Ridgefield residents Ellen and Mike Bonheim are taking the hassle out of owning and raising chickens. Enter Hassle Free Hens.
“The story of Hassle Free Hens started with our decision to make healthier, more responsible food choices for our family,” the Bonheims explain. Here, we talk with Mike and Ellen about their newly launched business and find out how they are helping Fairfield County residents rule the roost - sans the hassle.
Ellen brings a host of knowledge to Hassle-free hens including a degree in Animal Science and more than 15 years of experience as a Veterinary Technician. What made you realize the time was right to begin this business?
When we first considered owning backyard chickens ourselves, Ellen spent hours researching, learning, and identifying everything we would need to buy, build, own and do so we could make an educated decision whether it was right for our family. Once we made that decision, she knew exactly what kind of setup, breeds, food, and everything else we would want.
In the years since, the learning has not ceased for a moment... we began hatching our own chicks in incubators and "under hen," we learned - sometimes the hard way - about how to reduce the risk of predators, had to learn to recognize common ailments and treatments, met vendors and suppliers to identify the best and best-priced supplies and products, and much more.
Our collective knowledge grew to the point that friends began coming to us for advice with their hens, or when they were thinking about owning. Those friends sent friends.
However, the point of inspiration came when Ellen received a message from a local resident who we did not know who said that she had "heard through the grapevine that Ellen was a great resource."
I realized then that there was a very real need for this kind of guidance in the area, that we had reached the point that we could provide that service at a superior level, and that we could help folks discover the fun of backyard chickens and simultaneously help them provide healthy foods for their families sourced in the most humane way possible.
And, since we're simply a local family who found a passion, we could provide this service as neighbors looking to help - we're a local family just like those families we would serve - rather than as a business looking to make a sale. We could help people determine what was right for them, not just what we were looking to sell.
What if I’m just considering owning/raising hens? Can you help?
Of course! That is what we do! We help people learn about owning and raising hens so they can decide if it is right for them. Then, if they decide that they do want to have their own backyard flock, we help them every step of the way, from design, to build, and through every part of ongoing ownership and maintenance.
What services do you provide? Does Hassle Free Hens offer ongoing support locals raising hens?
We call our service "concierge coop consultants" because we are here to assist at just about any level of support someone may desire. If they only want assistance in choosing the right breeds, the right coop, and initial setup and build... we can help.
If they are looking for a full-service caretaker who will handle every part of the ownership process, including coop cleanouts at any frequency, food and supply delivery, and 24-hour on-call support for any questions or concerns... we can help there too.
Or, we can provide support at any level in between - our goal is to provide whatever level of service may be desired, right up to "just go out and collect your fresh eggs every morning," all with the great discounts we've been able to arrange from the vendors we've met on our journey.
Read more about services provided by hassle Free Hens here.
Will Hassle Free Hens offer services to nearby towns?
We are starting out providing service throughout Fairfield County for families with existing small flocks or those looking to establish a flock. We have been in touch with the zoning departments of those towns immediately surrounding Ridgefield so we know what kind of restrictions, requirements, or permits may be required (though permits are usually not needed for flocks under 75 birds).
Looking forward, we would love to expand into counties north of Fairfield, and into Westchester and other NY counties. Someday, we may consider providing services to larger, commercial operations like some of our many local farms.
But for now, it's just neighbors helping neighbors.
Learn more about Hassle Free Hens here.