Chickens?!?

Last week, the city we live in voted to lift a 36 year old ordinance banning ownership of backyard chickens. They are only granting 20 licenses in the first year, and we're nowhere near prepared to jump on the bandwagon just yet, but backyard chicken keeping is something I've been interested in for quite some time now (inspired, of course, by Carrie and her flock!)

Serendipitously I learned that there was a citywide open house of sorts for people interested in urban chicken keeping. The kids and I (along with some friends) visited 4 different coops, met several chickens and their owners, and learned a lot more about the logistics of chicken ownership.

Here are some of the things I learned:

1. Once you're past the chick phase, keeping chickens is a lot less work than one might think.

2. Chicken owners are an extremely cool bunch of people. It's a small but vibrant community I'd love to get to know better!

3. If we're really going to do this, we should look at the chickens primarily as pets, and any eggs they lay as a nice bonus.

   

4. Chicken coops can be incredible architectural masterpieces (which I am woefully unprepared to design or build on my own).

 

5. After touring the different coops, I realized that we really might be able to own chickens. I'm definitely interested in pursuing this, but am most interested in forming some sort of co-op with others who would be willing to share some of the caretaking responsibilities as well as the eggs.

I still have a lot of questions and a ton of research to do. Realistically, we're thinking of setting a goal of spring 2012 to start our own coop. I already know that I want at least one Barred Plymouth Rock, and one Silver Laced Wyandotte. Both breeds do well in the cold of a Chicago winter, both breeds are good egg producers, and their temperaments are described, as "friendly, easily handled, and docile".