Chickens 101

Mary Campbell,
Extension Director and Urban Sustainability Agent

Don’t miss Chickens 101 on Saturday, April 20, 8:30 pm to 12:00 pm at Weedon Island Preserve Education Center (1800 Weedon Drive NE St. Petersburg, 33702). Sign up today.

City dwellers are embracing the joys of raising chickens for food and fun. A program offered at Pinellas County Extension will provide expert information on raising and caring for your backyard chickens. The interest in local food production has blossomed over the last few years with more communities passing local ordinances that allow for backyard chickens. Unincorporated Pinellas County passed the ordinance to allow four chickens per resident. As part of the local food movement, raising chickens has many benefits, from fresh eggs to the activity around caring for your mini flock. Chickens are easy to care for and a great learning opportunity for kids. Chickens are friendly and believe it or not, have personality.

A chicken coop in Florida does not need to be expensive or elaborate. An area that is covered by a roof and enclosed with a minimum of two sides for protection from prevailing rain and wind is sufficient. The size of the house should be based on a minimum of three square feet of floor space per bird. The use of fencing helps in confining the birds and provides protection from predators. The top of the enclosure also needs to be covered to prevent flying and climbing predators from entering. Using an enclosed run during the day provides an open area that reduces stress, pecking, and will allow the birds to supplement their diets with a variety of greens and insects.

A chicken tractor is a movable chicken coop lacking a floor which one person can drag about the yard. It may have wheels on one end to make this easier. Chicken tractors allow chickens to find fresh forage such as grass, weeds and bugs as the tractor is moved around the yard. Unlike fixed coops, chicken tractors do not have floors so there is no need to clean them out. The term chicken tractor comes from the chickens performing functions like a tractor: digging and weeding the soil or fertilizing and weeding for crops. Birds have access to fresh air, sunlight, forage and exercise. A chicken tractor also gives some shelter from predators and weather. Hens lay eggs in nest boxes rather than hiding them in foliage. See a demonstration of a chicken tractor at Chickens 101.

Find out how easy and fun backyard chickens can be and sign up for Chickens 101.

BasicGuide for the Backyard Chicken Flock 

Extension programs are open to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, age, disability, religion or national origin.

Urban Farming in Pinellas County

Jane Morse,
University of Florida, IFAS Pinellas County Extension Agent 

The first urban farming conference is being held at Pinellas County Extension. Urban farming promotes self-sufficiency, sustainable living and the efficient use of space. Learn the latest trends in hydroponic vegetable gardening, backyard chickens and integrated pest management – the control of pests with minimal environmental impact. Learn the business aspects for getting started with business planning and cost analysis, cottage industry regulations, marketing with market maker and protected agriculture.

The class will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at the Pinellas County Extension Service, Magnolia Room, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33774.

The morning session is for both homeowner and commercial farmers while the afternoon session is geared for those interested in going into business as a commercial farmer.

For class information and registration please visit: http://pce-commercialhort.eventbrite.com/ or http://pce-lawnandgarden.eventbrite.com/ or call 727-582-2100 and press 2.

The conference fee is $7.50 for the morning or afternoon sessions, and $12 for the full day. Attendance is limited to 200 participants.

Backyard Poultry in Pinellas County

Mary Campbell,
Extension Director and Urban Sustainability Agent

If you are considering keeping chickens in your backyard, there are specific requirements based on the community you live in. Please refer to the local ordinances for your municipality or unincorporated Pinellas County for more information. Homeowner Associations may also have specific requirements that override local ordinances.

Municipalities that Allow Chickens

City	Chickens	Other Poultry	Restrictions	Limit	Noise Restrictions
Bellair	Yes	Yes	May not be raised for commercial purposes. Coops must be kept clean. Permit required.	5 domes- tic animals
Dunedin	Yes	Yes	Fowl must be kept within an enclosure, apply to city codes and regulations, and not constitute a nuisance.		Yes
Gulfport	Yes	No	Chickens must be contained in the backyard and all coops must be kept clean. No roosters.	10 hens
Largo	Yes	Yes	Fowl must be securely fenced and coops and runways must be kept clean.		Yes
St. Petersburg	Yes	Yes	Fowl must be securely fenced and coops and runways must be kept clean. Not within 100 ft of neighbors without their approval.		Yes

Summary of Pinellas County Ordinance for Unincorporated Areas 

1. Fowl may not be raised for commercial purposes; fowl may not be slaughtered. 
2. Up to 4 hens may be kept; no roosters. 
3. Must not create a nuisance of noise, odor, pests, or any other nuisance condition. 
4. Fowl must be securely fenced and the coop must be covered and ventilated. The coop must be completely secured from predators. 
5. Chickens must be kept in the backyard. 
6. Coops and runways must be kept clean. 
7. Chicken enclosure must be kept a minimum of 10 feet from neighbor’s property and not be taller than 6 feet. 
8. The chicken enclosure must be screened from neighbor’s view, using an opaque fence and/or landscape screen 
9. If coop exceeds 100 square feet in size, a building permit must be acquired. 
10. A minimum of 3 square feet is required per hen. 
11. All stored feed must be kept in a rodent and predator-proof container. 

Chicken FAQs 
Here are some common questions that Pinellas County Extension has received from citizens who are interested in keeping chickens.

• What types of breeds are recommended for backyard poultry? Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red, Ameraucana, White Leghorn, Australorp, and Barred Rock. 
• How long do chickens live? Chickens live an average of 7 years although they can live 10 years or more. 
  
• What temperature do chickens need to survive? Chickens thrive in ranges between 70-75 °F, and may die in temperatures exceeding 95 °F. Hens lay eggs the best in temperature ranges between 45-80 °F. 
• How much space do chickens need? Chickens need about 2 square feet per hen for Bantam breeds, and 3 square feet for other birds. 
• Should I use chicken wire to enclose the chickens? Chicken wire can be used to enclose a run, but the open weave allows predators to reach through the openings. Rigid hardware cloth is recommended for sleeping or resting areas. 
• How much food and water do chickens need? Chickens drink about 1 to 2 cups of water each day. Layers drink twice as much as non-layers. Lightweight layers need about 4 to 4½ ounces of feed per hen per day, or about 4 pounds of feed for every dozen eggs laid. 

Resources: 
UF Basic Guide for the Backyard Chicken Flock: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an239 
Backyard Chickens: http://www.backyardchickens.com/ 
Build A Chicken Coop Easy: http://www.buildachickencoopeasy.com/
4 H Virtual Farm: Poultry : http://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/virtualfarm/poultry/poultry.html 
The City Chicken.com: http://citychickens.com/ 
City Chicks (chicken source) 727-546-3478 located in Pinellas Park