Chickens in the City? Why not!
My mom’s love of chickens goes as far back as I can remember. When I was about 10 we had a hen in a bird cage in the back yard as a pet. She had picture frames of chickens everywhere. It wasn’t until we were all grown up that she could finally escape the city and have her flock she always dreamed of. Years ago I remember mom & dad telling me about their visit to the annual country fair and farmers auction, my poor mom misunderstood the auctioneer and bid on what she thought was one chicken but when she picked up the box it turned out she had 13! We laughed about that for years. But she enjoyed every one of them. She would spend hours watching their antics and getting her daily dose of entertainment. I am definitely looking forward to doing just that!
The urban chicken movement is on fire. The economy is tightening and more folks are getting into gardening and raising their own chickens, at least that's what I'm noticing. It’s exciting to hear friends wanting their own too.
Having a garden and plenty of space for a coop and pen in my yard, it makes sense to have chickens, especially since I compost everything I can. Chicken droppings enrich compost, they provide natural insect control and they actually produce something in return. EGGS! The Back to the Land Movement.
~Recent research published by Mother Earth News, a magazine dedicated to self-reliant and healthy living, found that eggs from chickens allowed to forage naturally have, on average, seven times more beta carotene (which is what makes pastured egg yolks so orange), three times more vitamin E, two times more omega-3 fatty acids and two-thirds more vitamin A than factory farm birds. Pastured eggs also have one-third less cholesterol and one-quarter less saturated fat, on average.
Now that part of my yard is zoned off for chickens, I am ready to add the final touches to this awesome little coop Tim has built. Although chickens aren’t fussy and don’t need fancy accommodations, he was determined to make this a creative one, which includes a patio! I must say though, these are going to be some lucky chickens!
I am thinking within the next two weeks I should be ready to have a flock of my own!
- Cecile's Country Garden
- I'm a Canadian now residing in Sunny Arizona since 2002. Although I've been a city girl all of my life, I've always loved the country and the laid back life it offers. My love of the Outdoors, Animals,and Gardening comes from my mom Cecile, who loved her home in the country, but sadly passed away in 2005. I promised her I would grow a garden in her name, And I finally did, five years later. One of my best memories of her is how much she loved her garden. The glow on her face when she would show me something new, always creating a life with things she loved. She loved all animals. She taught me simplicity, to enjoy the small things, and see beauty in everything. Today I find myself doing the same things she did in her garden and in life. This blog was created to keep track of my projects and adventures. They may not all be successes, but my goal is to remain unintimidated by whatever engages my curiosity. I want to share this adventure with those who can appreciate the small things, the trial and errors, the simplicity in it all, but mostly,what my mom knew how to do best,just have FUN! *This blog is dedicated to her*
That looks like a very good house. The paint will do wonders for it.
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