Poultry in Motion: The Easy Chicken Has Hatched

Seth and Maria Jansen have left behind the office-bound "cubicular" world and dumped their savings into a new business that offers a key part of the YULF (Young Urban Locavore Foodie) experience: the set-up to raise your own chickens.

Their new venture, “The Easy Chicken,” is a one-stop-shop that offers the chicken coop, enough feed to last six months, and grown, egg-laying hens, all bundled together. But will the upwardly mobile ovaphile go for it?

Let's hear from the first couple of coops themselves.

Why did you decide to start this business?

Maria: We have friends who have a farm in Ste. Genevieve, and we spent some time farm-sitting, and we saw how our boys were interacting with the chickens. Once we went through the process and got our own chickens, we fell in love with them because they're so entertaining and useful. It took some time to learn about how to raise them, and we thought we could make it easier for people. We decided to start a family business.

Where do you get your chickens?

Seth: We work with a farm that keeps them. It's in St. Louis County.

Maria: The farm maintains a flock for us, and we monitor them to make sure they'll be laying before we sell them to people with the package.

What breeds are you offering?

Maria: There are quite a few breeds that lay well. We take ones that are good layers and are pretty docile, because most of our customers will have children they want the chickens to interact with. We have Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, and we're considering others. We also want to bring back the White Leghorn, which are like Foghorn Leghorn.

How many eggs will you get per week from a hen?

Maria: A chicken will lay four to six eggs a week during peak laying season, April through October. They lay less if it's extra-hot. During winter they may not lay as much. Some people use artificial lighting to extend the laying season.

How long are they expected to live?

Maria: About seven years. They lay well for about three years.

Can you eat the chickens?

Maria: After three years they're not going to be juicy chickens, they'll be more like stewing hens. Most people who raise backyard chickens will keep them as pets, though. A lot of people have both younger chickens as layers and older chickens as pets. We'll also take them back at any point if our customers like, and either find a home for them or see that they're used as stewing hens. If you're a vegetarian and you want to make sure they're relocated, we'll make sure of that.

What's your coop like? This is something you two designed?

Maria: Yes – it's an A-frame

Seth: It's a classic architectural design that never goes out of style. (laughs)

Maria: The enclosed part is enclosed with plywood, corrugated plastic, and steel roofing material. And then there's a run, where they have space to roam freely and eat some bugs and grass. That's covered with welded wire to keep out any predators. We use a mobile design. There are two reclaimed stroller wheels on the heavier end. If you don't want the chickens to tear up a part of the yard, you move the coop around, and it's easier on your lawn, and gives them access to fresh grass. We recommend moving the coop every day. It's pretty lightweight. We also use reclaimed hinges and door handles from Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. We cleaned 'em out of hinges and handles a few weeks ago! You should also know we designed the coop to be predator-proof. It should keep out foxes, possums, raccoons, hawks, owls, and coyotes. It's also as easy as possible to take care of. There's no floor to clean or bedding to change.

Some municipalities allow chickens, and some don't. You're on top of that?

Maria: I did a ton of research over the winter. I looked through everybody's ordinances and contacted a lot of municipalities. If you go to our website we have a regulations page that covers almost 100 local municipalities. Kirkwood is one of the best. They allow you to keep however many chickens you want, and don't have any restrictions on your coop or how to manage them, as long as your neighbors don't complain. Town & Country and St. Ann don't allow chickens. Ladue does. Clayton does. U. City is, shall we say, somewhat restrictive. You have to have an inspection every quarter that costs $25, plus a $75 permit fee, and there can only be four permits in effect at any one time. Only four families in U. City can have chickens. In St. Louis City, you can have four chickens without a permit, but if you want to have any more you have to apply for a non-commercial kennel permit. Most municipalities won't allow roosters at all, by the way.

What's it like to go in the backyard and get your own eggs?

Maria: That's our children's favorite thing to do. They still come in every day and say, “Guess what I have?” We say, “That's wonderful! Go put them on the counter.” It's neat to see that each chicken has a unique egg. The Ameraucana breed lays a green or even a blue egg. The Maran lays a really dark egg. Other chickens lay everything in-between. A few weeks ago we got a double-yolk egg, too!

Everyone seems to give their backyard chickens funny names. What are your chickens' names?

We have four at the house. The kids named them. One of them is called “Yes Egg” in the summer when she's laying and “No Egg” in the winter if she's not laying. (Laughs) We have one named “Egg Souffle” (left) because that's our four-year-old's favorite egg dish. We have “Flapper Jumper,” because that's what she likes to do, and then we have “Mommy.” She's also the fattest hen, so that's a real compliment (Laughs).

What's the best way to, uh, play with a chicken?

Maria: The kids love to play with them, to feed them by hand and stroke their feathers. When they see us they come running for scraps, which we give them as treats. It's great to watch them bathe. They bathe by getting dirty. They make a little hole and roll around in it and get all contorted. Then they lie there like they're dead. The dirt acts like an exfoliant. Then they shake it off like a dog.

Do your neighbors like the chickens, too?

Maria: You know the stereotype of the guy who brings a dog to the park to pick up chicks? If you get chickens, there's an attraction there. People stop and talk to you. They're amazed. At our house the neighborhood kids come over all the time to play with the chickens.

So what do I get if I buy the Easy Chicken package?

Maria: Our packages are all-inclusive. They come with a coop, egg-laying hens, a six-month supply of feed – which also comes in an organic non-GMO option, a startup class, and access to the Easy Chicken hotline.

How does the Easy Chicken hotline work?

Maria: We want to give people a comfort level. They can call us with any questions. We can explain the dirt baths, for instance, and that they're normal. Someone said to me, “I've been wanting chickens for so long, but I didn't have the confidence to figure it out for myself.” It's also a great service for busy people who don't have the time to figure it all out.

Besides the chicken feed, what else do chickens eat?

Maria: Just about anything. Their favorite scraps are apple cores and bananas and greens. They love broccoli leaves and kale and chard, tomatoes, melons, squash... You can feed them crushed eggshells for calcium. You shouldn't feed them citrus, sugar, or anything with caffeine – and don't give them avocado. Avocados are not good for birds in general.

Can you spot the difference between a backyard egg and your typical supermarket egg on the plate?

Maria: With the backyard egg, the yolk is firmer and a deeper orange.

You must eat a lot of eggs. What do you like to cook with them?

Maria: We like to make quiches and souffles. Our older two boys are really good at scrambling and poaching eggs now. We eat a lot of eggs, and we give some away. It's a great token of appreciation.

Will I be saving money with Easy Chicken?

Maria: You are not going to save any money. If you are only interested in saving money, it's probably not for you. This way, you can make your “food miles” zero. We're offering a healthy alternative, and it's local. Chickens who eat grass are healthier. They're lower in cholesterol and saturated fat, and much higher in vitamins and omega 3. Even if you get white, cage-free eggs at the store, it doesn't mean the chickens are well cared-for. Even if the package says “free-range,” it's no guarantee they weren't raised on a manure-filled, overcrowded patio. They may also cut off their beaks, still.

It seems like you're starting this business at a time when issues of food ethics are really heating up.

Seth: It's definitely an exciting time to be in St. Louis and be part of this local food movement with respect for the animal and providing more healthy, nutritious options.

Maria: Not everyone can go out and be a farmer, but having a few chickens in your backyard is a great first step toward getting back to making your own food resources. You can farm where you are.

TheEasyChicken.com

314-852-2802

Look for the Easy Chicken booth on select dates at the Schlafly Farmers' Market, Kirkwood Farmers' Market, Tower Grove Farmers' Market, Webster Groves Farmers' Market, and at the Missouri Botanical Garden's Green Homes Festival on June 7.

Some photos, including the portrait of Seth and Maria below, courtesy of Alan Brunettin