Planning

The City of Golden permit sign

I have had this idea of raising chickens in my head for a year and half.  It is not something I wanted to jump into uneducated.  I have spent a lot of time on the researching on the internet and scouring websites like BackYardChicken.com  As well as talking to a co-worker and another cycling buddy who have chickens too. While chatting with them and asking questions, I feel good and start to get a sense of what it will require.  Then I get on my own and I feel completely unprepared and scared.  Then I remind my self that people have been raising chickens for thousands of years.  My confidence now starts comes back.  Then I told myself that I teach middle schoolers, so I can easily raise 3 chickens!

A quick Sketchup of the property and where we are going to put the Coop

So, step 1, check with the City of Golden.  For $45 you can get a small animal permit and then are allowed to raise up to 6 hens.  I took Lucy down to the city planning department with a check and a drawing of my property indicating where the coop is going to go.  They then put up the pretty sign in our yard and sent letters to people in the neighborhood living within 500ft of our house inviting my neighbors to the first of two city meetings about our 3 chickens. The lady I spoke with said that others don't normally show up to the meetings, so I don't expect much to get in the way.  The first meeting is coming up next week, I'll let you know how it goes.

Next step, order the chicks...