Raising Chickens
Raising Chickens. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.
As you may know, I was not raised on a farm per se but grew up in a tiny rural community where it was not unusual to see a variety of farm animals across the street. A lot of those were chickens. Hank Will, Editor of Grit Magazine has just released a new publication called the Grit Guide to Backyard Chickens and believe it or not there are some definite benefits to having your own poultry.
WILL: One of the principal benefits from raising your own chickens in particular hens in the back yard is that you take some high quality and valuable control over a fairly mundane food source. Eggs are fairly ubiquitous. They’re an ingredient in a huge proportion of the processed foods and what not that we purchase and I think a lot of folks, at least in their mind have an idea of where eggs come from but I don’t think they realize how easy it is to maintain a small flock and produce your own chickens at home.
He says that way you would know exactly how they were treated and what they been fed. He says there is another aspect that most people don’t think about.
WILL: And I think also that people suddenly realize that chickens make awesome pets. I know a lot of folks who actually enjoy watching their chickens. I actually do like to watch the chickens peck. They have some interesting behaviors and what not – and hens in particular are quite flexible in the kinds of environments that they’re willing to live and they do a really good job in the yard.
If you can allow chickens in your yard to roam a bit they can provide some natural grass fertilizer and are a great way to control bugs. Sure we think of chickens on farms but what about urban areas.
WILL: The urban poultry movement is like so many movements it’s a concept that’s come full circle. It wasn’t that many generations ago that folks that lived in town even larger cities kept small flocks of chickens specifically for a bit of meat and egg production. We went through the phase in this country of trying to get as far away from our country roots as we possibly could. We legislated all kinds of that type of animal out of the urban environment
The guide will be available through the Grit website at www.grit.com and in many local newsstands, farm stores and grocers.
WILL: To me it’s just sort of remarkably hilarious how chickens are often described as being dirty and noisy and you’re going to attract flies and some of the mythology surrounding this is utterly priceless and then more recently the city of Salem, Oregon is still grappling with the possibility of having legalized backyard flocks and people seem to be afraid of the idea of letting folks raise three hens in their backyard.
FOGHORN: Pay attention to me boy, I’m not talking to hear my head roar!
That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
