Start Your Backyard Chickens

Do you want to have healthier eggs from your own backyard?  Would you like to add some vibrant feathered friends to your family? Start keeping chickens this year and change your home into a homestead.  Chicks are available this spring at several locations in Santa Fe.  They require care, feeding and protection but are not complicated or expensive to own.

Basics for the First 60 Days
When you first bring the chicks home, they’ll need a brooder box.  This is a warm, dry and safe place for your chicks to live for the first two months.  The brooder box can be a large box or crate that is 18″ high with straw or wood shavings in the bottom.  It will need to be located in a place that is safe from curious pets or children. Chicks must be kept at 95 degrees during the first week, so you will need a lamp or heat source.  Make sure that the area is warm before bringing the chicks home.

Water and food are the next items on the checklist.  Clean water must be available at all times. A fount is a way to provide water to your small chicks and can be purchased at the local stores listed below.  Chick feed is higher in protein than adult feed.  A feeder will help keep the feed dry and in one place, so that it is available to the chicks at all times. The local feed stores below can provide more information and options.

Checking on the chicks several times per day is important to make sure that the environment is dry, draft-free, warm and they are safely growing.  Human interaction is recommended to have them be used to people and living in your backyard chicken coop.

Pick Out Your Chicks
Here are three locations in Santa Fe that have chicks available this spring.

Critters & ME
1403 Agua Fria Street
982-5040

Monte Vista Fuel & Feed, Inc.
3155 Agua Fria Street
474-6717
Mon – Fri 9am – 6pm
Sat 9am – 2pm

The Feed Bin
1202 West Alameda Street
982-0511
Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm
Sat 9am – 5pm

Other Resources for Your Backyard Coop
Enjoy your baby chicks.  Start planning their coops, eating areas and protection from predators.  There are resources locally as well as online.  Here are a few magazine websites that have covered chickens in the past month.

Mother Earth News – click here for the website

Urban Farm- click here for the website

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone that attended the community homesteading potluck last night.  We enjoyed all of your enthusiasm for homegrown food and the delicious dishes that you brought to share.  We had 55 attendees!  Great for our first event.  Thank you for the support and donations.  We hope to see you at the next potluck on Tuesday, April 26 at 7pm.

The Santa Fe Time Bank and Food Depot will speak to share their programs with us.  We would love to make this a zero waste event so please bring your own plate and silverware.  Directions to the Santa Fe Complex are on the Santa Fe Complex website with clear details.  See you there!

Community Garden Plots Still Available

El Dorado School Community Garden

There are still a few great garden plots available in Santa Fe’s community gardens.  If you are interested in gardening this summer but don’t have the space to do it, want learn more about gardening, or just enjoy the camaraderie of gardening with others, run, don’t walk, to one of the following community gardens. They’re available on a first come, first serve basis and are going fast!

The Railyard is still accepting applications for 50 square ft. parcels. The plots are available for a fee of $15 each. Planting will begin in April. For more information and applications go to: thegardens@railyardpark.org. or contact Gaelle de Tassigny through their website.

The El Dorado School Community Garden has 32 square foot in-ground and raised beds available. A one time fee of $30 is required for new members plus $35 for each plot. They also offer shares in their communal area. You can learn more on their website. To sign up, contact Marilynn Jacobs at (505) 466-6707 or www.eldogarden@comcast.net.

The Milagro Community Garden is currently accepting new gardeners and has a waiting list. Plots are approximately 10’ by 16’ and membership is $25 per year, with a one-time fee of $30 the first year. Full and partial scholarships are available.  You can email Milagro_Garden@att.net for more information.

The three City of Santa Fe Community Gardens may have plots available.  They are Sunny Slope Community Garden, Maclovia Community Garden and Frenchy’s Community Garden.  Contact Jessie Esparza at 955-2106 for details.

For more information about community gardens in Santa Fe go to: www.santafecommunitygardens.org

And don’t forget about coming to Home Grown New Mexico’s kick-off potluck tomorrow night, Tuesday March 29^th.  Hope to see you at the Santa Fe Complex!

Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour

Home Grown New Mexico and Edible Santa Fe announce the First Annual 2011 Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour on Sunday, July 24 and Sunday, July 31 from 9am – 1pm.  Visit five gardens each day and discuss the features with the homeowners.  Santa Fe will be on the 24th and Tesuque and Chupadero on the 31st.

• Vegetable Gardens & Fruit Trees
• Backyard Chicken Coops
• Examples of Fine Potagers
• Hot Houses & Cold Frames
• Container Gardens
• Buy Local Products

Early Bird Ticket prices $30 per day or $50 for both days.  Watch our website for details on purchasing the tickets and more information.

Questions: homegrownnewmexico@gmail.com or 473-1403