Jackie Dzaluk, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Why Chickens ?
This is the first question some people (including my teenage daughter) have asked when I told them that I intended to keep chickens. After all, how expensive are eggs at the grocery store? This actually a more provocative query than it seems…. Horses, llamas, cows, chickens, bees you name it have been at home here in the Katonah area. Most recently there is a trend toward small scale backyard chickens, probable because they are fairly inexpensive, small and multipurpose. The process of acquiring a flock is great fun and has the potential of being an engaging family project. It begins with a visit to a hatchery website like Murray McMurray or My Pet Chicken to research the breeds and compose the flock. And how do these day old chicks arrive? Believe it or not, by US mail! The post office calls the moment they arrive to say that they have a box of singing chicks. The chicks then proceed to grow at an astronomical rate. Chia pets stand down! And the entertainment value is huge. I call it chicken TV. Go, sit and watch. For the kids it is both instant and delayed gratification there is always something new to see. Toss a worm in and watch the games begin as chicks play “keep away” from my treat! And come to think of it, why is that chick that I thought was a hen, crowing!
As the flock grows, so does the compost supply. One chick provides 25 lbs of it a year! Chickens are omnivores so left over veggies and other food from the kitchen are a go and get “recycled”. As for pest control, they have it covered, no chemicals needed. Ticks, grubs and so forth are tasty tidbits that augment their diet. Further, the garden is aerated by the chicks scratching. After 20 weeks or so, come the eggs. Each step of the way there is a nexus with something larger in the environment; from feeding to fertilizing to pest control and predator proofing. For some people, the hens become pets. And for the less sentimental, unruly roosters may make a visit to “camp freezer”. It’s almost Spring… time for the new spring chicks! So will I order more, or perhaps see if nature takes her course as one of my hens seems to be sitting in her eggs with great determination. Stay tuned…
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