Westford woman raises chickens for 'green' lifestyle

By Hiroko Sato
Mon Jan 25, 2010, 08:42 AM EST

WESTFORD -- The excitement in the chicken coop in Emily Piper's backyard starts every morning at 6:30 when she and her husband, Eric, hurry down a narrow beaten path through the snow-covered field to the pen.

"Hello, my chicky girls " Piper would shout.

Flapping their wings, the hens swarm around her. Piper knows who's who. The protective one that often tries to push the flock into the pen is Thomasina. The playful birds with brownish feathers are Petra and Cleo. Henrietta Tuftie the Polish black hen with a giant white hair-do would snuggle in her arms as usual.

Piper loves hearing the hens coo. The gentle creatures may have been here only for the past seven months, but they are already part of her family, she says.

Besides, Piper said, "They give us beautiful eggs that are delicious."

Backyard poultry, an ancient tradition that disappeared from much of American landscapes as more woods turned into homes, is making a comeback all across the country. From quiet cul-de-sacs in Massachusetts to fenced-off patios of New York City condos, chicken coops are cropping up, one by one, as hobby farmers teach each other how to build it.

For these residents, chicken coops represent self-reliance. They get their hands dirty and, in turn, the hens give them fresh organic food -- even in the dead of winter. It's about "getting a joy from the nature," as Piper puts it.

Taking care of chickens is not a cakewalk, though. Keep a pitchfork handy because they defecate constantly, Piper says. Heat lamps are also a must-have tool to prevent the hens from getting frostbites on their combs. And, Piper always makes sure the drinking water isn't frozen in the pen as soon as she gets up in the morning.

"If you did it the right way, it's not so easy," says Piper, who read many how-to books before having 25 newborn chicks shipped from Iowa last June in hopes exploring an ultimate green lifestyle.

Luckily, Piper had help. Marti Nelson, who lives next door at Meadowbrook Farm -- a circa-18th-century farmhouse turned into two apartment units with working stables and barns managed by the landlord -- grew up on a Minnesota farm and decided to raise the chickens with her to get back to her own roots.

Together, Piper and Nelson nurtured the day-old chicks with heat lamps and gave each a name. All but one survived and began laying eggs in October. Mixing dirt in the feed is important for their digestion, Piper and Nelson say. Feeding oyster shells also helps make eggshells stronger. The chickens need at least 13 to 14 hours of daylight to lay eggs.

Piper, a recycling artist who works from home, began to enjoy looking after chickens so much that she now feeds them every two hours to keep them entertained. Chickens love apples, squash and all sorts of kitchen scraps. They are curious and intelligent and maintain pecking orders, Piper says.

"There is a sense of community" among the hens, she says.

Piper and Nelson often get together to share quiche and coffee cakes that they hand-made from the two dozen eggs taken from the coop each morning. They also stay in touch with fellow backyard chicken farmers in town to exchange tips on raising birds and recipes for egg dishes.

"It's almost like a chick club," Nelson said, laughing.

But a true rewarding moment for Nelson is when she sees her two granddaughters play with chickens and wash eggs, learning where their food comes from.

The Meadowbrook Farm is a symbol of the old-fashioned sustainable life, Nelson and Piper say. And, chickens only add to the farm's beauty.

"It's our contribution," Piper said.

The Westford Farmers Market will hold a "Backyard Chicken Workshop" as part of its winter series from 4-5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, at First Parish Church United on Main Street. For more information, visit www.westfordfarmersmarket.com.

Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/business/ci_14262654#ixzz0fqxqgrPi