New To keeping chickens?
We get lots of chicken questions coming our way. Here is a run down of the most common questions we get asked. If your question isn’t answered below, reach out to us! We would love to help solve your question.
Can I keep chickens in Calgary?
Yes! One of the most asked chicken questions. Calgary recently had a pilot Urban Hens Program run in 2021 where they released 100 permits for people to have chickens in their backyard. Check out our step-by-step guide in the permit process. We believe they will reintroduce that program this year. We are here to assist in your application, if you have any questions regarding our coops or a place to re-home the chickens after. Please reach out to us.
Can I go on vacation while renting chickens?
Yes! As long as chickens have enough food and water while you are gone they should be fine. However, if you are away from your home longer than 2-3 days, then we would happily watch your chickens at our farm. This is a free service that we provide if you drop the chickens off at our farm, or we will charge a fee to pick them up and drop them off.
How big are the coops?
The chicken coops are 3′ x 8′ long. The chicken coop and run are attached to one another. There is an example of our coop below. The run is fenced and has a roof to prevent any predators attacking the hens. We have had no issues with predators attacking hens while in the run and coop.
Will the chicken coop smell?
There is not a noticeable smell with the chickens, however the bedding will need to be changed if you do notice any smell. We provide a bag of wood shavings to be used throughout the season. Simply open the coop from the side, scrape the soiled wood shavings into your compost and put down fresh wood shavings.
What happens if a chicken stops laying eggs or becomes sick?
Chickens are low maintenance animals, when properly cared for they will manage just fine. There are some signs to watch out for if a chicken is ill, mainly if they stop laying eggs they may be egg bound. Tell tale signs of egg bound hens are hens that are fluffed out, not moving a lot and have not laid eggs for a few days. In this case, please give us a call, we would be happy to come pick up the hen and give the medical attention it needs to pass the egg or bring it to the vet if needed.
How loud are the chickens?
Chickens will cluck when they are excited, feel threatened or when they are laying an egg. Other then those times, the chickens will be pretty quiet. Generally if you hear a lot of commotion, we recommend you check on the hens in case there is an animal scaring the hens. They may cluck when you come out if you are bringing treats to them as well!
Where are you located?
We are currently hosting our chickens at Cowie Co Farms which is south of Calgary, around a 10 minute drive.
What colour are the eggs?
Lohmann Brown chickens lay brown eggs
Americuana chickens lay blue eggs
Silkies lay white eggs which are a bit smaller than the other two
How much care do chickens require?
The chickens require food, water and shelter. They are low maintenance animals who give back daily in the form of their eggs! We will provide everything you need to keep your chickens throughout the season. We ask that you make sure they have sufficient food and water and that there coop is kept clean.
Can I have a rooster?
Roosters are beautiful animals who can protect your flock from predators. They will lay their life down for their hens. However, they are also loud and can be aggressive towards you because they may think you are a predator/dangerous. We do not rent roosters.
How many eggs do chickens lay?
That depends on the breed of chicken. Lohmann browns typically lay an egg everyday. Americuanas will lay 3-4 eggs per week. Silkie chickens will lay 5-6 per week.
Should I be concerned about the avian flu and renting chickens?
This is a very valid chicken question. While the avian flu has been increasing in recent years, small personal flocks typically are safe. We have not experienced avian flu in any of our rental flocks. We ensure the health of our birds by quarantining them in flocks before renting out. If you have questions, check out the Alberta website page on avian influenza for new information.
How will my dog(s) react to chickens?
Every dog is different. We recommend a slow introduction between the chickens and dog(s). Please keep the chickens in the run and let your dog(s) into your yard to see how they react. Some dogs do have a prey drive and may attack the chickens. In this case, we would recommend keeping the chickens in the run if your dog is outside. Our coop and runs will keep any predator (including your dog) from attacking the hens. Keep an eye out if you notice your dog has begun to dig under the perimeter we may need to come to reinforce the run.
What treats can you give to chickens?
Chickens love kitchen scraps! From vegetable peelings, watermelon rinds, even smashed egg shells! The chickens will love whatever you have for them and will peck at it with glee. If you have any fruit/vegetable that is gone bad (but not moldy) the chickens will not turn their nose up at all. This is where you might hear some excited clucking, they especially love fresh corn. It can be quite entertaining watching the carnage of chickens with corn.