From Chick to Stock: All You Need to Raise Backyard Chickens

This practical workshop will take you through the planning and preparation to care for your own backyard poultry. Through guided discussion, resources, and hands-on experience you will discover everything you need to confidently and humanely raise chickens for eggs, meat, or just for fun.

This is a project-based learning experience in which you will document your own personal plan covering every aspect of selecting and caring for your birds from birth to death. You will also have the opportunity to get hands-on with the birds and learn practical biosecurity and food safety.

Emails will be sent with any pre-work ahead of class. Participants are encouraged to contact the instructor ahead of class with any questions.

What to Bring: Please wear closed-toed, clean shoes that have not been used around other poultry. A change of clothes is recommended since, well, accidents can happen. Also bring your lunch, snacks, and a water bottle.

Instructor Bio: George Sawyer stewards a 20-acre diversified, certified organic farm with his wife Mandi. Together, they care for several breeds of heritage goats and chickens as well as an apiary, wild harvest, and Livestock Guardian Dogs. The farm is operated regeneratively using rotational grazing and other permaculture techniques.

If you would be interested in staying overnight at WEI before and/or after this class, please reserve accommodations through our FarmStay.

WEI has an annual scholarship fund to support cost-accessible programming. Please see scholarship application instructions in the class registration form.