By Debbie Bier, publisher and editor of this website, backyard farmer, and possible future chicken raiser
Raising backyard chickens has hit the country big time -- and of course, this is true right here in Concord. Concordians have long raised poultry -- after all, we were established as an agricultural community and have in many ways worked to retain those roots. But this trend of raising chickens is bigger than that nation-wide: it's now considered to be a certified phenomenon.
In our ongoing household experiments on self-sufficiency, we are doing great raising plant foods. We are -- even at this dead-of-winter time -- able to harvest some food from our solar greenhouse many days of the week. Certainly enough to feed us as part of our dinner several times a week. If added to other homegrown vegetables and legumes in storage, we can have an entirely homegrown vegetarian meal.
But we eat animal products in our household: meat, eggs, cheese... it's part of our high-variety diet. So therefore, we've had our eye on adding chickens to our roost for eggs and possibly meat. In this way, too, we know that the animals that give us food are raised in impeccably compassionate, healthy ways.
Plus, they seem to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys (please excuse what turns out to be a bit of a mixed metaphor).
So, what exactly is happening on the local chicken/duck/goose/guinea hen scene? Lots, and it's hard to know the entire scope because it's occurring tucked away in backyards all over. But here are a few things to start you on your own exploration of backyard chickens.
Make a first stop at the Carlisle Chicken Discussion list (soon to be renamed something that notes that members aren't just from Carlisle): http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/CarlisleChickenGroup/ -- and what a delightful group this is! Members are generous, helpful, informed, and pleasant -- and always happy to help a newbie like me. I've read their entire 600+ message archives (think of it like a story of many threads, all bound together by a love of poultry), and I can tell this group is the best of neighbors helping neighbors. They have sold eggs together, gone to poultry shows as a group, held potlucks, coop tours, and have done group purchases. Right now, a member is investigating commissioning a bulk no-soy feed mix that many of us are interested in. A winter potluck/group baby chick order is upcoming.
Check out the Carlisle Hen Cam! Food and children's book writer, Terry Golsom runs this enterprise in her backyard -- where backyard chickens live, of course. http://www.hencam.com
No fewer than three local chicken-related blogs are available:
One thing has become clear: people looooove their backyard chickens. These are no mere working animals. They are pets and family members. This to me is both touching and amusing -- but perhaps no more amusing than chickens can be themselves!
Do you know of any additional poultry happenings, information or resources here? If so, please email me!
Raising backyard chickens has hit the country big time -- and of course, this is true right here in Concord. Concordians have long raised poultry -- after all, we were established as an agricultural community and have in many ways worked to retain those roots. But this trend of raising chickens is bigger than that nation-wide: it's now considered to be a certified phenomenon.In our ongoing household experiments on self-sufficiency, we are doing great raising plant foods. We are -- even at this dead-of-winter time -- able to harvest some food from our solar greenhouse many days of the week. Certainly enough to feed us as part of our dinner several times a week. If added to other homegrown vegetables and legumes in storage, we can have an entirely homegrown vegetarian meal.
But we eat animal products in our household: meat, eggs, cheese... it's part of our high-variety diet. So therefore, we've had our eye on adding chickens to our roost for eggs and possibly meat. In this way, too, we know that the animals that give us food are raised in impeccably compassionate, healthy ways.
Plus, they seem to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys (please excuse what turns out to be a bit of a mixed metaphor).
So, what exactly is happening on the local chicken/duck/goose/guinea hen scene? Lots, and it's hard to know the entire scope because it's occurring tucked away in backyards all over. But here are a few things to start you on your own exploration of backyard chickens.
Make a first stop at the Carlisle Chicken Discussion list (soon to be renamed something that notes that members aren't just from Carlisle): http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/CarlisleChickenGroup/ -- and what a delightful group this is! Members are generous, helpful, informed, and pleasant -- and always happy to help a newbie like me. I've read their entire 600+ message archives (think of it like a story of many threads, all bound together by a love of poultry), and I can tell this group is the best of neighbors helping neighbors. They have sold eggs together, gone to poultry shows as a group, held potlucks, coop tours, and have done group purchases. Right now, a member is investigating commissioning a bulk no-soy feed mix that many of us are interested in. A winter potluck/group baby chick order is upcoming.
Check out the Carlisle Hen Cam! Food and children's book writer, Terry Golsom runs this enterprise in her backyard -- where backyard chickens live, of course. http://www.hencam.com No fewer than three local chicken-related blogs are available:
- Terry's Hen Blog: http://www.hencam.com/henblog/
- The Monument Street Coop: http://themonumentstreetcoop.blogspot.com/
- Pete and Jen's Backyard Blog (includes other animals they're raising): http://backyardblog.wordpress.com
One thing has become clear: people looooove their backyard chickens. These are no mere working animals. They are pets and family members. This to me is both touching and amusing -- but perhaps no more amusing than chickens can be themselves!
Do you know of any additional poultry happenings, information or resources here? If so, please email me!
