What ever happened to common sense? Regulatory powers and the thinking of martinets combine to make mountains out of molehills. Why not just apply the common sense rules that already apply to animals in an urban environment? Sanitation and flock size regulations make sense, but outlawing a generally beneficial animal does not.
It is concerning that government is interfering with peoples avenues for providing food for themselves and their communities (in this way- I appreciate sanitation oversight, etc). Hiccups along the way to surviving a change from an economy dominated by big farms and bigger brothers to one that is more independent and innovative. Just hoping the hiccups don’t somehow choke us..
Technorati Tags: chickens, urban garden
Backyard chickens are becoming so popular; my husband and I can’t wait to join this trend. We’re planning our coop.
Funny you should post this today. We have a big “City Chicken” controversy going on today in Buffalo. I’m waiting for my friends, whose chickens were threatened to be taken away by the city, to be on the evening news. Here’s their story that started just today:
http://www.buffalorising.com/2009/03/remove-those-chickens-citi-stat.html
My husband sent me the article the other day with the note “we should raise chickens again”. I just got around to looking at it… and felt this is something that is brewing.
Your comment affirmed that intuition.
thanks for the link
I don’t really think folks are keeping chickens so that they’re “more aware of where their food comes from.” If you don’t know where an egg comes from, you shouldn’t be keeping chickens in the first place. In my opinion, it’s an urban trend and goes along with a joke I saw somewhere that pictured two urbanites at a restaurant. When they saw friends walking towards them, one turned to the other and said, “Quick! talk about how green we are!” Unfortunately, I think we’re oversimplifying the importance of environmental problems to the point where it’s becoming a “thing” instead of a reality. (IIona, I’m wondering why y’all stopped raising chickens?)
LOL! I love that joke- how a propos to the times.
I stopped raising chickens because the varmints got them! Then all the other reasonings crowded in:
couldn’t figure out how to protect them (they already had a coop and fenced in area for the night); I hated asking neighbors to help take care of them for vacation time (even when a kid is paid they have to get here); my own chores took up lots of time; My elderly parents took lots of my time and energy, then…etc, et al.
If I get them now, it is mostly the early care and importuning on someone to help during any hoped for vacation that year- and we would have to fix a new chicken coop , the old one fell to ruin over the passing years.
But I did like those fresh eggs… and the chickens are interesting creatures.
We keep chickens for eggs and meat because we like knowing exactly what went into our food. :) Luckily for us, we’ve always had plenty of friends and neighbors who enjoy chicken sitting for us when we go on vacation because I know that can be a real pain when one has to travel.