One Year Later - City Doing Great With Chickens

"So Antoinette, I just read a followup article about a city that created a backyard chicken ordinance a year ago. Apparently everything has worked out fine for them. WE should be so lucky! Are you nervous about the meeting tonight???" Yes, it's true. Just under a year ago, the city of South Portland, Maine created an ordinance allowing 6 hens per residence on relatively small lots and they have had absolutely NO PROBLEMS as a result. http://www.theforecaster.net/story.php?storyid=15608

14 permits have been issued. I believe this is a good illustration of the fact that just because it's recognized as legal, doesn't mean everyone will do it.

Sewanee's Community Council meeting is in an hour. I hope that we too will serve as a great example of a community who, like South Portland, "think for themselves" and "most certainly live their values".

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.

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.

Word gets out

As I began talking to friends about my plight, I was truly astonished and very touched at how outraged they were. Because it's so clear that Antoinette, Elisa and Chloe are pets and very dear and important to me, they couldn't understand the reasoning. (The birds also live in a very beautiful garden setting.) I understand - and explained that if you hear someone has chickens, you think muddy, messy, smelly, farmy.

Naturally, in these times, the other issue is that of sustainability. As word spread, more and more people expressed exasperation and the desire to help me. There was talk of joining the 4th of July parade (the theme this year is red, white and green), picketing, silent protests, t shirts, mean things I won't mention, attending the lease committee meeting in mass - it seemed everyone wanted to write a letter.

I called a couple of University people for advice and to see if anyone would come look at my lovely yard to understand how my pets live. I re-asked my closest neighbor if my chickens bothered him. No, he doesn't even hear them.

I put together an email list of people who expressed interest, those I thought would, and neighbors, and sent out a message asking for advice.

A neighbor excitedly flagged me down saying, "I want to see your pets!" He had no idea I had them and expressed no reservations or concern - only appreciation for my gardens.

And still I thought, "How am I going to get rid of these chickens? Maybe I could get rid of Elisa and just keep Chloe and Antoinette..." Each evening in the garden was a melancholy and thought provoking time.