Chickens for Spring Break

Spring Break for Alan (my husband), who's a teacher, and our kids, who attend Chicago Public Schools, starts next week. When friends ask me what we're doing over the break, I tell them that we're getting baby chicks. It's not your typical answer to a question about vacation plans, so I usually get a quizzical look, like, "Did I hear that right?" Yes, we're going to be spending our break getting used to owning chickens.

Alan and I live on the north side of Chicago, in the city proper. We live in a frame bungalow and have a small backyard. After living in apartments for a number of years, we finally had the space, both physically and mentally, to own a pet. It was just a matter of picking the right kind.

We were debating getting a dog for a while because our two kids (age 5 and 7) love dogs, but I really do not like cleaning up poop. (Dealing with my own kids' diapers was bad enough.) From what people have told me, kids lose interest in caring for their pets, so I would be the one having to take it for walks and cleaning up after it. NO THANKS! And cats were out of the question because I am allergic.

So, we looked around for the kind of pet that would be easy to manage and wouldn't make me sneeze. We also decided that if we're going to put money and work into something, i.e. a pet, we want to get something in return. We found that chickens fit this philosophy very well. They can provide us with eggs and fertilizer, as well as entertainment for our kids and their friends. They also (supposedly) don't require too much work. We have to feed and water them once a day after they're grown and can leave them outside in their coop year-round.  The coop my husband is building will have a built in watering and feeding system.  It will also be very easy to clean it out once a week.  Simply sweep out the pine shavings and put them in the compost.

Once we decided to get chickens, we have begun planning for their arrival. Today, we went to the Belmont Feed and Seed store here in Chicago and bought everything we need to get started on caring for baby chicks.

 A large plastic bin with a heat lamp to house the chicks. We have a red bulb to make sure the chicks will be warm enough. It should be 95 degrees for the first week and then lowered by 5 degrees for each of the following weeks.

A baby chick waterer and a feeder. The chick starter feed, which is about 10 lbs., is in the bag behind the feeders. The waterer and feeder should be kept full around the clock until the chicks grow older.

The shavings will line the bottom of the plastic bin to absorb droppings and moisture. They're supposed to help cover the scent as well.

Now, we need to just sit tight until next week, when the chicks arrive at the feed and seed store and we can pick them up. We'll keep you updated to let you know how our little chicken in the city experiment turns out.  Also, stay tuned if you want info and pictures from Alan on how to build a "chicken ark" that's supposed to be perfect for raising a small backyard flock of hens.