Class: Backyard Chicken Keeping

2009 CLASS DATES NOW SCHEDULED: Even city dwellers can keep a few laying hens in their yards. Participants will take home three live chicks – after learning how to care for them. Class participants also receive a brooder starter kit containing heat lamp system, feeder, waterer, and chick feed are included in total fee.

You will receive plans on building a simple yet predator-proof coop. You need not build the coop prior to class; your chicks will be fine with your take-home brooder kit until a proper coop can be built. Class limited to those 8 years and older.

You will receive female chicks (they do not crow) and each one will lay a different colored egg: green, white, or brown. I expect to have Araucanas, Buff Orpingtons, and California White breeds. Hens do not require a rooster in order to lay eggs. You can sign up for the class without taking home the chicks and kit. Your cost would then be tuition only.

If you'd like more than three chicks, it may be possible to purchase more on the day of the class. Three laying hens make up a pretty good flock for a family of four, and you'll get about two dozen eggs a week.

Date: April 19, 2009 (Sunday)(10 a.m. - 2 p.m.) OR
Date: October 17, 2009 (Saturday)(10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)

Tuition: $45
Materials Fee: $65
Each additional person in family or your group: $20 (Limit two extras).

Click on the Paypal button to register and pay (I will confirm receipt of your registration via email immediately)

Registration Options

Tuition Only $45.00 Tuition, Chicks & Kit $110.00

Comments

[Love Apple Farm]

You won't be putting the chicks into their coop for at least a month after class, so you've got plenty of time to build it. I don't want to release the plans ahead of time, because I have some slight modifications we talk about in class.

[Corey Lester]

Would it be possible to get the plans for the chicken coop ahead of time? We have some time before the class and would like to get a head start on building the coop.

[Love Apple Farm]

Sam: The class is on comprehensive chicken care, including predator-proofing of coop. So yes, the bulk of the class is on chicken keeping as a whole.

[Sam Woodward]

Hi,

I signed up for the class a couple of months ago, but couldn't contain my excitement, so ended up buying three chicks in HMB. My question is, will the class be relevent to someone with chicks that will be older (6 weeks old and ready to go outside by class time), or will your class mostly deal with the first few weeks of the chick ownership aspect?

[Carrie]

Dear HF,

I am very interested in taking your chicken tractor. How big is it? How can I contact you?

CM

[Love Apple Farm]

Renee: They are only as friendly as how much they have nice, gentle interaction with people as they grow up. You can make a chicken very friendly with a lot of handling. I've chosen breeds that have, for me at least, been user-friendly.

[renee sharp]

Hi, I would like to know if these chickens are long living and handler(as in children) friendly.They will not be dinner after their egg laying days are over. Thanks Reneee

[Twylah Sperka]

To hf: I would love to take you up on your chicken coop offer (we live in Curtis Park) but I'm not sure how to get a hold of you. My email is twysperka@yahoo.com if you could fire off your contact information that would be great.

Twylah

[Annette Truong]

I took this class last year and it was just what I needed to kickstart our backyard chicken hobby! We love our 4 hens and they have free run of our entire privacy-fenced-backyard and only go into their coop at night to sleep. I literally got everything I needed to raise chickens from Love Apple Farm and I don't know how I could have done it without Cynthia's sage advice.

We have so many eggs from our 4 hens that we are constantly giving them away to friends and coworkers - a little basket of colorful eggs is such a delightful gift.

[hf]

I am giving up on City Chickens :( I couldnt share my ferns (they ate them to bare stems) and the amount of "ferilizer" they produced overwhelmed my yard. That being said- I have a lovely small Chicken Tractor that is no longer being used. If anyone is interested let me know. I built it myself -it turned out really cute. Free to anyone willing to come to East Sacramento and pick it up. Thanks- and best of backyard chicken luck!

[Love Apple Farm]

Tracy & John: I will send you an email to let you know the name of the local guy who builds and sells coops. Glad to hear your girls are doing well!

[Tracy and John]

Cynthia,

My husband and I participated in your chicken class last year and I'm happy to report that our hens (Paula, Chica and June Bug) are doing quite well. Unfortunately I cannot locate my notes from class and was wondering if you had any current information on anyone who could help build a larger coop/run? There seemed to be a few suggestions going around in class as to some local persons who might be able to help out, such as on site building etc.

Thank you,

Tracy and John

[Ronda]

Thanks for such a quick response! Would it be possible to tack onto your order a couple of Wyandottes or RIR? If that's a logistical nightmare, fully understood. I'm a little nervous about caring for the birds with extra feather requirements and remember the RIR my grandma had as being pretty awesome, hardy birds. Looking forward to the class. Thanks again.

[Love Apple Farm]

Ronda: I am hoping to order Polish, Cochins and Araucanas. That way, each breed will be unique and lay a different colored egg (white, brown and green). It will depend, though, on what breeds there are available the week of the class at Murray McMurray Hatchery. If those breeds aren't available, we will still get ones whose eggs are varied colors.

[Ronda]

Hello,

I signed up for the chicken class last week and have been reading my chicken book in preparation. Can you tell us what type of chicks we will be getting?

Thanks!!

Ronda

[ELio]

You have a great site with beautiful pictures, I really enjoyed looking at your page. Thanks for all the great info and fun time with your pictures. I loved your hens specially the "Buff Lace" The Polish hen. I have a Miss P a beautiful femaile Indian Blue Peacock, five chickens, two parrots, one german shepheard. Love animals here. Happy New Years to you and may you have a very prosperous year. ELio & Mike.

[Cindie]

I just signed up for the Chicken Keeping class scheduled for April. I am so happy to be able to know about this early. As the weather starts to get nice it seems all my weekends get booked quickly and unfortunately the Chicken Keeping class last year was on a date I already had important plans. Now that I have signed up early I'm sure I will keep it open and it gives me something to look forward too. I have been wanting to keep chickens in my suburban yard for several years! I have already talked to my friends about a Chicken Coop raising party. I was surprised at how many people thought it was such a fun idea and want to come. So Cynthia thanks so much for offering this class! See you in April! I feel as if I gave myself a Christmas present!! Love it!! :)
Happy Holidays!