When looking for a unique pet, Shandell and Michael Nash thought outside the box. The Nash family has three different types of hens in their backyard: Omi (black), an Easter egger; June (white), a light Brahma; and Summer (brown), a Welsummer.
Her sons, Ethan, 7, and Montgomery, 3, help with daily care, learning about responsibility in the process.
“I have wanted backyard chickens for over a decade. Being in quarantine, we spent a lot of time outside, and after I built a vegetable garden, I decided it was finally time to find some hens,” Shandell said. “The eggs were a bonus but being able to teach my kids responsibility is what made my decision.”
Shandell purchased the chickens on May 9 after conducting extensive research on chickens and chicken maintenance.
“When I started looking around for a coop to get some hens, my friend told me she was moving overseas and had to rehome her gorgeous, award-winning hens she had hand-raised, along with their coop,” Shandell recalled. “It was fate. I’ve always wanted a farm, and living in town, this was our perfect opportunity for an urban backyard farm.”
Shandell says her 7-year-old helps take care of the chickens.
“They are also very entertaining and sweet with the kids. They each have their own unique personality. They do take some work to keep them healthy and clean, but it’s all so rewarding when you see how happy your hens are. I love hearing them talk to us. Roosters aren’t as nice, but you can’t have them in city limits anyways.”
She notes that each hen must have at least 4 square feet in the coop; a roost is required inside for nighttime as well as nesting boxes to lay their eggs in.
"We open the coop door during the day and allow them to free range in the backyard, then lock them up in their secure hen house before dark to keep them safe from predators.”
The chickens are fed mainly feed crumbles and table scraps, though, Shandell notes, “they also get meal worms for treats—and they love watermelon! We give them plenty of fresh water every day and add a little apple cider vinegar to their water for their health a couple times a week.”
Shandell discovered that there are some common problems that can arise with chickens, such as mites or poultry lice.
“But there are simple ways to fix anything that might arise,” she said. “I have found some great resources in Oklahoma backyard chicken groups on Facebook that really walked me through everything. I also highly recommend the book Backyard Chickens: A Practical Handbook, by Claire Woods.”
If you think raising chickens sounds fun, you’ll first want to first check out your city's ordinances to see if it is allowed, and if so, what guidelines you are required to follow. For the Nash family of Norman, it has been a rewarding experience!