A Most Egg-cellent Family Pet: Chickens!
When the Hartneys of South Tampa aren’t at work or school, or blasting off to worlds far, far away in MOSI’s new “Above and Beyond” exhibit, our cover family is busy raising seven adorable Orpington hens.
It wasn’t part of the plan to adopt chickens, but their youngest, Evie, was persistent in her request. She put together a PowerPoint presentation for her parents, backing up her case with plenty of research. And she even checked with the City of Tampa to see what the rules are: It turns out they can have up to 10 hens — but no roosters. Nearly a year later, they have the freshest eggs on the block and a fun experience to share with you!
Okay—how did you end up with these beautiful hens in your backyard?
Kim Hartney: So it was not our idea at all. It was our 10-year-old daughter. She was turning 10, and the only thing she asked for was … chickens. And we said, ‘how about a birthday party?’
She was really persistent. She researched which ones were heat-tolerant, which ones were the quietest, the cuddliest … and the ones that wanted to be held the most were definitely high on the criteria. And she said, “I want Orpingtons,” and we still said, “No.” But she remained really true to it.
And so on her birthday, we ended up getting baby chicks.
What has the experience been like?
Kim Hartney: I think they're a wonderful pet. Definitely, these are the most expensive eggs that we’ve ever had in our household. [Laughs]
But they’re good eggs, right? Do they actually taste better than store-bought?
Kim Hartney: Oh, yeah. We did a side-by-side taste test with the organic eggs, too.
Mark Hartney: We also went on YouTube and researched recipes for eggs: How many ways can you scramble an egg? How many ways can you fry an egg?
Kim Hartney: Both the kids can now independently make eggs.
How many eggs do you get each day from your hens?
Kim Hartney: I would say, probably six eggs a day. We have seven hens, and we get six eggs a day, which she [daughter Evie] periodically goes and sells to unsuspecting neighbors.
So she’s also honing her entrepreneurship skills, too!
Kim Hartney: Yeah, I will say the price of the eggs varies — very odd market. [Laughs] If you're a
friendly buyer and you talk to her for a while, eggs are very, very cheap. Sometimes someone overpays, and then they'll get cheaper eggs next time.
Kim Hartney: Our neighbors' girls will come over now, like at 7:30 in the morning. They ring our doorbell and say, “Hey … can we get some eggs?”
You guys are good neighbors to have! What has it been like to see your daughter thrive with the responsibility of raising hens?
Kim Hartney: Oh, it's been really great; it really has. It's a source of pride for her too, more so than I ever imagined. She loves her chickens, and the reluctant tween who had no interest in them is the first one to let them out every morning, to voice any worries — like hurricane preparedness plans and plans for when we go on vacation.
It sounds like the kids are learning a lot of life lessons here.
Kim Hartney: A lot of life lessons we did not expect. It's been a delight.
It looks like raising chickens has been a fun family bonding experience, too.
Kim Hartney: We routinely come out here … I'd say four nights a week … and sit with the chickens. They’re happy.
Mark Hartney: We’ll bring them whatever's left over in the refrigerator. They are composters.
Kim Hartney: Yeah, they’re omnivores. So they'll just eat everything.
That’s another nice perk! So, nothing goes to waste in your fridge.
Kim Hartney: Oh, yeah. They go crazy over all of our leftover fruit.
Mark Hartney: We gave them some like potato salad, and their beaks were covered in mayonnaise. It was funny because they were wiping their beaks on the grass, and then they came over, and they wiped it on our shoe and our shirt, and then they're like, “ Okay, I'm back to it.”
Compared to other pets, what has raising backyard chickens been like?
Kim Hartney: It feels different than a dog or a cat. They do reside outside, and you can bring them in to watch TV, but it's kind of nice for families who have allergies. There's certainly no allergens there. So it's delightful.
They came out to you right away. They must like you guys!
Kim Hartney: They prefer to be around you. They really do! Most of the time when we're in the house, they sit there, and they watch for us.
Mark Hartney: Their eyes must be better than I give them credit for because I feel like they can see into the house.
Did you ever imagine this would be your life, harvesting freshly laid eggs every day?
Kim Hartney: I didn’t see myself here, in South Tampa with chickens, but I’m glad we’re here! [Laughs]
Want to get chickens, too?
Do your research as Evie did! Check with your municipality, county and/or your HOA to see what’s allowed. The rules vary city to city in Tampa Bay, and many HOAs do not allow them.
You also want to make sure you have plenty of space for the chickens and the right equipment, such as a coop to protect them from predators and manage heat.
Buy your chickens from a trusted source. The Hartneys say they bought theirs at a local Tractor Supply Co store.