Several classes and workshops are being offered this month for those interested in raising poultry.

• Valley Farm Center is holding a Poultry 101 class on Wednesday, March 5 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. This free class features two special guests, information for all levels, deals and prizes. Participants need to pre-register by calling (360) 336-3123 or in store at 305 Freeway Drive in Mount Vernon. Another poultry class has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 26.

• Scratch and Peck Feeds “you are what your animals eat” will offer a free class on chicken care called Peeps for Keeps: Chicken Care Seminar on Saturday, March 8. Topics include breed basics, raising chicks, coops, proper nutrition, health issues, senior chicken care and more. The class is free, but reservations are required. The class will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Whatcom Humane Society, Multi Purpose Room in Bellingham. The door prize is a chicken starter kit. Contact WHS outreach/education coordinator Cari S. at outreach@whatcomhumane.org or (360) 733-2080, ext # 3116.

• The WA Feather Fanciers Poultry Show is Saturday, March 15. The group promotes chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowl, and will meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free. The event will be held at Pavilion #600 at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. For details, see www.washingtonfeatherfanciers.webs.com.

• City Chickens with Anacortes resident Linda Zielinski takes place Wednesday, March 19. Zielinski will discuss regulations for keeping poultry, coop and run size and design, food and water needs, raising baby chicks, health issues and diseases, healthful handling of chickens and eggs, safe use of chicken manure, and keeping your chickens content. The class is free and held at 6:30 p.m. at the Skagit Valley Co-op in Mount Vernon. To pre-register, call (360) 336-5087, ext. 136.

• Pasture Poultry Production, a workshop for both current producers considering scaling up their production and those interested in starting out, will be held Monday, March 24. Organized by the Northwest Agricultural Business Center, workshop presenters will discuss how to safely, profitably, and legally raise meat birds, and how to evaluate the operation before getting started. Topics include breeds, chick sourcing and creating an on-farm hatchery, husbandry tips for commercial pastured poultry production, building a healthy pasture forage system, poultry nutrition overview, risk management, and requirements for on-farm WSDA processing. The class is $55 and will be held three times: March 10 at Skagit Farmers Main Office, 1833 Park Ln, Burlington; March 17 at WSU Snohomish County, 600 128th St SE, Everett; and March 24 at the WSU Whatcom County, 1000 N Forest St, Bellingham. See www.agbizcenter.org and click on Classes and Workshops to register.