Bragg Creek and area residents interested in setting up backyard chicken coops can learn the ins and outs of what it’s like to house the animals at three upcoming information sessions.
The Bragg Creek Community Association (BCCA) is hosting A Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Chickens on May 15, June 14 and July 19. The three-part series will educate participants on what it’s like to raise chickens and whether or not it’s a good idea for their property, personally.
“Essentially, [these workshops] are for anyone interested in having a small flock – and by that, we mean less than five hens – for their own use,” said Christine Pollard, the program and events manager for BCCA
Pollard said a Bragg Creek resident who has kept chickens on their property for six years has volunteered to run the sessions, which will tentatively be held in the outdoor rink at the Bragg Creek Community Centre.
Due to recently announced COVID-19 restrictions, Pollard said the capacity for the program is only four people per session. Prior to Premier Jason Kenney’s May 4 announcement, she said the maximum number of allowed registrants was going to be nine people per session.
She added BCCA would facilitate the series virtually to expand capacity, but that internet access in Bragg Creek is still spotty.
“We’ll follow COVID restrictions and we’ll be outdoors, physically distanced, masked and we’ll keep our numbers to nine participants and the facilitator,” she said. “We’ll be fully within provincial restrictions.”
Rocky View County’s zoning laws allow for residents who own at least four acres of land to keep one animal unit on their residential properties, according to Pollard. She said that is equal to roughly five hens.
“Not everyone – certainly not in the hamlet – would be able to have chickens, so these workshops are more geared toward people on larger acreages or in the outlying areas down Highway 762, where they’re on the larger parcels,” she said.
According to BCCA’s promotional material for the series, the first session will focus on zoning rules for keeping chickens and what equipment is necessary for raising the animals. The second session will delve into coop and pen preparation, the various breeds of hens and roosters, and what people need to know to raise a chick from birth.
The series will wrap up with a third workshop that explores flock health and potential disease, daily chicken care, proper egg collection and average bird life spans.
The sessions cost $25 each to attend and will tentatively run from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Pollard – who said her family keeps a small flock of chickens – said there are multiple benefits to having the animals on your property. The main reason, she added, is a steady supply of organic eggs.
“I have chickens, personally, and for us, they’re part of the family,” she said. “They’re a lot of fun, they have fantastic character and it’s a great learning opportunity for children to understand where their food comes from.”
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
