Interested in raising chickens in your backyard? Here are a few words of wisdom from other local people who do it, and some tips on where and how to get started.


Getting started
The first thing you'll need to get is a coop -- and some chicks.

Coops come in all shapes and sizes. You can get a pre-built standard one (omlet.us is one popular source), build your own, or have one built for you. Paul Gardner, owner of Whole House Building Supply in East Palo Alto, says he'll build one to your specifications out of recycled material: antiquated-looking coops, A-frames, standard wire affairs, you name it.

Half Moon Bay Feed and Fuel is the closest spot nearby for baby chicks, though be warned: It can be difficult to tell a hen from a rooster, and several people we talked to had to find a new home for one or more chickens when they started crowing.

You can have grown chickens about to enter their laying years delivered through standard U.S. mail from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa.

After you've gotten set up, Portola Valley Feed should be able to outfit you with everything you need.

In terms of upkeep, many of the people we spoke to were surprised to learn how easy caring for mature chickens is. Atherton resident Bruce Deal estimates that he spends less than five minutes a day giving his family's chickens water and food, and collecting the eggs.

"I thought it was probably going to be, (a), a lot of work, and (b), dirty and messy," Mr. Deal said. "It's not zero work, but it's not as much as I thought it might be, assuming you have a place big enough for them to run around in."

But "If people are thinking about getting birds, they need to go over to (the house of a friend or neighbor with chickens) and watch them clean out the coop," said Woodside resident Amy Freidenrich. "It's a messy proposition."

How many eggs can you expect from one chicken? Slightly less than one per day during the summer months; as little as one per week during the winter.

In addition to feed, what will they eat? Practically anything, according to Mr. Deal -- including their own eggs.


In the 'burbs
The family of Woodside resident Leslie Ballinger started raising chickens when the family moved from Menlo Park to Woodside in 1998. In retrospect, she wishes they had started earlier. "It's low-maintenance," she said. "I wish I had known (when I lived in Menlo Park), I would have had chickens then."

"I live in a very urban neighborhood, but I know at least a half-dozen people here with chickens," Ladera resident Eric Ponteri said.

Though hens can cluck quite a bit, no one we spoke with was bothered by the noise, or reported annoyed neighbors.

You aren't likely to run into problems with the authorities in any local jurisdictions, though Menlo Park, Atherton and Portola Valley ban roosters.

Menlo Park permits up to 50 chickens per quarter acre. Atherton code calls for hen-keepers to apply for a license, but no one does, according to code enforcement officer Bob Cushing. "We don't get any complaints," he said. "The only thing that comes up a couple times a year is roosters."

Suburbanites don't have to worry much about coyotes or red-tailed hawks, a which can pose a threat to Woodside hens. Still, raccoons, rats and possums can be trouble, according to Ms. Ballinger.


Economics
Yeah, it's great to have fresh eggs, a clean conscience, and some low-maintenance pets. But will raising hens pencil out?

Only if you eat them when their laying days are up, according to Kathy, the seed store clerk at Portola Valley Feed.

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