Ruling the Roost
HOW TO GET STARTED: Webster Groves-resident Jenny Bristow joined multiple backyard chicken Facebook groups—St. Louis Urban Chickens, for example, is 1,100 members strong—to see examples of hen houses and run setups. Melia Reeves-Long, who keeps a coop at her home in Brentwood, did plenty of research before gathering her flock. “Talking to people helped get us started,” she says.
WHAT YOU NEED: Dave Zahn of The Easy Chicken recommends investing in a well-built coop that provides chickens with plenty of space to roam, an area for running, and a feeder and water container. To avoid making multiple trips during the winter months to ensure water isn’t frozen, Zahn uses a heated dog bowl and leaves it outside the run to prevent moisture inside the coop.
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THE BENEFITS: Eggs, of course. But hens provide a bevy of other emotional and educational benefits. “Keeping chickens is a great way to teach children to take responsibility,” says Bristow. Reeves-Long likens her flock to therapy. “It’s bonding time for me and my husband,” she says. “It’s fun to watch them peck and explore…There’s an emotional benefit to having them.”
THE DIFFICULTIES: Getting to know the animals can mean devastation when disease or predators strike. “You learn to love them, and they are part of your family.” says Cathy Spahn, who cares for a coop in Kirkwood.
GOOD CANDIDATE: “Think of raising chickens as a long game, not a short-term financial win to avoid the cost of eggs,” says Bristow. A good owner, says Zahn, is anyone who’s able to do the physical work, is willing to put in the effort, and knows that, as with any other pet or animal, you need to be responsible in caring for them or hire the right people to help you.
The Buzz on Bees
HOW TO GET STARTED: Jane Sueme is the co-founder of Saint Louis Beekeepers, and the owner of beekeeping supply store Isabee’s. She says the best way to get started is to check out someone else’s hive. “We suggest getting someone to commit to mentoring you for the first year or two,” says Sueme. Jeremy Idleman, founder of Bee Found, agrees. “People are curious about beekeeping, but through these conversations, a community is built. Sometimes, in those communities, new beekeepers are developed, and those beekeepers help each other.”
WHAT YOU NEED: According to Wildwood beekeeper Scott Allred, a beginner needs a wooden hive for each colony of bees, as well as a bee suit, bee gloves, a smoker, and a hive tool used to pry apart boxes and remove frames. “We usually recommend that a new beekeeper get two hives to start,” he says. “This allows them to compare them to each other and also share resources.” The upfront cost for the bees and hives, says Allred, is around $1,200.
THE BENEFITS: Beyond honey, bees provide beeswax, bee pollen, and bee venom. There are also emotional benefits. “Being in the presence of bees is calming,” says Allred. “Not only the gentle hum of the bees coming and going, but the smell of ripening honey that emanates from a hive is intoxicating.”
GOOD CANDIDATE: “There are people who want to increase the number of bees in the environment, people who are interested in the pollination of their gardens, people who are interested in the harvest of honey,” says Allred. Sueme says there are about 1,500 active beekeepers in the metro area. Saint Louis Beekeepers hosts meetings at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center where newcomers can find mentorship and guidance.
