Between skyrocketing egg prices and empty shelves, your morning eggs and toast are becoming less and less frequent. It may be time to switch gears and get creative in how you'll sustain your habit. Did you know that you can own or even rent chickens in Denver?
In the city of Denver, you are allowed up to eight chickens or ducks; but no roosters or male ducks to wake your neighbors before the sun rises. Since backyard birds have become popular in recent years, more counties and neighborhoods are incorporating language to allow residents to have them, including Jefferson, Douglas, Arapahoe, Adams, Weld, Gilpin, and Clear Creek. Before making the plunge, double-check with the county and your HOA to confirm that you can indeed have chickens. Some counties require a minimum land size, and some HOAs prohibit them.
Ordinances on Chicks
Denver has several requirements for keeping backyard chickens, especially those producing eggs. The complete list can be found by clicking here. It is worth looking at this document before bringing your chickens home. Denver's Food Producing Animals Ordinance contains helpful tips and tricks for raising chickens in your backyard, including guidance on appropriate habitat creation, winter care, veterinary care, additional resources, and more. Several of our fowl-loving REALTOR friends commented on how helpful this guide is, so take a look.
Rent vs. Buy
Renting vs. buying has a whole new meaning. Did you know you could rent a chicken and coop for the summer? Rent The Chicken offers multiple packages for egg-laying hens and coop setups, making having chickens easy. There are three package options available for Colorado residents to rent from May to November. All rental packages include delivery, set up, pick-up of contents, food and water bowls, chicken feed, a guide for care, and a copy of Fresh Eggs Daily, by Lisa Steele. From there, you can customize your package based on the number of chickens you would like and your coop preferences. The standard package includes two egg-laying hens and a standard chicken coop. The standard upgrade package includes all the same items, except you'll receive a deluxe chicken coop that usually holds up to four hens. The Delux rental package is the standard upgrade package plus two more egg-laying hens and additional food.
The Rent The Chicken program for Colorado operates out of Greely, CO, at the Blooming Health Farms, a nonprofit aquaponics farm and nonprofit that provides employment and educational opportunities for at-risk youths. Currently, Rent The Chicken services the Greely, Fort Collins, Boulder, and Denver areas.
Grade AA Tips For Raising Chicks
Chickens don't lay eggs year-round, nor do they lay consistently for years. Typically, most flocks will produce eggs for 3 - 4 years and produce roughly 5-7 eggs per week throughout the summer, but in the winter, we see that number decline.
Egg-laying hens require calcium to aid egg production and ensure a strong shell; try adding calcium to their diets. Crushed oyster shells are an excellent source of calcium for chickens.
Put vinegar in the chicken's water to keep them healthy, 1 tablespoon per gallon in a coop's waterer. It helps balance their PH to aid in digestion and improve their immune systems.
They love fruity pebbles cereal! A tip from our very own agent, Kimberly Beck.
With Denver's high summer temps, do your best to keep them cool. Make sure they have a constant source of clean water and shade.
Chickens can be very messy, you'll need to plan on cleaning the coop at least once a week, probably more.
Going out of town can be tough because you can't just drop chickens at your neighbors' house like you can a dog, so make sure you have someone lined up to watch them when you leave town. Just be careful not to put them with chickens outside the flock as they will fight.
Chickens get bored, so make sure to get more than one and that you have plenty of yard space for them to play and explore.
After tasting eggs from your backyard, you probably won't be able to eat store-bought eggs again. So, It's worth exploring this option if your town/city allows it and you eat a significant amount of eggs in your diet. Below are several additional online resources to help you raise some egg-celent chicks.
Socials