The idea of fresh eggs everyday does sound pretty nice doesn’t it?
Keeping chickens in your back yard in downtown Madison or many cities is completely legal and gaining popularity all the time. Madison and Milwaukee are both booming with chicken enthusiasts.
If you or someone you know might be interested in keeping chickens in your back yard and reaping all the benefits they offer you’re are not alone. Twain Lockhart of Nutrena Nutrition is the man to talk to if you’re even considering keeping chicken. We had the opportunity to ask Lockhart about the dos and don’ts of beginning chicken keeping. Twain said first and foremost do some research of your own and look around your community or ask a 4-H kid about chickens. There is certainly a chicken enthusiast club local that is chuck full of resources to answer almost any convincible question that you may have about chicken. Twain went on to tell us how chickens are great for keeping down pest problems as they love to peck though the dirt and look for bugs and insect eggs. As far as building your coop and choosing which birds are right for your backyard, the possibilities are endless, but Lockhart says to start small and before venturing into exotic breeds of birds try those most easily cared for.
Chickens do very well in Wisconsin winters as long as they are dry and out of the wind. Lockhart says that keeping wild birds away from your coop is a good practice and never wear the same boots in your coop as you wear into a neighbors coop. Avian influenza is still a concern that individuals need to keep in mind, though the risk is significantly less today compared to the past.
Twain says “Log on to www.scoopfromthecoop.com or search Facebook for your local chicken enthusiasts club” Lockhardt went on to say “no matter what time of the day it is, if you have a question, there is generally someone ready to share some knowledge with you”
Leave a Reply