Chickens: A risk-free trial
A couple of years ago, my daughter, who lives in Minnesota, told me she had rented some chickens for the summer. I was surprised, but I realized there were many advantages to this unusual arrangement.
For her family, it was a way to have chickens in summer without having to house them through the long winter months. And there was little setup because the birds were mature enough to be laying and came with a ready-made coop; food and water dishes; and feed. Their daughter, who was 6, loved the birds (named Sparkle and Magic), gathering and eating eggs, and learning that eggs varied in size. She also relished learning how to wrangle the birds back into their coop.
Now Bay Area residents can rent chickens, too, through Rent the Chicken (rentthechicken.com, (724) 305-0782). Homesteaders Cecilia and David, who live in the Santa Clara County town of San Martin, will deliver free up to 50 miles away. Over that, you will get a quote when you call, at roughly $2 a mile, for additional miles. Or you can meet them with a pickup truck or trailer within the 50-mile radius and take the chickens and coop home yourself.
What do you get? Two or four laying hens; a portable chicken coop; 100-200 pounds of feed; water and feed dishes; and instructions. Rentals are for six months, April/May to September/October or the reverse. Should a chicken die of anything but neglect, they will replace it, and when you send the birds back, the company promises to find them other homes, even if they are too old to lay well. On the other hand, should you decide you were meant to have chickens, you can arrange to keep the birds permanently. Pricing varies, but the website gives the spring standard rental package at $400.
The San Martin homesteaders also participate in Rent the Chicken’s other program, Hatch the Chicken. This five-week program allows schools and others to rent what they need to watch eggs hatch and chicks develop.