With food security becoming an increasingly prevalent concern for many socially engaged Vancouverites, city council is taking steps to make hens a household staple.
The concept of keeping chicken coops in urban backyards may seem outlandish at first glance, but upon further investigation, it becomes clear the notion is no stranger than owning any other pet. As local farmer, Jordan Maynard puts it, “If you can look after a hamster, you can look after a chicken.”
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Setting up a chicken coop in an urban setting may seem like a daunting task, but some easy measures can bring the barnyard to the backyard in no time.
Before getting started, it’s essential to make two important but difficult decisions. Firstly, what purpose will the backyard chickens serve? This greatly depends on municipal regulations, which will deem whether hens can be solely kept for egg production or whether slaughter is also an option. According to Vancouver farmer, Jordan Maynard, making this choice will determine the type of breed to pick, the number of chickens to purchase and the type of infrastructure to invest in.
The second key question: what will happen the chickens once they get too old to lay eggs? Maynard says a hen’s egg production peaks around 2 to 3 years of age, and then steadily declines until the age of 6 or 7. However, some hens can live up to 15 years. That being the case, potential backyard chicken keepers have to consider whether they will continue to keep their feathered friends as pets, or if they will be slaughtered post egg production years, or if they will be put down. If there is limited space in the backyard, this will be an even more pertinent question to tackle.
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