said the most important aspect of raising chickens is to keep them locked up at night.
A coop can be as simple as a dog house with a latching door and ventilation, Martin said.
For more information on raising chickens, visit www.uniontownpoultry.com.