SAN ANTONIO – Zachary Platt, owner of Behind The Oaks Farm in Schertz, sells chickens and eggs, among other meat items his business produces. He highly encourages his clients to consider growing their own chickens for individual consumption if they can.
“If you can have chickens, have layers, and put them in your backyard, you know, there’s no reason not to,” he said.
Research your city, county and HOA ordinances, and once you’re ready to start, Platt said keeping chickens is pretty straightforward.
He said one chicken might feed about one to two people, depending on how many eggs you consume. Consider a mobile chicken coop to help your yard.
“Potentially, if you can move it around your yard, that’s ideal because that’s going to give you -- it’s like a natural fertilizer for your ground,” Platt said.
Ensure the chickens can be protected from predators such as owls, hawks, possums and skunks.
Anyone in Bexar Bexar County considering becoming a poultry parent should know their chicken coop will be tax-exempt.
Rogelio Sandoval, a chief county appraiser, said some could be so extravagant that they might accidentally be incorrectly assessed on a valuation, but that can be protested before the deadline.
“Chicken coops that are used for non-commercial purposes, basically for personal consumption, are exempt from taxation,” he explained.