GARDEN CITY, Idaho — While raising backyard chickens has been something residents of the Treasure Valley have done for decades, over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and last spring’s egg price hike, consumers are more inclined to get their eggs another way.
Every city in the Treasure Valley allows you to raise at least six hens at home, with some cities allowing up to ten. Across the board, roosters are not allowed. Raising the animals takes time and money, but many say it's worth the investment.
“Piece of mind, because prices are kinda going crazy and we saw eggs get astronomically expensive. So we figured, 'You know what? It probably would not be a bad idea to just produce our own,' and so maybe it's a healthier choice,” says Garden City chicken owner, Rick Montgomery.
The Treasure Valley has many resources for those interested in owning hens.
“I’ve had my eyes glued to ‘Treasure Valley Chickens’ on Facebook, and the wonderful people and their wonderful advice and experiences with chickens, It just made me feel like I wanted to become one of them,” says Middleton chicken owner, Skippi Memmott.
Most first-time chicken owners invest in the hens for the fresh eggs, but after speaking with owners like Skippi, it’s clear that they are more than just egg producers, they're pets that become part of the family.
“I really believe that there is a great therapy coming my way,” says Memmott.
Lifetime Coops is a custom chicken coop company in Garden City that opened its doors just a few months ago and is already expanding so rapidly with the growing number of orders.
“A lot of customers will come in to order a coop only to find out that you know hey their neighbors now want one because they're going to keep up with them,” says Chris Schlegel, owner of custom chicken coop company Lifetime Coops.
Like any pet ownership, chickens aren't something to rush into.
They need room to move around and require regular care, like food and water picking up eggs and cleaning out the coop.
“Our morning kind of starts coming out and checking on the chickens, it ends with checking on the chicken. So they become really great pets. Having a really great covered environment, safe environment, for them, is really important for us, and Lifetime Coops did a great job at creating that.”
Schlegel says those interested in hens should be sure to check your city's animal laws and double-check your HOA regulations.
For more details on what animal laws your city has visit the Humane Society’s Animal Law page.
