Do chickens belong in the backyard? Would you have henhouses in your neighborhood?
Photo credit: Page Lee
The tremendous wave of petitioners seeking to include chickens in their local list of allowable pets all over the country has been both welcomed and dreaded. Some cities are promoting the locavore movement, fostering families' desires to produce their own organic eggs. Swift ordinance changes and even public education about poultrykeeping are becoming common. Other cities have fought the idea, citing lots of negative reasons for banishing chickens and ducks from the urban environment.
What myths, motivations and maybes surround the idea of a personal henhouse in your yard? How do you feel about neighbors keeping their own backyard flocks? Would you be open to this new trend in your neck of the woods?
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Comments
My parents live in Arkansas. We have a small acreage in the middle of town. For 17 years we have had horses, ponies, dogs, cats, birds, and in the past couple of years chickens.
With 25 chickens on a couple of acres my family has more eggs than we could ever eat. We give them away to neighbors, donate them to a local food bank which we support, and enjoy the chickens, chicks, and eggs year round.
My mother is a fantastic baker. She creates the most wonderful meals, cookies, and cakes. She tries every new recipe she can get her hands on when she isn't busy studying for her degree in psychology.
Being able to use fresh eggs, completely organic, from our own chickens is a very cool thing to be able to say in 2010.
We have never had a problem with salmonella. We never wonder how the chickens are treated (more like pets than livestock).
My five year old nephew Gabe gets the experience of seeing what it takes to care for them first hand.
We also get great fertilizer for the garden. It goes right into the compost with the horse & donkey manure. We till it every so often and rarely if ever need to use any pesticides or chemicals to have a thriving garden.
Sure you might not live in a location where it is suitable to raise chickens. But given the opportunity I would recommend learning about the experience of raising chickens to anyone.
Yes I would have chickens in my back yard im a country girl I was born around chickens.
No it is not good to have chickens like this in the back yard. The chickens attract so many strange animals in your yard from them. This is why i would avoid this so much. last minute vacation deals
Dear Trace!
It was interesting to read how you're living. I think it's really great yo have a lot of animals at home. And it is especially great that you donate a lot, it's very kind of you to do that. I can imagine how your neighbors feel having you nearby.
Keep doing what you do as you are doing very well and good luck!
WinRar free
In our area, most of the households are raising chickens in our backyards. It is allowable and nobody argues with any neighbors who raises chickens. Chickens has been part of our daily routine. Although I understand that in some places, these animals are not allowed, it depends on the place's tradition.
Emelia Wellington
Millionaire mind
Data Analyst