Medford Chickens

Last week, Newsday profiled the rise in chicken owners here on the island.  As a proud mother hen of six (maximum allowed in Brookhaven town and minimum allowed for purchase in NYS) feathered friends, I decided my first blog should be all about my flock.  I decided this time around to do a mixed flock and, as long as they are all the same age, there should be no problem with mixing breeds.  Inside my dog run which serves as the chicken's run, I have my coop up on 4X4s and my ladies (no roo is needed for eggs), a black australorp, a brown leghorn, a new hampshire, a speckled sussex, a araucana and a hubbard golden comet.  All breeds I picked were purchased at Agway in Riverhead where you can also find coops available for purchase, feed, bedding and all other items needed to raise a happy flock. 

When considering beginning this enterprise, it is important to pick breeds that are noted for their docile nature, breeds that tolerate confinement well, cold-hardy breeds and good layers.  There are many breeds that are what I call show birds, breeds like the cochins, which are more ornamental birds that don't lay well.  You want to do lots of research before hand and maybe invest in a good all around chicken raising book like Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens.  Also available as a resource are two fantastic websites I frequent mypetchicken.com and backyardchickens.com. 

Your small backyard flock will cost you about 10/month to maintain.  This, of course, includes a good layer (chickens don't lay until about 20 weeks so before that they are on grower, either medicated or non-medicated according to your preferences), grit (I use kid's play sand), bedding (pine shavings work best) and a layer of straw (optional) in run.  I don't worm my chickens and it is all according to the individual's preference.  Your run can be a fixed structure or a chicken tractor that is movable.  I occationally free range my chickens in backyard as long as I am am outside with them because a hawk will swoop in and carry off your hen!  Fox on the island are also known to dine on your fowl so beware.  They will dig in your beds and make a mess and I just shoo them out and steer them to a different part of the garden.  It's great to let them every now and then free range in veg garden to nibble on garden pests and, if I sacrafice the odd head of broccoli or strawberry plant to their voracious appetites, so be it.  They also munch on ticks and are a natural pest control.

This time around I handled my baby chicks everyday and gave them plenty of chicken love.  You will find some are more lovable than others and one or two might be a bit more aggressive.  Chickens, much like people, have their own personalities and preferences.  Their waste I throw on compost pile, my kitchen scrapes and some spent flowers become chicken treats and their trills and coos and occational chicken snuggle become my moment of joy for the day.  And, to conclude, there is nothing like the taste of a freshly laid, homegrown egg!