Backyard Chickens for Commercial Use

Antoinette considers modeling as a full time career. In the Lease Committee meeting a couple of weeks ago I was asked if I would ever consider using my birds for profit - a very reasonable question - as were the other questions which I've been addressing.

A good laying hen will produce an egg roughly every 26 hours during her most productive years (about three), during the warm months, if she is not broody or molting. See "Radio interview and egg laying info" post from July 10. A dozen fresh eggs costs approximately $4.00 - so in order to make $4/day on a consistent basis until the days get noticeably shorter and the hens stop laying, one would have to have at least 14 chickens. Therefore, it is not economically feasible to make a profit from having a small backyard flock.

However, it is certainly possible to end up with more eggs than necessary and to give them to friends, family and kind neighbors. Unfortunately for those around me, this doesn't happen much in our yard. I am lucky if I get two eggs a day, I have two hungry children and we do a decent amount of baking.

How To Get The Chickens Back In Their House

A chicken's house is their home. They love it. They feel safe there because chickens by nature, are, well, chicken. When you let them out they'll wander around and do all the good stuff they like to do: eat bugs & weeds - fertilizing as they go, follow you around because you're the greatest thing in the world to them, take dust baths, run around stretching their wings and legs. They tend to have silly personalities and are great fun to watch. Hanging out with them is very relaxing. Generally they won't go far from their house, because again, it's a safety thing.

As soon as it dusk, they'll instinctively go back into their home. Hens are not party animals. Somehow they know that the bad guys come out at night. They like to roost. The higher the better. So, it's a nightly ritual - the chickens go home to roost. It's essential to close them up securely for the night because they are very vulnerable to predators. A chicken has no defense and will freak out when scared and do the very most impractical thing - like run to a corner rather than get up high.

If it's not bedtime it's usually pretty easy to bribe them back into their house with food. Even if it's the same food that they already have in their house. Mine will usually come when I call and follow me to the house because they're confident that something wonderful happens whenever I summon them.

Silly chickens!

Vice Chancellor Guerry and General Lee

This is Gertrude, who turned out to be a rooster and moved to a student's family's home outside Chattanooga.
Barney Black, C'66 from Charlotte, recently attended the Summer Seminar and is following the chicken story. He owns the former "Stirling" house in Sewanee, has "a vital interest in Lease Committee decisions" and supports me on the chicken issue. I hope he won't mind if I take one of his comments out of context for a minute ... he thinks I'm "brilliant"!

Barney wrote with the following story from his college days at Sewanee...

"There is actually a precedent for the "no fowl" rule in Sewanee history.

When Alexander Guerry was Vice Chancellor of the University, Miss Amy Brooks Eggleston and her husband "Egg" Eggleston had a beloved pet rooster named General Lee who lived alone in a coop in their back yard.

Every day at the crack of dawn, as roosters are supposed to do, General Lee would crow loudly, not once but multiple times. Vice Chancellor Guerry lived a few doors down the street within easy ear shot of General Lee's coop. General Lee's crowing would awaken Vice Chancellor Guerry every morning long before the VC was ready to awaken.


After several years of this, Mr. Guerry had endured all of General Lee's crowing he could tolerate, at which point the VC informed Miss Amy and "Egg" of his annoyance and told them that General Lee would have to be euthanized. "Egg" complied with the VC's request and decapitated General Lee. Being a very practical fellow, "Egg" served General Lee up as the entree at his and Miss Amy's next Sunday dinner. When "Egg" told Miss Amy that General Lee was the bird in the platter on the dinner table, Miss Amy was horrified at General Lee's fate. Miss Amy left the table and took refuge at Miss Polly Kirby-Smith's house leaving "Egg" to feast alone. Miss Polly was Miss Amy's sister. Anyway, after that all lived happily ever after except for General Lee, of course.

When I was a student at Sewanee, I roomed at Miss Polly's house on University Avenue. Miss Amy was a frequent visitor and also a dear friend of mine. By then "Egg" was residing in the cemetery. Miss Amy told the story of General Lee and the VC many times, never without sadness in her voice.

Most things at Sewanee have their roots in tradition."

Please keep in mind that I only have hens now - no roosters.

Other Birds About Town...

The Emus in front of the Vice Chancellor's house on University Avenue

Once upon a time, in a land far away, a pair of emus wandered the Sewanee campus at their leisure. It was a cold and foggy winter and the rumor was that an emu farmer (but not one who owns a bike shop) set them free when emu meat did not turn out to bring the riches promised. To the town's delight, it was like living in Dr. Suess land for a while - which is not a bad way to live.

You know what I'd REALLY like???...

PEACOCKS!!! beautiful, elegant, graceful birds
Peafowl are not livestock and not prohibited in my lease. They are about the most spectacular bird you will ever see. However, not only are they not proportionally right for my yard (I'd need a much larger, grander place), but they are quite loud - especially during mating season. And while I wouldn't mind the call of a large bird - I understand that many would. Nevertheless, just imaging for a moment - peacocks in the quadrangle...

These pictures, incidentally, were taken at a motel outside of Apalachicola, FL owned by the sweet German mother of a Sewanee graduate. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34194-d1023974-r14473601-Sportsman_s_Lodge_Motel_Marina-Eastpoint_Florida.html

Remember those two emu who wandered the campus about ten years ago?

More Chicken Info

Silly bird
Chloe poised for flight
Do chickens fly?
Well, it depends. Some do, some don't, none do very well. It depends on their body and feathers. "Meat birds" are bred to have large breasts, are heavy and can't do much in the way of getting off the ground. Birds with weird feathers like frizzles and silkies do well to hop up and down steps. Many leaner chickens can fly enough to get over a fence and some into trees to roost. Some owners clip the wings of their chickens to prevent them from getting out of their enclosure. It doesn't hurt the birds, it's like cutting fingernails.
Do chickens attract predators?
Chickens are quite tasty to many animals: raccoons, possums, dogs, foxes and hawks. However, chickens do not attract predators. I've seen no more of these creatures that are common to Sewanee in the 2 years I've had chickens than before. I lost my Silkie, Natasha, to a hawk this past spring, but it's not like I have hawks circling above my yard now. There is a fox that lives in my neighborhood. My daughter saw it at the foot of the front porch steps the other night. I have seen no evidence of it or anything else near the chickens. I was working in the garden late in the evening last week close to dark. A possum walked by not noticing me. It was up by the house, not near the chicken house.
What about rats and snakes?
Rats are attracted to chicken feed not chickens. It's important to keep chicken feed in a tightly closed container - tight enough to keep out raccoons and strong enough to keep squirrels from chewing through. I keep mine indoors.
Black snakes are harmless "good" snakes that like to eat eggs (as well as rodents). You'll see them in trees on their way to a bird nest, but they won't break into or hang around a chicken coop. It is important to keep the chicken house secure from all predators including snakes.
An animal is only going to try so hard to get at a meal before it looks elsewhere.

9 out of the TOP 10 US News colleges allow chickens!!

Here's Elisa looking at the camera sideways because her eyes are on the sides of her head. She hasn't gotten much press because she's been broody (sitting in her house on imaginary eggs) since early July. Yes - you heard it here first - and it's not too late to beat Davidson!!!

Each year US News and World Report,
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1libartco_brief.php ranks the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the nation and naturally Sewanee is very concerned about where it falls and how it compares. I'm taking the comparison in a whole new direction...

10. Haverford College - http://gcp.esub.net/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=80772&infobase=haverfrd.nfo&softpage=Browse_Frame_Pg42
The town of Haverford, PA makes no distinction between having chickens or farm animals, but you must have a minimum of 1 acre and you are allowed no SNOW LEOPARDS or SHARKS (among other things) NONE.

9. Davidson College - http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12975&sid=33 The town of Davidson, NC does not allow fowl or livestock. Losers.

8. Bowdoin College - http://www.brunswickme.org/clerk/ordinances/Ch004.pdf In Brunswick, ME -there are 3 pages of rules for dogs, but regarding other animals - it simply says not to let them graze or run about town and for goodness sake - don't tie them to a tree.

7. Pomona College - http://www.claremontonline.net/municipalcode.cfm Claremont, CA - home to 3 colleges ranked in the top 30 - allows 3 fowl per household.

6. Middlebury College - http://www.middlebury.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={7DB71523-F11A-4EAD-9E2B-4F894A4FB098} which comes in number 2 on the Grist top 15 "green" colleges and universities http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/08/10/colleges/ has a policy in their town on dogs, but no other animals.

5. Carleton College - http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=13439&sid=23 In Northfield, MN the laws prohibit most wild animals, including, but not limited to jackals and dingos. Guess I won't be moving there... They don't, however, seem to mind chickens - as long as they're not vicious.

4. Wellesley College - http://www.ci.wellesley.ma.us/Pages/WellesleyMA_Health/regulations/chap16 In Wellesley, MA you'll need a permit for your fowl, goat, sheep, swine, llama... if you want roosters or swine you'll have an annual hearing and need to invite your neighbors.

3. Swarthmore College -http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Pennsylvania/swarthmore/codifiedordinancesoftheboroughofswarthmo?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:swarthmore_pa At Swarthmore there's nothing in the town ordinance about livestock or fowl (just dogs). They don't even know why you'd ask... In fact, a couple of years ago the students petitioned the dining hall to only purchase their 10,800 dozen eggs from cage-free chickens
http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2006/04/26/animal-rights-coalition-works-for-cage-free-eggs-at-swarthmore/

2. Amherst -
http://www.amherstma.gov/charter/GENERAL_BYLAWS_Nov_2003.pdf In Amherst, MA they don't want you leading your cattle, goat, horse, fowl, etc. along the sidewalk unless, of course, you're just crossing it. I for one, would like to know why the chicken crossed the sidewalk.

And the NUMBER ONE ranked liberal arts college in America according to US News and World Reports is Williams College in Williamstown, MA where there is no limit to the amount of poultry you may have as long as they're "confined within an adequate enclosure". The law also states that dogs must be "controlled and restrained from killing, chasing or harassing livestock or fowls".
http://s230494718.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/Code-of-Williamstown.pdf

When you look at ordinance after ordinance after ordinance as I have, you see a pattern. There are generally several pages of regulations governing dogs and a paragraph or two regarding fowl and/or livestock.

Not to be redundant, but - what's the big deal?

Chicken Ordinances in the News

Notice how much Chloe has grown since July 4th. She's about 31/2 months old now.

Allie Nicodemo, with her fancy new camera, was able to find Chloe's eyes!
After a great weekend in the North Carolina mountains with my horse and chicken loving relatives, I'm back to researching how other towns deal with their flocks. Things are heating up in Wake Forest, NC as an amendment to a pro chicken ordinance is no doubt close to being passed thanks to the dedication of some thoughtful people. http://www.wfchickens.blogspot.com/

In Sanford, NC a controversy over backyard chickens leads some to believe there is discrimination against Hispanics involved. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1145785.html Could this be the case with me??? My last name is Alvarez.

Seriously, the "town verses gown" aspect of my case has been raised by many. Has the University only responded so quickly because I live so near the center of campus, while allowing much more serious problems in less visible areas to go unanswered?

FYI - the term "gown" refers to university students and faculty who have a tradition of wearing academic gowns to class - while "town" represents the support staff or working class.

Is the chicken issue part of a class system? If so, mine are very fancy- what's the problem?

In Asheville, NC work is underway to try and relax the backyard chicken ordinance to make it easier to raise a few birds. The current law says chickens must be 100 feet away from neighbors. http://www.mountainx.com/news/2008/071608buzz1

This is just North Carolina, just this week.

It's happening all over the country. It's too late for Sewanee to lead the way, but surely we need to get on the bandwagon and not be left embarrassingly behind.

Raliegh has no limit on number of chickens, Chapel Hill allows 20, Charlotte allows 20.

I'm coming up with an ordinance proposal for the Community Council. I think it will be seriously considered. This is a good time to be a chicken in Sewanee...

Lease Committee Results

Painting by http://jeffhughart.com available at my mother's store, The Lemon Fair http://thelemonfair.com . My mother is an artist and her work has always reflected what was happening in her family's life.
Having been told yesterday, "the Lease Committee deferred the question of chickens to the August Community Council meeting", we began questioning what, exactly that means and how we should approach it. Today we were told, "The lease committee tabled the question and is gathering more information regarding chickens on the Domain from the Community Council and other campus groups." Who is on the Community Council and what is their role? We're working on getting concrete answers.

I still suspect that the lease committee doesn't know what to do with me and doesn't want to take full responsibility for either granting me the right to keep the chickens or prohibiting me from having them. I like to think that they are indeed considering the greater issues of sustainability and local food, right and wrong, and common sense. So, I am encouraged.

I have learned a huge amount in the past few weeks. Sewanee has an overwhelming sense of community and the response I've received from all kinds of people is yet one more example of it. Given all the large prominent cities that allow backyard chickens, I have great faith that Sewanee residents will soon be able to grow their own eggs and fertilizer while controlling bugs without pesticides and enjoying new and unexpected pets.

I also know that having pets is work and few people will actually want to invest the time and energy necessary to house chickens so it's not like suddenly the town will be overrun with silly looking birds.

I will probably take a break this weekend and start back fresh on Sunday with new and exciting chicken stuff...

Lease Committee Meeting and Radio Interview

My dad leaving the lease committee meeting.

What a day... WPLN, Nashville Public Radio, broadcast our brief interview http://wpln.org/newstranscripts/?p=2531 this morning and the Lease Committee Meeting was this afternoon.

My job at the University is quite public and it was fun today to have people stop by & say they'd inadvertently heard the interview on NPR. We weren't sure when it would broadcast, so most everyone heard it just because they listen to NPR anyway.

The lease committee meeting was interesting and enjoyable. Interesting to me to be part of a process, and enjoyable because most of us were at ease while reasonable, natural conversation flowed. The meeting takes place in the "Regent's Room" - a very nice board meeting sort of place with a large center table. There were 2 chairs at the end of the table for Dad & I, microphones and 8 University representatives. Once more for the record, it's a very small town - if we didn't all know each other, we were certainly acquainted. If only I'd been bold enough to take pictures for the blog!

Prior to the meeting, my father, who is on my lease, wrote a very direct letter to the members of the lease committee with copies to me and the neighbor who complained about the chickens. In the meeting today he restated the contents of the letter - focusing mainly on the lease agreement - which prohibits livestock, but not poultry. (I deal with this issue in depth in June posts of the blog). He touched on the integrity of the complaint as well as the issue of ultimately creating backyard chicken policies on the Domain.

I spoke of my research into backyard chicken ordinances across the country and how I would like to help Sewanee develop and implement such policies. I questioned how many complaints the lease superintendent has received from my neighbor (not solely about me, but total). That information was not available, but there have been 3 complaints against me that I'm aware of and others not directed at me were acknowledged.

There were several valid questions asked about chickens and the keeping of them. The history of chickens on campus was pointed out. Others have been forced to remove chickens. "On what grounds?" my father asked (since it's not prohibited in the lease.) Because of the lease, we were told. The policy (which is not in writing as part of our lease agreement) goes back before our current lease superintendent.

The question of noise was raised by my father because that was the original complaint. No one questioned the fact that my 3 hens do not make sufficient noise for any reasonable person to justify a complaint.

Unfortunately only two members of the lease committee ended up coming to see my chickens in person. Others, I assume, relied on the blog. No one at the meeting appeared to question my particular setting. My feeling was more that they just weren't sure what to do about the topic in general.

After the meeting, I found that I had a voice mail from WPLN following up on the story.

This evening I received an email informing me "the Lease Committee deferred the question of chickens to the August Community Council meeting."

Good, I don't blame them. Pass the buck....

Chicken Personalitites and Advantages

Antoinette - poking around by her old house Chickens can be quite eccentric. When I upgraded my hens from their white trash house to the cute cottage where they now reside, they were not at all appreciative - even though construction only went a week over and came in a mere 10% over budget...

I built them a nesting box in which to lay their eggs, but they flat out refused. They would sit in that house all day crossing their legs and when I came home to let them out - run to the garden and lay under the lillies.

I'm smarter than a chicken.

One day I took an egg from under the lillies and put it in the nesting box in their house hoping to encourage them to lay where they're supposed to. The next morning I found Antoinette and Elisa rolling the egg out of the nesting box with their beaks.

So I put 2 eggs in there and the next day they were repositioned also.

The girls still won't lay in the box, but at least now they keep the eggs in the house to humor me.

Advantages to raising Chickens

Chickens have individual personalities just like dogs and cats. They can be very loyal and are more often than not - VERY amusing. I've heard many, many stories in the past couple of weeks, ranging from a chicken in Charlotte who goes to visit nursing homes, to chickens that go on outings with their owners just like dogs. (Imagine the Sewanee bank giving out corn kernels at the drive through in addition to lollipops and dog biscuits!)

Unlike typical pets, chickens have three distinct advantages :

eggs - I covered the benefits of fresh pastured chicken eggs in previous posts.

fertilizer - there appear to be many uses, "Man builds giant chicken manure catapult to battle vandals" http://www.boingboing.net/2008/03/19/man-builds-giant-chi.html.

A more conventional application - according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension,
"Animal manures have been used effectively as fertilizers for centuries. Poultry manure has long been recognized as perhaps the most desirable of these natural fertilizers because of its high nitrogen content." http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AA205. Chickens wandering around your yard will fertilize as they go. Their coop will also be a wealth of fertilizer once composted. Some people house their birds in a chicken "tractor" which can be moved around the yard to fertilize different areas.

pest control - chickens love to eat bugs - ticks, mosquitoes, fleas, grubs, aphids, slugs, snails, grasshoppers.... in all stages - eggs, larvae, adults.

An unexpected advantage for me - I've cut back considerably on the use of nonorganic products in my yard because I don't want to harm the chickens.

The honey bees said, "thank you!".

The Lease Committee Visit

The lease committee was invited to my house today at 5:00 to see the chickens and their setting.

The reason I started this blog was to show people how my chickens and I live, thereby proving that they are not livestock and not prohibited on my lease. Initially I contacted committee members and associates asking for advice and inviting people to see the yard. No one was interested in coming to my house (I live about a block from central campus - not exactly out of the way). My father, who is on my lease, specifically asked the lease superintendent to come see my yard and she agreed.

As time went on: we refused to remove the chickens based on the fact that we believe they are not in violation of our lease, the lease committee was invited to view the blog in hopes of settling the livestock question without all this fuss, we stated our intentions to appear at the lease committee meeting and address the issue, my father sent a formal letter with our objections to the complaint.

We received no response at all.

Next came the specific invitation to all 9 committee members to see the yard and meet the birds in question. One committee member called me right away. Neither my parents nor I heard from anyone else.

Today, that one very nice gentleman came promptly at 5:00.

No word from anyone else.

The meeting is Wednesday - the day after tomorrow.

The lease superintendent was emailed again this evening, requesting that she look at the yard in person tomorrow before the meeting.

So I wonder... have they already made up their minds? Do they not care? How do they treat other complaints?

And still I research... of course I am biased, but it's seeming like more cities and towns allow chickens than ban them. My mother said tonight, "until you, I've never known anyone who kept chickens as pets". Maybe that's the key - they're there, you just don't know it...

Child Gets Chicken Law Passed

Folk art painting on my front porch

In California, "San Carlos child gets chicken law passed.

City leaders approve 9-year-old's proposed ordinance."

Enough said.

http://www.redwoodcitydailynews.com/article/2008-5-17-sc-fowl-law

Bird Flu

Casey and baby bird Baby bird perching on chicken house door

Casey and her new best friend
My daughter has a very petite "faux Siamese" cat named Casey. Casey likes to think she's the great hunter, but she rarely harms butterflies (when she's able to catch them). This spring Casey came trotting around the corner with a baby bird in her mouth. I was quite impressed with her stealthy skills, although sorry it was a baby bird and not a MOLE (or a deer, for that matter). Still, it's the "circle of life" or whatever and she was doing what cats are supposed to be programmed to do.

A while later I noticed Casey coming out of the chicken house. When I peeked in, I found the baby bird laying there unharmed. Casey had put the bird in the bird house where she thought it belonged! Good Kitty.

More Chicken Facts - Bird Flu

According to the TN Department of Agriculture, "Since 1924, there have been three incidences of highly pathogenic bird flu in the United States in domestic poultry. There were no human illnesses reported in connection with these outbreaks, the most recent outbreak in 2004 was confined to one flock and quickly eradicated. " http://tennessee.gov/agriculture/regulate/animals/birdflu.html

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC)

"We have a small flock of chickens. Is it safe to keep them?
Answer
Yes. In the United States there is no need at present to remove a flock of chickens because of concerns regarding avian influenza. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) monitors potential infection of poultry and poultry products by avian influenza viruses and other infectious disease agents." http://www.pandemicflu.gov/faq/bird/1098.html

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Avian influenza is not transmitted through cooked food. To date, no evidence indicates that anyone has become infected following the consumption of properly cooked poultry or poultry products, even when these foods were contaminated with the H5N1 virus.
Does the virus spread easily from birds to humans?
No. Though more than 100 human cases have occurred in the *current outbreak, this is a small number compared with the huge number of birds affected and the numerous associated opportunities for human exposure, especially in areas where backyard flocks are common. It is not presently understood why some people, and not others, become infected following similar exposures."

* Current outbreak refers to Asia, there is no evidence of Avian Influenza in the U.S. http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/avian_faqs/en/index.html#consequences

While there is no need for concern over bird flu in backyard chickens in the United States, there is cause for awareness, common sense and taking precautions. As with any animal, sanitary practices are imperative for many reasons (common sense). Knowing your animals and noticing of signs of illness - again, common sense. Bottom line - if you are sensible, you should be allowed to have backyard chickens.

Radio Interview and Hen Laying Info

Interview with Nashville Public Radio from my parent's house

I had a very nice phone interview with Blake Farmer from Nashville Public Radio this morning. WPLN-FM 90.3 will broadcast the interview on Monday morning, July 14 during their newscast. http://wpln.org/home.php .

I just came from the home of an established Sewanee family who, once again, suggested there be a pro-chicken group outside the Lease Committee meeting next Wednesday at 3:30. The meeting takes place in Regent's Room. I don't know... what do you think?

Answers to more questions - Chicken Facts - laying eggs:

• Chickens lay eggs for about 3 years - more if they're pets - but they'll slow down as time goes on


• They usually won't lay until they're at least 6 months old
  
• During their most productive years, often they'll lay one egg per day in warm months
  
• A rooster is not necessary for a hen to lay an egg


• An egg can not hatch into a chicken without being fertilized by a rooster
  
• Some, but not all, breeds of chickens will go "broody" even without a rooster or eggs to sit on
  
• "Broody" means that a hen will "sit" for 21 days - ideally she is hatching eggs, but in the absence of fertilized eggs (or any eggs at all, for that matter) she will sit anyway - it's a hormonal thing
  
• A hen will not lay eggs while she is broody
  
• Many hens will not lay many eggs in the cold months when there is little daylight
  
• Some people install lights on timers to go on in the early morning to encourage egg production during the short days of winter


• Many hens molt, primarily in the fall, and will not lay eggs while they're molting
  
• "Molting" means losing older feathers and growing new ones. Different breeds molt at different rates.
  
• Different breeds of chickens produce eggs at different rates. Some will lay an egg a day - some not so much. Some chickens are bred to lay, lay, lay


• Depending on the breed of chicken, eggs come in many sizes and colors - pretty darn small to awfully big - white, brown, green, blue, teal - and I've even heard - pink!


• Fresh eggs are good at room temperature for several weeks (they cook better at room temp) and several months in the fridge.

One week to go...

In preparation for greeting the Lease Committee, Chloe gets a little trim around her face. She wants to be able to look them in the eye without impairment from her big poofy hat.



The lease committee meets one week from today and will potentially make a decision on whether or not they feel that I am within my rights to keep my 3 pet chickens on my leasehold. They have been invited to visit my garden next Monday. It will be interesting to see how many come. I've only heard from one since the invitation went out two days ago. There are nine members. My father has invited them to view the blog twice since July 1. We haven't heard a peep out of them.

However, since July 2 when I began tracking the blog - there have been 1151 visits from 17 countries.

This issue will not go away and just because I trim their "hair" doesn't mean I should be the only one in town who gets to have chickens. We all have the right, if we desire, to keep pets than are no more intrusive than dogs and cats. My cat doesn't lay eggs. Does your dog?

About Eggs

Bouche de Noel-those are little merienge mushrooms - I was very proud of them!

Okay, so I cook too. I like to make fancy desserts when I have the time and I still might make an occassional wedding cake for someone really special (like Abby). The difference between eggs from my backyard and store bought eggs is almost indescribable - especially for cakes and custards - and I LOVE cake and custard!!!








Eleanor and Austin's going away party cake

Gateau Saint-Honore' (Parisian pastry)















Joe and Darby's Wedding Cake
According to , http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A163261 "The reasons are diverse and overlapping, but a growing number of Americans are fed up with the industrial food system. For laying chickens, industrial agriculture means they are often debeaked, kept in stacked "battery cages" with less than 8 square inches per bird, and given feed laced with antibiotics and arsenic. Those eggs then travel thousands of miles to the local supermarkets—by which time they are usually a couple of weeks old. The manure from these factories presents an environmental problem. Backyard chickens, by contrast, often spend at least part of their day foraging for bugs, seeds and vegetable scraps. They are voracious consumers of fleas, ticks and unwanted garden pests, protein-dense foods that greatly contribute to "pastured" eggs' nutrition. Their droppings are almost as treasured for the nutrients and fertility they contribute to gardens and lawns.("Pastured" is the term most commonly used in sustainable agriculture circles to describe eggs from chickens allowed to eat, sleep and nest according to their species' needs. The oft-used "free-range" and "cage-free" have no regulatory definitions in the United States—meaning they can be stamped on eggs from chickens that were never given access to pasture.)"

Mother Earth News, http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx 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 their factory farm cousins. Pastured eggs also have one-third less cholesterol and one-quarter less saturated fat, on average."

Ordinances

Antoinette cleans the kitchen floor. Murphy the "outdoor cat" does nothing - ever.

SO many cities all over the country allow residents to have backyard chickens. Just a FEW examples of MAJOR CITIES are: NYC, LA, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Atlanta, Baltimore, Hartford, Indianapolis, Oakland, Boston, Houston, St Louis, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Asheville, Mobile, New Orleans, Chapel Hill, San Francisco, Madison, Honolulu, San Antonio, Charlotte, Seattle, Phoenix, Tampa, San Jose, Portland...

So if all those large cities with small yards can figure out a way to regulate the residence of a few chickens, common sense would dictate that it shouldn't have to be a big deal in our small town of 1 acre+/- yards with protected old growth trees and extensive vegetation.

Common factors of many Chicken Ordinances include:

• a limit on total number of chickens allowed per residence and/or maximum number of chickens allowed without a permit (generally 3 -6). Some cities determine number of chickens by size of lot
  
• no roosters
  
• chickens must be enclosed and not allowed to run free (from yard to yard)
  
• coops must be situated (generally 20 - 25 feet) away from neighbor's residence.
  
• enclosures must be kept in neat and sanitary condition and must be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent offensive odors.
  
• coops and feed must be secured to prevent problems with pests and predators.
  
• no slaughtering
  

There are, of course, many variations to the above. The point is - it's going on all over the country and there is WAY more information on the benefits of back yard chickens than the detriments - because, well, there are no detriments...

"They're so productive for the garden," said Owen Taylor, training and livestock coordinator of Just Food, a New York-based non-profit group. http://www.justfood.org/jf/ "They aerate the soil, eat bugs and they look like little tractors, tilling the soil."

"You hear the same argument (that) they're loud, they smell ... that there would be wild chickens running amok in Seattle, but that hasn't been the case,' said Angelina Shell, of Seattle Tilth, a non-profit organic gardening and urban ecology group. http://www.seattletilth.org/events/citychickenstour

May 3rd of this year, Georgia Organics http://www.georgiaorganics.org/events/event.php?id=535 hosted a tour of chickens coops in Atlanta and Decatur, GA called "Chicks in the City".

The Wall Street Journal wrote an interesting/frightening article on wealthy chicken owners and their stylish backyards http://homes.wsj.com/homegarden/20020603-bhatia.html and the New York Times has an article that I found pretty honest and realistic about families in Darien, CT with chickens. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/17ctchickens.html.

There are plenty more articles, but for now - I recommend watching this breif, cute documentury from Missoula, MT about the legalization of their backyard chickens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJJm3fz0w9I

More July 4th pictures

Sewanee School of Letters' float.Children pet the chicken as I answer questions on the sidewalk in front of my house.
The Cravens Family Reunion LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the chickens
























Sewanee Gardener's market float














The very honorable Judge Walters heartily supports the chickens (Chloe is exhausted and takes a nap).


With the fourth of July behind us, I'm now back to researching chicken ordinances in others cities and towns. I want to make a proposal to the lease committee to create a policy that will benefit both those of us who would like to keep backyard chickens and our neighbors.

I read a great quote today from "The City Chicken Guide" from Just Food of NYC www.justfood.org/jf/ , "It is your right to keep chickens in New York City. It is also your duty to keep chickens within the limits of the laws." I think the quote is an important illustration of how imperative it is for all pet owners to act responsibly.


I am beginning to make contacts across the country with experts in this topic. Odd as it may seem, urban chickens are becoming a mainstream subject. There are many, many cities where raising 3-6 chickens within city limits is perfectly legal and not altogether uncommon. NPR is producing a piece on it and there is a full length documentary by Mad City Chickens coming out.


In the near future I will also post general facts about raising chickens to dispel any fears or misconceptions.

4th of July

Stirling's Coffee House LOVES chickens! Chloe explains herself to a couple of passersby

The 4th of July is adorable in Sewanee, TN - population somewhere around 2,000. It involves all the lovely things about living in a small town - cat & dog shows, cake contest, dunking booth, children's games, music, craft fair, parade, street dance, fireworks and more... Many people come back to visit so you'll always find generations of families walking around.

I live on the main drag, University Avenue, so I'm in the middle of it all.

Late morning my niece and nephew came over with their friends and made more "Save Sewanee Chicken" signs. I took Antoinette out to the street to greet her public. People spend the day wandering up & down the street to the various booths & events and most wanted to stop & pet the chicken.

Little kids asked, "how much does it cost to pet the chicken"
My nephew Joshua, the young entrepreneur, replied, "Fifty cents."
I could have made a killing.
(No money actually changed hands)

The kids were walking around with their signs singing their version of, "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVyHi5PTqdc Antoinette seemed to enjoy the attention and few people had seen a Frizzle before. No one accused me of handling livestock and few could believe anyone would question my right to keep this bird as my pet. It was great. I got to explain the joys of a small backyard flock and swap chicken stories with fellow chicken lovers.

After a while I took Antoinette in for a well deserved water break and brought Chloe out for a visit. People would stop and say, "Is that the Sewanee Chicken?" She's so distinctive looking, everyone recognized her picture from the blog. We took a walk up the street. Chloe had fallen asleep in my arms and I almost forgot I was carrying a chicken around.

Before I knew it - it was almost time for the parade to start. I rounded up all the chicken signs and raced down to the line up for the parade. I walked past the floats handing out signs to anyone who wanted one. One went to my closest neighbors who have always delighted in the chickens.

So, although we opted not to be in the parade, we had representation throughout. With the environmental theme this year (Sewanee goes green for the red, white & blue) we couldn't have blended in better. It was a great deal of fun and we got wonderful exposure and support.

3rd of July

With apologies to vegetarians - our point on the 2nd sign is that my chickens are not livestock as prohibited in my lease .
We decided to be in the parade. Many people had expressed interest. We set up a time to meet & make costumes, signs, banners, whatever. I sent out an email inviting anyone who might be interested.

The thing about parades is - if you've been in more than two - you know it's generally more fun to watch than participate.

The replies to my email rolled in. "YES! You should be in the parade... no, sorry - I've got friends, relatives, no one, in town and can't join you, but it's a great idea & we'll be cheering you on!!"

I don't blame them, I really didn't want to be in the parade either.

However - my family, dutiful as ever, and a great deal of fun - along with a life long family friend and an almost headmaster who went to college with my brother - spent Thursday evening on my porch creating signs out of recycled materials and glitter and recycled glitter.

EMERGENCY!!!

Christmas card 2006
Elizabeth, holding Casey, the almost Siamese.
Me, holding Gertrude, my other hen turned rooster.
Lauren, holding nothing.

Remember my chickens? I'll refresh your memory. 2 older chickens and 3 youngsters. Out of the 3 little ones, I knew Guinevere and Francesca were boys although they had not yet crowed, so I would only be able to keep Chloe - the little blond. The new home for the boys was not ready and they had such great personalities that I was in no hurry to see them go, but I knew it was only a matter of time.

I came home from work yesterday and let the birds out as usual. I started cleaning my house in anticipation of weekend guests and a "decorate for the parade" party the following night - when I heard, "peep, peep, peep, EERRAAACK!!" I burst outside crying, "What are you doing????!!!" Guinevere had picked yesterday afternoon to give crowing a try. When a rooster first crows it's much like a boy's voice cracking as he becomes a man. And once a rooster experiences his first crow he wants to keep practicing!

So here I've spent the last week telling the world that backyard chickens are less intrusive than many typical pets and now, of all times, my little girl starts to crow. I grabbed him and put him in the house, put a cage in the car, grabbed the other potential crower and put him in the house. What to do...what to do... I called their new owner & left a message. "I have to move my roosters out NOW. Call me back." I got them in the car and was plotting their escape when I heard Chloe freaking out in the back yard. She is not capable of being very loud, but she was giving it her best shot. The 3 little birds were a team, and Chloe, as the most vulnerable, depended on the 2 guys. All the while, Guinevere was in my car practicing his new found voice. I put another cage in the car and went to get Chloe - which was not as easy as anticipated given the chaos.

OK, finally (it actually all happened in less than 15 minutes) I was on the road, top down, dust from the cages flying, chickens ruffled, me on my phone calling for back up.

"Sanford, I have an emergency!"
Brief pause.
"Guinevere Crowed! I have to get her out of my yard ASAP!"

"Do you have a cage?", "Ok, you can bring them out."
"Good, thing - I'm already on my way..."

I sang to the birds on the way there to calm them down - just as I used to do with my children when they were little girls.

I have some great friends who live on a large tract of protected land a few miles outside of town. They are committed to living a quiet, sustainable life and at least two of them raise chickens. I knew somebody would take mine in for a few days until they could movefrom the "safe house" into their permanent home. (Perhaps it will be necessary to change their names for their protection.)

Sanford's chickens are regular chicken size and his rooster is quite a big boy. He's just beautiful - proud and regal with long graceful tail feathers. As I've mentioned before, my little ornamental birds can't be readily mixed in with a new flock. So we set my cage of 3 in Sanford's yard and his birds came around to check them out. My little guys were VERY excited! Nothing like visit to the country!

As dusk came and his chickens started going into their house for the night, it was time for Chloe and I to go home too. We said our good byes and pulled away.

The next morning Sanford called and said Guinevere and Francesca were doing great. They were very happy, ate out of his hand and the big rooster was hanging out with them showing them the ropes. They were still in their cage, but happy as could be.

Back home things were not so good. Antoinette was causing quite a ruckus. She was clucking around like she actually missed the little boys. Chloe, as usual, was confused. I ended up having to put Antoinette in my kitchen. Can't have these chickens clucking up the neighborhood - especially after I've promised they're quiet! This evening things had settled down considerably. A couple of things I have learned about chickens - they're much smarted than I could have guessed, but they have SHORT TERM MEMORIES!

My favorite thing that happened today

I ran into Ron Daniels today in the Sewanee Market. Ron retired from years and years on the police force last year. After chatting for a minute I went outside & there was an old Ford tractor parked out front. I poked my head back in the Market and said, "did you drive your tractor here?" Of course he did. He was climbing up on it drinking his soda as I pulled away.

I love this town.

Unexpected Repercussions

My supportive family. Corporate Retreat 2004

back: Mom, Greg, Elizabeth, me, Lauren, Aunt Diane, Dad, Grandfather

front: Stephen, April, Julia, Joshua, Rachel

When I got the phone call just one week ago telling me to remove the chickens from my yard ASAP I never could have anticipated the effect it would have on my life, my family's and the community . Never, ever! Yes, my incredibly loyal and supportive friends would say all the right things, but to have people in the community that I barely know stop me and say, "good luck with your chickens" gets me every time. They are, after all, just chickens.

But apparently they're not just chickens - or pets even - they are rights and regulations and common decency and all kinds of things to all kinds of people.

The emails have been pouring in. People I don't even know are writing to the lease committee. Many positive, productive conversations are happening.

I am blessed with a wonderful family. Naturally when this happened, I let them know right away. Actually, they've kind of made fun of me over the years with this whole chicken thing. I know it's weird - it's one of the reasons the birds appeal to me. If they were dogs - they'd be Poodles and I am definitely not a Poodle person (no offense intended - just personal preference). So, I assumed they would humor me while I was sad and life would go on.

Then my mom came over last Saturday to take pictures for the lease committee and told me that my dad was really bothered. She said it was keeping him awake. When I checked email I found that he sent me a message at 4:oo AM with his thoughts on the matter. He supported me! He didn't find me frivolous OR in violation of my lease.

Now the plot thickens... My father was in the administration at the University for over 30 years. He was a policy maker. He is well admired, knows how how things work and thinks in terms of the best interest of the University. For these reasons, his support gave me a whole new way to look at the situation.

My lease is in my parent's name as well as mine. We started brainstorming...

Behind the scenes, my brother Stephen and his wife April were positively irate. They had been calling and emailing with ideas - obviously giving the matter a huge amount of thought. Their 10 year old son Joshua announced his intent to write a letter of complaint. April set me up with the bog.

Meanwhile back at the ranch (not really, you saw the pictures) - the chickens were getting a lot of attention. Chickens love attention. It makes them quite friendly - except for Chloe, she's still very confused by being a star. Stephen, April and their children came over one evening equipped with cameras, sound equipment and a nice bottle of Chardonnay. Stephen is a professional adventure photographer http://www.picturestoryblog.com/who's work takes him to the most remote places in the world. At home we rarely see him with a camera because he needs to separate himself from work. April works for National Geographic, their 10th anniversary is on the 4th and they're going to Guatemala the next day. It's not like they have a lot of free time.

My sister and her husband are in Colorado working the Denver angle.

As I implied, we're a close family, but the way we have come together on this issue is unprecedented.

Frequently asked questions

1. "How can I help? " is the question I hear the most.

You can write a letter or send an email to be received by July 15, 2008 to:

Lease Committee
c/o Barbara Schlichting
735 University Ave.

Sewanee, TN 37383

bschlich@sewanee.edu

PLEASE, only send serious messages. We want to make a change, not bother Barbara with funny, irrelevant or harassing correspondence. If you want your opinion to be considered by the lease committee, you must give your name and address - not that you'll be contacted, but I want to stress the fact that this is not the place to be amusing.

It would be helpful if you stated your relationship to this cause and or Sewanee and the University.

If you want to be funny, post a comment!

2. "What was the complaint?"

Noise. - which no one else in the neighborhood seems to hear.

3. "Who complained?"

I don't think it's appropriate to answer - especially here.

4. "Are you going to be in the 4th of July parade?"

I'm still not sure. I've been very consumed with research, correspondence and this blog and haven't had time to give it much thought. There is definitely interest and some cute ideas. Let me know if you're interested and I'll see what we can come up with. (I'm all about last minute parade prep - remind me to tell you about my brother's rolling wedding reception July 4, 1998)

5. "What's the name of the facebook group?"

Save Sewanee Chickens. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=54313080231

I don't belong to facebook and didn't know about the group, but hear it's growing like crazy!

6. "Do you want a bunch of people to go to the lease committee meeting with you?"

Well yes, maybe - BUT - it is NOT an open metting so only the leaseholders (my parents and I) will go.