I might actually be a positive influence, my friend Rich joked the other day. After hearing me go on and on about my chickens — and after discovering that my iPhone contains more photos of my birds than of my kids — he and his wife, Cheryl, decided to start their own backyard flock. “What should we get?” he asked. “What would you get if you were just starting out?”
What would I get? Oooooh boy. It’s not the first time that someone has wanted to know what I consider essential poultry purchases. With spring chick season finally here, I’ll share my list of five must-haves for anyone contemplating dipping their toes — or plunging head first — into the world of chicken ownership.