Backyard & Beyond

By Amber Veverka Chicks are appearing in local feed supply stores and at Renfrow Hardware in downtown Matthews, and hatcheries such as Murray McMurray Hatchery  and Meyer Hatchery are shipping now. If you’re new to backyard chickens, here’s a cheat sheet to get you started. 1. Know the law. A growing number of towns, including [...]

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    By Amber Veverka          Dia Steiger is used to the questions about her backyard chickens, Smokey, Lucy and Stella. Do you have a rooster? (No.) How many eggs do you get? (One a day from each hen.) Do you have any pictures?       “Do I have pictures?” said Steiger. “My husband has made stamps.” [...]

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         As backyard chicken enthusiasts soon discover, the urban world is full of predators you never knew existed until you brought home your fluffy babies. It’s crucial to set up housing before you get your chickens — or at least before you move them from the brooder box to the yard. There are a lot [...]

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Are chickens the new dogs? Lured by the promise of fresh eggs from humanely raised birds, growing numbers of city folk are adding chickens to their yards. Backyard & Beyond asked readers what they want to know about starting an urban flock. Here’s a sampling of the most frequently asked questions: Is it legal? Q: [...]

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