Saturday, April 13, 2024
9am-1pm
On-site

*Registration is per family/couple.
You have the choice of class only or class and a make & take brooder kit!

Jesse is graciously donating all supplies and money from this workshop as a fundraiser for our Herb House Cultural Center project.  His donation, along with any that you’d like to add at checkout, will be matched 25% by a Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. This project, in part, will give Shaker Village expanded space for traditional arts workshops and communal events as well as, obviously, an expanded Herb House facility that will allow for us to produce, dry, and process more herbs in the traditional Shaker method.  We are beyond excited for this project and thank you for your support!

Do you want a flock of backyard chickens but don’t know where to start? This 4-hour class will give you the basic knowledge to raise chicks to adult chickens with a strong focus on humane best-practices.  Led by Jesse Michaud of Poland, ME.

Learn how to make a custom chick brooder and leave with the knowledge to care for the chicks until they are full feathered and can be outside in a coop on their own. We will talk about proper coop spacing, chicken run spacing, and how to secure your coop from common Maine predators.

Best practice animal husbandry will be the focus on this class:
-Where to begin (hint: this class is a good start!)
-How to continue to be successful through all the seasons of MAINE.
-There will be live chick and adult hen handling in the class from Jesse’s flock.

Registrants at the “Brooder & Kit” level will leave with your own chick brooding set-up (pictured) to begin your backyard farm!  Included in the brooder kit will be:
-Large plastic tote to use as a brooder
-Brooder heat plate
-Water dish
-A bag of shavings
-A bag of Chick food
-A bag of grit

Jesse Michaud is Co-owner of In-Between Farm, a hobby farm located in Poland, Maine. They focus on several varieties of chickens, Nigerian Dwarf goats, and Italian honey bees. The mission of In-Between farm is to provide quality animal husbandry, to all animals.  Jesse also volunteers on the Shaker Farm, helping to keep the sheep & cows healthy!  You might recognize him from our Sheep VS Cow Fundraiser Showdown.

*Registration is per family/couple.
You have the choice of class only or class and a make & take brooder kit!

Friends of the Shakers members receive $5 off every workshop – join or renew today to claim your discounted ticket.