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5/1/23, 2:26 PM Raising backyard chickens requires money, time and pluck. Here's how to do it <br />https://www.startribune.com/raising-backyard-chickens-requires-money-time-and-pluck-heres-how-to-do-it/600271307/3/5 <br />Schuft hypothesizes while backyard flocks were susceptible to HPAI between 2014 and <br />2015, those owners had more experience keeping birds isolated from their wild <br />counterparts. <br />"In 2022, all of a sudden, this whole new audience has been [caught unaware] that their <br />birds are going to be compromised and are at-risk now," Schuft said. "They're not fully <br />understanding the risk of the migratory bird." <br />Owners should keep areas clean and avoid sharing equipment with neighbors. They <br />should also watch for odd behavior in their birds — such as tremors or paralyzed wings <br />— and report any concerns to a statewide hotline (833-454-0156). <br />The financial peck-ture <br />So, to recap: If farm-fresh eggs and feathered friends still sound appealing, you'll need a <br />coop (a couple hundred bucks), some nutritionally balanced food (about $30 per 50- <br />pound bag) and then the chicks (usually a couple dollars per, though it depends on the <br />breed and the hatchery). <br />Different breeds have different temperaments and egg color, if that matters to you. But a <br />good start is to go for heavier breeds that are better-equipped to handle Minnesota's cold <br />winters, like Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Ameraucana and Orpington. <br />Lastly, you'll also need city compliance. City of Minneapolis officials say there are 280 <br />fowl permits right now, with another 70-plus in processing. Last year, the city took in 35 <br />complaints of chickens making noise, emanating unpleasant smells or running around <br />loose. Folks in town also need to pay at least $30 for a one-year permit for six or fewer <br />hens. It's $105 to keep a rooster, but he's really only necessary if you want to make chicks <br />or are prepared to harvest eggs every day before they can develop into fetuses. <br />For the first few years, a hen will lay eggs frequently (maybe six a week). But for the <br />remainder of that bird's life, the egg production will slow down. And those birds need <br />care for their duration, sometimes a decade or more. <br />Find your wings <br />The labors of bird-owning didn't necessarily dim Engberg's affection for her flock. For <br />years, she cared for her birds, which laid eggs Engberg gifted to friends and neighbors. <br />After her last bird died in 2021, she saw an opportunity to stretch her own wings. <br />"I want to travel," Engberg said, explaining why she no longer owns a backyard flock. <br />Vacationing was tough to do all those years, when a flock of domesticated birds needed <br />her attention from her backyard. <br />Or at least on one occasion, her neighbor's side of the fence.