Urban Farmers' Almanac: Backyard Chickens

Backyard chickens have been a topic of great dissension on DC Urban Moms and Dads. There have been multiple threads on the subject with one epic discussion reaching 21 pages. While some posters have argued the merits of raising your own hens, others have said the practice screams "I am poor" and has other associated negative characteristics. Thanks to the local company Rent a Coop, we have had the opportunity to temporarily have our own backyard chickens and investigate this topic firsthand.

Rent a Coop, the creation of Tyler Phillips and Diana Samata of Potomac, MD, offers two main programs: 1) monthly rental of a chicken coop and two hens; and 2) a chick hatching experience. We were offered a complementary rental package in order to review the service and decided to give it a try.

Our experience as urban farmers began just over a week ago when Tyler delivered two hens, a portable chicken coop, a bucket of feed, and a bag of wood shavings. The coop has wheels to allow it to be easily moved and is completely enclosed so that the hens are protected from predators. Based on the rather limited time we've had the chickens, we'd have to put ourselves firmly in the pro backyard chicken camp. So far, the adventure has been enjoyable and problem-free.

Caring for the hens requires very little effort. We make sure they have food and water and clean the coop periodically. We also try to let them out of the coop for at least an hour a day so that they can free range around our yard. In return, we have been getting fresh, delicious eggs.

With fox and other predators plentiful in our neighborhood, the chickens require supervision when out of the coop. This has led to modifying our lifestyle to include what one friend called our "chicken meditation" time. For me, this has involved a morning cup of tea in the backyard watching the chickens forage for bugs and seeds. It has been interesting to observe the behavior of the hens which have more personality then I would have expected.

The hens quickly got to know us and became quite comfortable in our presence. They frequently approach us and don't seem to mind being touched or even held. They can be a little tricky to catch, but once caught they don't fight or squirm to get away. If you are near them and have anything interesting on you -- particularly your shoes -- you will find them pecking at it. They have shown a particular interest in my wedding ring. Luckily, the pecks don't hurt.

Just about everyone who has either seen or heard about the chickens has quickly divided the rental cost by the number of eggs the hens are expected to provide and decided that backyard chickens are not cost effective. So, let's just get that out of the way. If you want fresh, organic, free-range eggs, there are cheaper alternatives. The initial four-week rental, including two hens, a coop, food, and bedding costs $185.00. At best, the hens will each lay an egg a day, resulting in 56 eggs that cost more than $3 a piece. But, I consider the program to be more about the overall experience rather than just fresh eggs. Viewed that way, the price is reasonable.

We've found that most of the criticisms leveled against backyard chickens by DCUM posters don't match our experience. The chickens have not been smelly and I expect won't be as long as we keep the coop clean. Generally, they make little to no noise, though occasionally they do squawk for short periods of time. One morning, one hen suddenly started a burst of squawking lasting a minute or more. Even their loudest squawking is not loud relative to other common sounds in the neighborhood, but I was struck by how our backyard sounded exactly like a barnyard. It just seemed out of place.

As far as I know, the chickens have not impacted our neighbors' perception of our socio-economic status. If the chickens did lower property values, most in the area would be thankful given our property taxes. Our neighbors have been receptive and interested in the chickens. But, we are lucky to have great neighbors. Your mileage may vary in this regard.

We've had a lot of fun with the chickens. Our sons and their friends are always excited to see the hens. Our younger boy can't wait to look for eggs each day (though, strangely, has refused to eat any because he worries that there will be a chick inside, despite our assurances to the contrary). We've even started looking forward to our "chicken meditation" periods.

The eggs have lived up to expectations. Brown in color, they are slightly smaller than the extra large eggs we normally eat. But, they are quite delicious. The hens have been a bit erratic about laying eggs. Some days we find one, some days two, and some days none.

If you are not up to hosting a couple of hens in your backyard, but are still interested in a chicken-related experience, Rent a Coop also offers a four week chick hatching program. Costing $140.00, the program provides an incubator, seven fertile eggs, a brooder (a cage with a warmer), feed, and bedding. In addition, two chicks are also provided which will teach the newly-hatched chicks how to eat and drink.

More about Rent a Coop and their services can be found at the Rent a Coup website: www.rentacoop.com.