What I learned when I went to poultry school

How hard could it be to get a few ducklings from the feed store and set them up in my apartment?

Impossible, it turns out, but I had to wonder while watching the chicks and ducklings at Tractor Supply Co. in Thomaston before “Backyard Poultry 101” began on Saturday.

I didn’t say what was on my mind, but store manager Michael Emerson told me poultry are not pets and provided handouts to help prepare for when I do have proper resources.

I was then surprised by the opportunity to go beyond the textbook. Many staff are also animal experts, like Richard Towle, who raises 200 poultry on his Warren homestead and hasn’t been to a grocery store in years.

The trip was another valuable reminder that knowledge can be found unexpectedly and often freely given if you stay curious.

Towle generously answered some of my burning questions about life with backyard birds:

How do I choose between chickens, ducks or turkeys?

Generally, chickens are heartier and lower maintenance; a prime concern is keeping dust down. Bantams are a delicate chicken, requiring more space and water changes, and not recommended for beginners.

Ducks eat twice a day and need lots of fresh water. On the other hand, they are “better survivors” and tend to look up more, scanning for predators in the air — unlike turkeys.

The choice of meat or laying birds depends on your needs, but this guide can give you a starting point.

Which ones did I get?

A bird’s sex is somewhat a game of chance, but there are some early signs. Roosters have slightly longer tail feathers, and a turkey hen will let its legs dangle when you pick it up while males pull their feet in. Ducks take a bit longer to develop the curled tail feather that distinguishes males.

If I want to go free range, when do I start?

Keep your birds close to home until they know where they lay their eggs and who feeds them. Towle also recommends against trimming a free range bird’s flight feathers. His free-ranging hens roost 20 to 25 feet in the air at night, and have outflown risks before.

How can I save money?

If you aim to offset your grocery bill , try fermenting cheaper feed, which expands the volume and provides probiotics. Mix feed and water evenly and keep the mix above 60 degrees for five days.

Not everyone agrees with this method, saying the risks outweigh the benefits.

For calcium, try gathering and crushing your own oyster shells. Some homesteaders try feeding their chickens their own eggshells . Or, buy a poultry block — also a good source of entertainment for you.

What do I do with all those eggs?

Towle likes water glassing, which preserves the raw eggs whole. He mixes water and agricultural lime to store the eggs. A quart-to-ounce ratio works.

This is an old-fashioned method that some still use, though researchers say you are at risk of salmonella and botulism .

Scrambled eggs can be dehydrated and hard-boiled eggs safely pickled.

What about bird flu?

Get ahead of the risk by keeping ducks separate from wildlife and other poultry.

Chickens and turkeys can room together, though. At Towle’s off-grid place, they warm his brooders to 80 degrees. Other measures include keeping your birds in a pen designed for biosecurity, protecting your birds from wild animals and limiting outside visitors.

Answers to other questions, like winter care , can be found through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. They offer additional classes this week in South Paris and Falmouth.