Urban Chicken Keeping

At Pistils, we love our chickens. And we love to spread that love. Especially in these tough economic times … the joy and value you’ll experience in activating your yard to raise a few hens is hard to measure. A steady supply of fresh organic eggs is just the beginning. Don’t get us started about what great pets chickens are and the many ways they can increase the output of your edibles … When Pistils opened for business seven years ago and began offering baby chicks and the related supplies needed for urban chicken keeping, we definitely turned a few heads. At that time, for a lot of people, the idea of raising chickens in the city seemed to be little more than a novelty. In the meantime, Portland has become a hotbed for urban chicken farmers, as more and more people realize the inherent value of city chicken keeping … and we couldn’t be happier … With new clutches of baby chicks arriving every week through spring and early summer, our year-round offering of chicken keeping supplies and frequent “how-to” workshops, we’re here to help you tend to your backyard flock.

Baby Chicks

Starting in February through early June, our shop is alive with the captivating sights, dulcet sounds, and, yes, “earthy” smells of baby chicks. Our selection changes week-to-week — from the forever-exotic bantams to the good old standards. Beyond the chickens we bring in, we’re always open to special requests … let us know and we’ll do our best to get you sorted. And this year, due to the increased demand for unusual breeds, we have begun incubating. Our first collection is the Malaysian Serama — the smallest breed in the world with a stunning tail and wing carriage and dynamic coloration — and the Penedesenca, which is purported to have the darkest egg color in the world — due to hatch in a few weeks. More to come.

Chicken Keeping Supplies

Year-round, we offer a broad range of supplies for the urban chicken keeper. From feeder/water containers, grit, cracked corn, oyster shell and organic feed to books on care and maintenance and how-tos on building the exact style and size of coop you’ll need for your particular set-up, Pistils is here to help you keep your girls happy and healthy.

Learn Chicken Keeping Here

Pistils offers many educational opportunities for the would-be chicken keeper. Sharing what we know and bringing in chicken keeping experts to host frequent workshops helps us fulfill our passion for serving the community. Check out our workshops page for updates.

Further Resources:

Here are few links to chicken keeping sites we dig. If you know of any chicken keeping sites that may be of use to the Pistils’ community, email us.

• The City Chicken Tons of great down-home info here: thoughtful Q & As, lots of photos and ideas, and many helpful links. A fun and insightful place to explore.
• Happy Hens Blog This is definitely one of our favorite chicken keeping blogs. A wonderful site for exchanging info and photos and connecting with folks who are sincerely passionate about their backyard flock.
• Concentrates Concentrates in southeast supports organic agriculture and has a great selection of bulk livestock feeds, pet food, soil amendments and more.
• Growing Gardens Growing Gardens is a local non-profit that actively supports urban homesteading for a great cause: fighting hunger. On their “chickens” page, you’ll find many valuable resources for chicken keeping.