Let’s talk chickens. This month the library is hosting several chicken-related workshops, including building a coop. There will even be baby chicks in the library.
The City of Kalispell allows for a handful of chickens inside city limits, provided you get a permit, follow the rules and don’t have a rooster. If you manage the entire life cycle of your chickens, be sure to follow these gruesome ordinances: “No chickens shall be slaughtered within the public view” and “No person shall haul the body of a dead animal … without such body being entirely covered.”
Gruesomeness aside, I can see the appeal of chickens in the backyard. They’re fluffy, small and (theoretically) quiet. They lay really delicious eggs. And baby chicks are adorable fuzz balls with legs. With chickens, you can enjoy some hints of farm life without having to manage an entire farm.
But they are still farm-type animals requiring care and upkeep. It’s essential to provide a safe coop, adequate food and water, warmth, and enough space to roam and peck without destroying your flowerbeds or vegetable garden.
Whether you’re ready to dive in or still need to decide if chickens are right for you, visit the popular website BackyardChickens.com or browse the many chicken books in the library. Learn how to build the best chicken coops, get the most colorful eggs, grow a chicken-friendly garden, compost with chicken manure, solve chicken problems and breed the prettiest hens.
And be sure to follow those ordinances.
ImagineIF Libraries encourage exploration, fresh ideas and self-discovery. Learn more at www.imagineiflibraries.org.