SOUTHAMPTON — It’s no secret that local agriculture and farm-to-table food have risen in popularity over the past several years. But what about poultry?
Raising chickens at home has also become more popular, according to Dave Fournier, manager of Tractor Supply in Southampton. His store held an event to help the community get educated and pick up the necessary items to get started — from chicken coops to the chicks themselves.
“This is our first year doing the backyard event. People are showing more interest,” Fournier said.
The backyard poultry event was held at Tractor Supply on College Highway on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, which included a bake sale, was in partnership with a local 4H club and Helen’s Heroes.
According to Fournier, who lives in Northampton, there are several options for backyard poultry. Some folks raise chickens for their eggs, while other breeds, like Cornish Rocks, are meat producers.
Someone just getting started with backyard poultry can get chickens at any age, Fournier said. The chicks in his store, he said, were less than a week old as of Saturday. Chicks must be bought in groups of six or more, according to state law. The law prevents chicks from being bought as Easter gifts, signs around the store explained.
Fournier said young chicks require a heat lamp, food, water, electrolytes and some form of container, like a tub, to house chicks in until they grow old enough to live in a coop.
Some 200 chicks chirped from about half a dozen tubs in the center of the store. Stephanie Maxwell and her son Ryder Cornelius, 2, of Huntington, gazed at the birds, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. It Ryder’s second time seeing chicks, Maxwell said.
“He wants one,” Maxwell said with a laugh. “Every time we drive by we have to come in.”
Sandy Brougham, of Belchertown, is the leader of a local 4H club and the owner of 150 chickens. She said she sees the backyard poultry movement gaining momentum.
“People are getting back to basics and growing their own food,” Brougham said.
The 4H club brought several adult chickens to showcase during the event. Brougham’s 4H club is made up of 30 children ages 5 to 18. She runs seminars several times a year, she said, about proper poultry care. Important things to note are proper housing in different seasons, treatment for diseases and parasites among the birds.
The chickens in Brougham’s backyard are show birds, she said, and she cares for them with the help of the 4H club children. In addition to keeping the birds healthy and safe, they also must be properly groomed. Club members bathe the birds, blow them dry and clip their beaks and nails.
“Not every kid can have a bird in their backyard,” Brougham said. “They are their birds; they come during the week and care for them.”
Justin Clement, of Westfield, is a member of the Tractor Supply team. He grew up around chickens on his family farm in Montgomery, he said. Backyard poultry popular because it is a way for people to know what is going into their food, Clement said.
“People like to know what they’re eating,” Clement said. “People know what’s going into the chicken.”
Clement’s advice for those starting out in backyard poultry?
“You have to be committed,” Clement said. “You have to make sure they have food and water, keep them clean and safe and warm at night. And you have to know if your town allows you to have them.”
According to Fournier, chicks will be available at Tractor Supply for several weeks. More information is available on the store’s website, tractorsupply.com.
Stephanie Murray can be reached at stephaniemur@umass.edu