As regular readers know, I belong to a grass-roots movement that worked to get Chesapeake, Virginia, to allow laying hens on all single-family residential lots. City Council voted a 1-year sunset clause on the law, which means that our right to keep up to six laying hens in our backyards, with certain restrictions, will disappear next year unless City Council votes by December 20 to keep the law . Our group is waiting to hear from Robert Ike, the City Councilman who is most in our corner, about the date when this vote will take place.
In the meantime we are asking Chesapeake's legal, residential chicken-keepers to collect letters from local friends and neighbors in support of making the "hen law" permanent. Letters should focus on the fact that the hens are having a positive impact in the neighborhood. And they should explain how or why this is so. To have any impact on Council, the letters must be signed and dated and include contact information in the letterhead. At a minimum, the letters should contain the Chesapeake address where the neighbor lives, but email and phone numbers are welcome, too, in case Council members want to follow up with questions. Supportive letters from Chesapeake businesses, churches, civic leagues, neighborhood watches, or other groups are also welcome.
Residential hen-keepers: we need you to ask for and collect these letters of support and to deliver them to either Wendy Camacho or Mary Lou Burke by the Friday before Thanksgiving, Friday, November 22, 2013. We will copy them, collate them, and make sure they are delivered to City Council sometime before the actual vote. Let's be like the "Little Red Hen" in the famous children's story, and all work together to make this fantastic new law a permanent one!
Mail letters to:
Mary Lou Burke
945 Hollywood Dr
Chesapeake, VA 23320
If you have questions, post them under "comments" here or, even better, post them on our Facebook fan page, 4 Chesapeake Hens.
And thanks!
Update on 11/4: hens are on the agenda for November 26, 2013. Hopefully we'll get the vote we need then.
Update: On November 26, 2013, Chesapeake City Council voted to make the "hen ordinance" permanent. The meeting may be viewed online: fast forward to 1:19 to see some great pro-chicken speeches and the City Council's reaction.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
City Council Member of the Week
Our grass-roots community group, "4 Chesapeake Hens," found the following approach very useful when we worked to get backyard hens legalized in Chesapeake, Virginia, with certain restrictions. Instead of asking members to contact everyone on City Council all at once, we asked them to contact one Council Member at a time, so that our efforts were more focused and hopefully noticed.
We are not done working for the right to keep our hens, however. City Council voted a sunset clause into the ordinance, which means that if Council does not vote to keep the law by December 20, 2013, our right to keep our hens will lapse. Therefore it is time to contact our elected leadership and share our expectations.
Remember to keep all contact with our elected leadership concise, informed, and polite. This is how our group earned the right to keep hens, and this is how we will continue to keep them. Also remember that most Council Members voted *for* the hen ordinance. We will inform you which ones did or did not, and we will inform you *why* a Council Member voted against us if we know the reasons. If you email, be sure to include contact information such as your name, address, email address, and telephone number.
10/12/13
Our final "City Council Member of the Week" is Vice Mayor John de Triquet, who voted *against* backyard hens along with Debbie Ritter and Rick West. Dr. de Triquet has been very open and honest about his opposition to backyard hens since the beginning of our group's efforts in Chesapeake. He has been willing to communicate and very polite. He also seems to appreciate the respectful, well-informed way our group has approached hims. Nevertheless, his mind has seemed to be made up. Video is available on YouTube that explains Vice Mayor de Triquet's "no" vote back in November. It's interesting to note that he cites the opinions of health officials in Richmond, yet Richmond has legalized backyard microflocks since last November. If anyone discovers any specifics about his concerns for public health or safety, please let us know! We would like to address them if we can.
Here is his contact information:
3020 Princess Anne Crescent
Chesapeake, VA 23321
Home: 757-484-0542
Fax: 757-484-0014
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6951
E-mail: Johndetriquet@aol.com
10/6/13
This week's "City Council Member of the Week" is Debbie Ritter, who voted *against* backyard hens last November. She has been consistently willing to talk to her constituents and to listen to them, but she has consistently opposed the hens. Her main reason seems to be her perception of residents' "expectations." Be sure to share your own expectations politely when you contact her. Explain that voters' expectations might be different from what she suspects. Video of her explanation when she voted against the hens last November is available on YouTube through Saad Ringa. Thanks, Saad!
Here is her contact information:
732 Schoolhouse Road
Chesapeake, VA 23322
Fax: 757-482-6356
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6948
Email: dritter@cityofchesapeake.net
9/29/13
This week's "City Council Member of the Week" is Scott W. Matheson. He also voted for allowing backyard hens. Be sure to thank Mr. Matheson and ask him to renew the ordinance. Here is his contact information:
725 Watch Island Reach
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Fax: 757-410-9409
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6947
E-mail: scott@scott-matheson.com
9/20/13
Lonnie E. Craig is this week's "City Council Member of the Week." He voted *for* backyard hens last November. Please thank him for doing so and remind him that it is time to extend the law. Here is his contact information:
3613 S. Battlefield Blvd.
Chesapeake, VA 23322
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6946
E-mail: lcraig@cityofchesapeake.net
9/15/13
This week's ""City Council Member of the Week" is Dr. Ella P. Ward. When she voted for the hen ordinance, she said the sunset clause was important to her. She felt it important for Council to revisit the ordinance this fall in case backyard hens were causing the City or its residents any problems. It is time to remind her that the hens have been a blessing, not a problem, to residents of Chesapeake. We need to make this ordinance permanent so we can continue to enjoy our hens. Here is her contact information:
1517 Pine Grove Lane
Chesapeake, VA 23321
Fax: 757-488-4713
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6950
E-mail: eward@cityofchesapeake.net
9/7/13
This week's "City Council Member of the Week" is our Mayor, Alan P. Krasnoff. He voted *for* backyard hens back in November. Please thank him and ask him to do the same the next time the issue is up for a vote. The mayor is interested in helping people from all walks of life, especially those who face challenging circumstances. If chickens have helped you or your family overcome adversity in any way, please be sure to share your story. Here is his contact information according to the City's website:
1006 Cuervo Court
Chesapeake, VA 23322
Home: 757-547-8446
Fax: 757-547-9268
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6974
E-mail: akrasnoff@cityofchesapeake.net
8/29/13
Our third "City Council Member of the Week" is Susan H. "Suzy" Kelly. She voted *for* backyard hens back in November and has told me she "hopes to be able to" vote for them again this fall. She has been one of the more responsive council members to our questions and requests. She has strong interests in environmental concerns, especially water quality. She also has told me that she hoped that backyard hens would not become a divisive issue in our community. Please send her messages reassuring her on both counts. Thank her for her support. Here is her contact information from the City's website:
1716 Lambert Court
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Fax: 757-523-0903
Ph. Mail: 757-213-5115
E-mail: suzy@jokell.com
8/22/13
Our second "City Council Member of the Week" is Dr. Rick West, who has degrees in education. He voted against backyard hens in November, but we are still not sure what his reasons were. In a recent article in the Clipper, West claims he has not changed his opinion but is trying to keep an open mind, particularly since there have been few complaints. Let's thank him for trying to keep an open mind and see if we can find out exactly what his concerns are. If you learn of his reasons, please keep us posted in comments either here or on 4 Chesapeake Hens' Facebook page. Perhaps we can find ways to assuage whatever concerns he may still have.
1144 Fairway Drive
Chesapeake, Va 23320
Fax: 757-390-3598
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6952
E-mail: rwest@cityofchesapeake.net
Our first "City Council Member of the Week" is Robert Ike, who is the City Council Member who worked very hard to bring this law to pass. He has always been completely in our corner. Let's start by thanking him for what he has done, and offering to help him as he works toward making this change permanent. Here is his contact information as provided by the City.
8/15/13:
908 Executive Court, #104
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Fax: 757-482-6654
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6956
E-mail: rike@cityofchesapeake.net
Update: On November 26, 2013, Chesapeake City Council voted to make the "hen ordinance" permanent. The meeting may be viewed online: fast forward to 1:19 to see some great pro-chicken speeches and the City Council's reaction.
We are not done working for the right to keep our hens, however. City Council voted a sunset clause into the ordinance, which means that if Council does not vote to keep the law by December 20, 2013, our right to keep our hens will lapse. Therefore it is time to contact our elected leadership and share our expectations.
Remember to keep all contact with our elected leadership concise, informed, and polite. This is how our group earned the right to keep hens, and this is how we will continue to keep them. Also remember that most Council Members voted *for* the hen ordinance. We will inform you which ones did or did not, and we will inform you *why* a Council Member voted against us if we know the reasons. If you email, be sure to include contact information such as your name, address, email address, and telephone number.
10/12/13
Our final "City Council Member of the Week" is Vice Mayor John de Triquet, who voted *against* backyard hens along with Debbie Ritter and Rick West. Dr. de Triquet has been very open and honest about his opposition to backyard hens since the beginning of our group's efforts in Chesapeake. He has been willing to communicate and very polite. He also seems to appreciate the respectful, well-informed way our group has approached hims. Nevertheless, his mind has seemed to be made up. Video is available on YouTube that explains Vice Mayor de Triquet's "no" vote back in November. It's interesting to note that he cites the opinions of health officials in Richmond, yet Richmond has legalized backyard microflocks since last November. If anyone discovers any specifics about his concerns for public health or safety, please let us know! We would like to address them if we can.
Here is his contact information:
Vice Mayor John de Triquet
Council Member3020 Princess Anne Crescent
Chesapeake, VA 23321
Contact Numbers:
Business: 757-312-9220Home: 757-484-0542
Fax: 757-484-0014
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6951
E-mail: Johndetriquet@aol.com
10/6/13
This week's "City Council Member of the Week" is Debbie Ritter, who voted *against* backyard hens last November. She has been consistently willing to talk to her constituents and to listen to them, but she has consistently opposed the hens. Her main reason seems to be her perception of residents' "expectations." Be sure to share your own expectations politely when you contact her. Explain that voters' expectations might be different from what she suspects. Video of her explanation when she voted against the hens last November is available on YouTube through Saad Ringa. Thanks, Saad!
Here is her contact information:
S.Z. "Debbie" Ritter
Council Member732 Schoolhouse Road
Chesapeake, VA 23322
Contact Numbers:
Home: 757-482-4242Fax: 757-482-6356
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6948
Email: dritter@cityofchesapeake.net
9/29/13
This week's "City Council Member of the Week" is Scott W. Matheson. He also voted for allowing backyard hens. Be sure to thank Mr. Matheson and ask him to renew the ordinance. Here is his contact information:
Scott W. Matheson
Council Member725 Watch Island Reach
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Contact Numbers:
Phone: 757-548-3296Fax: 757-410-9409
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6947
E-mail: scott@scott-matheson.com
9/20/13
Lonnie E. Craig is this week's "City Council Member of the Week." He voted *for* backyard hens last November. Please thank him for doing so and remind him that it is time to extend the law. Here is his contact information:
Lonnie E. Craig
Council Member3613 S. Battlefield Blvd.
Chesapeake, VA 23322
Contact Numbers:
Home: 757-421-2322Ph. Mail: 757-382-6946
E-mail: lcraig@cityofchesapeake.net
9/15/13
This week's ""City Council Member of the Week" is Dr. Ella P. Ward. When she voted for the hen ordinance, she said the sunset clause was important to her. She felt it important for Council to revisit the ordinance this fall in case backyard hens were causing the City or its residents any problems. It is time to remind her that the hens have been a blessing, not a problem, to residents of Chesapeake. We need to make this ordinance permanent so we can continue to enjoy our hens. Here is her contact information:
Dr. Ella P. Ward
Council Member1517 Pine Grove Lane
Chesapeake, VA 23321
Contact Numbers:
Home: 757-488-6843Fax: 757-488-4713
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6950
E-mail: eward@cityofchesapeake.net
9/7/13
This week's "City Council Member of the Week" is our Mayor, Alan P. Krasnoff. He voted *for* backyard hens back in November. Please thank him and ask him to do the same the next time the issue is up for a vote. The mayor is interested in helping people from all walks of life, especially those who face challenging circumstances. If chickens have helped you or your family overcome adversity in any way, please be sure to share your story. Here is his contact information according to the City's website:
Dr. Alan P. Krasnoff
Mayor1006 Cuervo Court
Chesapeake, VA 23322
Contact Numbers:
Business: 757-547-9266Home: 757-547-8446
Fax: 757-547-9268
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6974
E-mail: akrasnoff@cityofchesapeake.net
8/29/13
Our third "City Council Member of the Week" is Susan H. "Suzy" Kelly. She voted *for* backyard hens back in November and has told me she "hopes to be able to" vote for them again this fall. She has been one of the more responsive council members to our questions and requests. She has strong interests in environmental concerns, especially water quality. She also has told me that she hoped that backyard hens would not become a divisive issue in our community. Please send her messages reassuring her on both counts. Thank her for her support. Here is her contact information from the City's website:
Susan H. "Suzy" Kelly
Council Member1716 Lambert Court
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Contact Numbers:
Phone: 757-523-2900Fax: 757-523-0903
Ph. Mail: 757-213-5115
E-mail: suzy@jokell.com
8/22/13
Our second "City Council Member of the Week" is Dr. Rick West, who has degrees in education. He voted against backyard hens in November, but we are still not sure what his reasons were. In a recent article in the Clipper, West claims he has not changed his opinion but is trying to keep an open mind, particularly since there have been few complaints. Let's thank him for trying to keep an open mind and see if we can find out exactly what his concerns are. If you learn of his reasons, please keep us posted in comments either here or on 4 Chesapeake Hens' Facebook page. Perhaps we can find ways to assuage whatever concerns he may still have.
Dr. Richard W. "Rick" West
Council Member1144 Fairway Drive
Chesapeake, Va 23320
Contact Numbers:
Home: 757-436-1915Fax: 757-390-3598
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6952
E-mail: rwest@cityofchesapeake.net
Our first "City Council Member of the Week" is Robert Ike, who is the City Council Member who worked very hard to bring this law to pass. He has always been completely in our corner. Let's start by thanking him for what he has done, and offering to help him as he works toward making this change permanent. Here is his contact information as provided by the City.
8/15/13:
Robert C. Ike, Jr.
Council Member908 Executive Court, #104
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Contact Numbers:
Home: 757-842-4819Fax: 757-482-6654
Ph. Mail: 757-382-6956
E-mail: rike@cityofchesapeake.net
Update: On November 26, 2013, Chesapeake City Council voted to make the "hen ordinance" permanent. The meeting may be viewed online: fast forward to 1:19 to see some great pro-chicken speeches and the City Council's reaction.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Chickens vs. The Sunset Law, First Efforts
Our grass-roots community group, 4 Chesapeake Hens, succeeded in convincing City Council to allow up to six "female chickens" with certain restrictions on all single-family residential lots in Chesapeake, Virginia. There was a one-year sunset clause on the ordinance, which passed in November of 2012. This means that City Council must vote to make the law permanent by December 20, 2013, or we will lose our right to keep our chickens legally.
Last night at City Council I made a speech and presented the results of our group's Freedom of Information Act request for data on violations and complaints regarding residential chickens. Here is the text of my speech:
"Finally, our group asks the City what the time frame and process will be for making the decision about keeping the hen ordinance. We would like to be informed regarding the points in the process where there will be opportunities for public comment. We residents are enjoying our hens tremendously, and we want to be sure that we can continue to enjoy them."
The speech is also available on video but viewers will need to scroll to about 2:12. Our group is proud of our City Council for returning to us an important property right, but our community deserves to see this change made permanent.
Update: On November 26, 2013, Chesapeake City Council voted to make the "hen ordinance" permanent. The meeting may be viewed online: fast forward to 1:19 to see some great pro-chicken speeches and the City Council's reaction.
Last night at City Council I made a speech and presented the results of our group's Freedom of Information Act request for data on violations and complaints regarding residential chickens. Here is the text of my speech:
"My name is Mary Lou Burke, and I live at 945 Hollywood Drive.
"As a resident of Chesapeake, I am proud of you, our Mayor and City Council. You made a decision to allow micro-flocks of laying hens in all single-family residential backyards. By legalizing hens, you made a decision based on facts, not on myths and misinformation. By legalizing hens, you also led the way toward a more family-friendly, healthier, and more sustainable community. You protected personal property rights by restoring to us our historic right to keep a few hens on our own property and for our own use. And you led the way not only locally, but regionally as well. In the time since Chesapeake legalized residential hens last November, both Richmond and Portsmouth have legalized them, and Hampton, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach are taking another look at their own 'hen laws.' Well done!
"The next step is to make this change permanent. We are all aware that there is a sunset clause on this ordinance, which means that Council must vote to keep the law by December 20, or our rights will lapse. We cannot allow that to happen and to lose the progress that we have already made.To that end, our group presents to you a report based on data that we obtained under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. The City’s own data shows that violations and even complaints regarding chickens in residential areas have actually decreased since the 'hen law' was enacted. It also proves that there were over 7,000 complaints about dogs and cats in a time period where there were less than 50 complaints about residential chickens. Your city’s own data proves that the 'hen law' should be made permanent.
"Finally, our group asks the City what the time frame and process will be for making the decision about keeping the hen ordinance. We would like to be informed regarding the points in the process where there will be opportunities for public comment. We residents are enjoying our hens tremendously, and we want to be sure that we can continue to enjoy them."
The speech is also available on video but viewers will need to scroll to about 2:12. Our group is proud of our City Council for returning to us an important property right, but our community deserves to see this change made permanent.
Update: On November 26, 2013, Chesapeake City Council voted to make the "hen ordinance" permanent. The meeting may be viewed online: fast forward to 1:19 to see some great pro-chicken speeches and the City Council's reaction.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Chesapeake Chickens and FOIA Request, Parts 1 and 2
I made a request for information under Virginia's Freedom of Information Act to the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, back in June. I asked for information regarding the number of complaints pertaining to chickens, the nature of the complaints, the location of the complaints, and whether they were found valid or not. I asked for information for the past two years through May.
Our group, 4 Chesapeake Hens, convinced Chesapeake's City Council to change local ordinances to allow up to six hens in backyards in single-family residential lots on November 20, 2012. The law was passed with a "sunset clause," which means that City Council will revisit the "hen issue" this fall and make a final decision whether to keep the law the same, to change it, or let it revert to its draconian past, where hens were only allowed in agricultural areas or on a few residential estates. Our group obviously wants to be allowed to keep our hens, so we requested data that we hoped would bolster our cause.
We also asked for data on dog and cat complaints during the same time period as a point of comparison. That data will not be available until August 7. For the convenience of having all the paperwork in one spot, we will publish our FOIA-related discoveries here on this page.
Our group is looking forward to studying this data in greater depth to see how we can best use it to our advantage in the coming months. So far it does NOT look like there have been a huge number of complaints or a huge increase in complaints regarding chickens, which is good news!
Part 2, Updated on 8/9/13:
Our group has received the second part of our request, which is information on complaints regarding dogs and cats within the same time period we are studying chickens. There were many more complaints, of course. We have had a chance to analyze the initial data, and the analysis is very favorable to the chickens. We plan to present it to City Council; it is available here. Here is the additional information which supports our analysis. All this information has cost our group a total of $467.32.
Our group, 4 Chesapeake Hens, convinced Chesapeake's City Council to change local ordinances to allow up to six hens in backyards in single-family residential lots on November 20, 2012. The law was passed with a "sunset clause," which means that City Council will revisit the "hen issue" this fall and make a final decision whether to keep the law the same, to change it, or let it revert to its draconian past, where hens were only allowed in agricultural areas or on a few residential estates. Our group obviously wants to be allowed to keep our hens, so we requested data that we hoped would bolster our cause.
We also asked for data on dog and cat complaints during the same time period as a point of comparison. That data will not be available until August 7. For the convenience of having all the paperwork in one spot, we will publish our FOIA-related discoveries here on this page.
 |
| Page 1 original letter with our group's request and estimated costs |
 |
| Page 2 of this letter explains the total cost of the information is over $500.00. We paid it. |
 |
| The City sends chicken information and will send information on dogs and cats when available |
 |
| This chart shows chicken and related complaints for the past two years |
 |
| This chart attempts to summarize the information on the previous page |
Part 2, Updated on 8/9/13:
Our group has received the second part of our request, which is information on complaints regarding dogs and cats within the same time period we are studying chickens. There were many more complaints, of course. We have had a chance to analyze the initial data, and the analysis is very favorable to the chickens. We plan to present it to City Council; it is available here. Here is the additional information which supports our analysis. All this information has cost our group a total of $467.32.
 |
| $526.40 minus $59.08 means all our FOIA documents cost us $467.32. |
 |
| The estimate was higher, so our group got a $59.08 refund of our deposit for the info. |
Saturday, June 29, 2013
What I learned from Pat Foreman's Two-Day Intensive Chicken Workshop
I confess, this blog post is late! I participated in a two-day intensive chicken workshop with Pat Foreman, the author of City Chicks, back in early March. I meant to write about the experience months ago, but better late than never. We met at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach.
Pat gave us lots of handouts and advice. Much of it I had read in some of her books, but the refresher was useful. I came away realizing that our society and our world need to do more to conserve our soil and our sources of fresh water, which we are rapidly and suicidally depleting. Chicken-keepers can help by employing chickens and their manure in organic gardening.
The chicken-handling portions of the workshop were the parts that were most useful to me. I am much more confident handling my hens and much less likely to accidentally harm them as a result of this experience. I am glad that local chicken-keepers are giving free workshops through 4 Chesapeake Hens and other groups, but I wish that everyone who raises chickens could get to spend the time with Pat that we did.
Some random tidbits that I found useful: avoid the use of particle board in coops because they harbor mites. Pat prefers plastic or metal nest boxes to wood ones, and plastic nest-box liners, for the same reason. Never use cedar shavings in coops because they off-gas and can cause the birds respiratory and other health issues. Aspen shavings are preferred. Sprouting grains improves the nutritional availability to the chicken; they *love* sprouted wheat berries! Heritage breeds of chicken need higher levels of protein than the factory-farm birds, up to 28% of their diet. The shells of chicken eggs, crushed up and fed back to them as a source of calcium, are much more nutritious than crushed oyster shells. NEVER grab and squeeze a laying hen; it can kill hens if you break an egg inside them.
Speaking of eggs, Lisa Dearden demonstrated the differences between pastured eggs and supermarket eggs. She scrambled some of each up, and it's easy to tell the difference. The richer color of the pastured eggs is evidence of superior flavor and nutrition.
The color of the eggshells, however, has nothing to do with freshness or nutritional content, despite popular belief to the contrary. Still, the variety of colors and sizes is fun and nothing like what you find in stores:
Pat recommended Countryside Organics feed. A friend keeps reminding me that it is available at New Earth Farm in Virginia Beach. Maybe next time I need to buy feed I will hunt this down.
For more pictures and another perspective on this workshop, check out this blog post by my good friend and urban homesteader, Lanette Lepper. Unlike me, she managed to post her thoughts in a timely manner. For more about Pat Foreman's workshops, visit Chickens and You.
 |
| Pat Foreman, Chicken Whisperer and Workshop Presenter Extraordinaire! |
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| Pat Foreman's Sidekick, a Rare Chantecler Hen Named Oprah Henfry |
Pat gave us lots of handouts and advice. Much of it I had read in some of her books, but the refresher was useful. I came away realizing that our society and our world need to do more to conserve our soil and our sources of fresh water, which we are rapidly and suicidally depleting. Chicken-keepers can help by employing chickens and their manure in organic gardening.
The chicken-handling portions of the workshop were the parts that were most useful to me. I am much more confident handling my hens and much less likely to accidentally harm them as a result of this experience. I am glad that local chicken-keepers are giving free workshops through 4 Chesapeake Hens and other groups, but I wish that everyone who raises chickens could get to spend the time with Pat that we did.
 |
| Here I Am, Talking to My Buff Orpington, Minerva (photo courtesy of Craig Mills) |
 |
| Oprah and and this participant seem to have hit it off! |
 |
| Lisa Dearden was Pat's Co-Presenter |
 |
| My Friend, Lanette, Handles a Gentle Dominique Rooster, a Colonial-Era Breed from Williamsburg |
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| Pat Brought In Some Day-Old Chicks. How FAST They Grow! |
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| Can You Spot the Chick? |
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| This Chick is Hard to Miss! |
Some random tidbits that I found useful: avoid the use of particle board in coops because they harbor mites. Pat prefers plastic or metal nest boxes to wood ones, and plastic nest-box liners, for the same reason. Never use cedar shavings in coops because they off-gas and can cause the birds respiratory and other health issues. Aspen shavings are preferred. Sprouting grains improves the nutritional availability to the chicken; they *love* sprouted wheat berries! Heritage breeds of chicken need higher levels of protein than the factory-farm birds, up to 28% of their diet. The shells of chicken eggs, crushed up and fed back to them as a source of calcium, are much more nutritious than crushed oyster shells. NEVER grab and squeeze a laying hen; it can kill hens if you break an egg inside them.
Speaking of eggs, Lisa Dearden demonstrated the differences between pastured eggs and supermarket eggs. She scrambled some of each up, and it's easy to tell the difference. The richer color of the pastured eggs is evidence of superior flavor and nutrition.
 |
| Can YOU Tell Which Part of These Scrambled Eggs Came From the Supermarket? |
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| Different Breeds of Chickens Produce Eggs with Different Colors of Shell |
Pat recommended Countryside Organics feed. A friend keeps reminding me that it is available at New Earth Farm in Virginia Beach. Maybe next time I need to buy feed I will hunt this down.
For more pictures and another perspective on this workshop, check out this blog post by my good friend and urban homesteader, Lanette Lepper. Unlike me, she managed to post her thoughts in a timely manner. For more about Pat Foreman's workshops, visit Chickens and You.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
North Carolina State University on Climate Change and Sustainability
Tuesday my family and I visited the Nansemond River Golf Club in nearby Suffolk, VA. As the family of a recent NC State graduate, we had been invited to attend a regional alumni event.
The topic of the guest speaker, "NC State's Role in Protecting Our Global Food Supply," interested us, so we went. The speaker was Richard H. Linton, NC State's new Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He had recently been hired away from Ohio State.
Linton was told to keep his remarks limited to about 20 minutes because State had a big baseball game coming up, the alumni were fans and wanted to watch it, and the administration was in a hurry to head back to Raleigh. This disappointed me. Soil and water are the two most important resources for any civilization to thrive, or even to survive, and with the environmental and population pressures the world is facing, Linton's talk was far more important than a baseball game. But he did well with the limited time he was given.
I learned that North Carolina is in the top ten agricultural crop-producing states in the United States (Linton ranked it at #3). I also learned that NC State plays an important role in crop production through its research and through its very active Cooperative Extension network. NC State is active in developing new plants and in adapting plants so they will grow in North Carolina. He said that clean water will be an increasingly important national and global concern. He also emphasized the urgent necessity of growing enough food for a rapidly increasing word population. Unfortunately, the audience was not given an opportunity to ask questions at the end of his presentation.
I emailed Dr. Linton for an article he promised to forward about the backyard chicken movement (it was excellent). But I was disappointed that he didn't answer my inquiry regarding NC State's plant development practices and to what extent they were focusing on GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Ohio State has the reputation for being the epitome of "Big Ag," and so I remain curious what role organic and small-scale farms have in NC State's vision for the future.
In a world where 20-minute presentations on questions of world importance take a back seat to college athletics, we may never know.
The topic of the guest speaker, "NC State's Role in Protecting Our Global Food Supply," interested us, so we went. The speaker was Richard H. Linton, NC State's new Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He had recently been hired away from Ohio State.
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| Richard H. Linton, Dean of NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences |
Linton was told to keep his remarks limited to about 20 minutes because State had a big baseball game coming up, the alumni were fans and wanted to watch it, and the administration was in a hurry to head back to Raleigh. This disappointed me. Soil and water are the two most important resources for any civilization to thrive, or even to survive, and with the environmental and population pressures the world is facing, Linton's talk was far more important than a baseball game. But he did well with the limited time he was given.
 |
| The Agricultural Challenges that the U.S. faces in the 21st Century |
I learned that North Carolina is in the top ten agricultural crop-producing states in the United States (Linton ranked it at #3). I also learned that NC State plays an important role in crop production through its research and through its very active Cooperative Extension network. NC State is active in developing new plants and in adapting plants so they will grow in North Carolina. He said that clean water will be an increasingly important national and global concern. He also emphasized the urgent necessity of growing enough food for a rapidly increasing word population. Unfortunately, the audience was not given an opportunity to ask questions at the end of his presentation.
I emailed Dr. Linton for an article he promised to forward about the backyard chicken movement (it was excellent). But I was disappointed that he didn't answer my inquiry regarding NC State's plant development practices and to what extent they were focusing on GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Ohio State has the reputation for being the epitome of "Big Ag," and so I remain curious what role organic and small-scale farms have in NC State's vision for the future.
In a world where 20-minute presentations on questions of world importance take a back seat to college athletics, we may never know.
Hampton Roads Regional Backyard Chicken Groups
Re-posted with permission from Danielle Rawls to help regional folks who are not on Facebook find fellow chicken enthusiasts:
Chesapeake:
4 Chesapeake Hens: www.facebook.com/4ChesapeakeHens
Hampton Roads Regional
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hamptonroadshens/?fref=ts
James City County, Virginia: https://www.facebook.com/groups/214650598661018/
Newport News
Newport News Backyard Chickens: www.facebook.com/groups/newportnewsbackyardchickens
Norfolk
Backyard Hens 4 Norfolk
https://www.facebook.com/groups/280157698797552/
Peninsula
Peninsula Chicken Keepers (PeCK): www.peninsulachickenkeepers.weebly.com
Portsmouth:
Portsmouth Hen Keepers: www.facebook.com/PortsmouthHenKeepers
Suffolk
Suffolk Hen Keepers: www.facebook.com/groups/suffolkhens
Virginia:
Pet Chickens of Virginia (PCOV): www.facebook.com/groups/Petchickensofvirginia/
Virginia Beach:
4 Virginia Beach Hens: www.facebook.com/4VirginiaBeachHens
Local Chicken Advocate Groups
4 Chesapeake Hens: www.facebook.com/4ChesapeakeHens
Hampton Roads Regional
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hamptonroadshens/?fref=ts
James City County, Virginia: https://www.facebook.com/groups/214650598661018/
Newport News
Newport News Backyard Chickens: www.facebook.com/groups/newportnewsbackyardchickens
Norfolk
Backyard Hens 4 Norfolk
https://www.facebook.com/groups/280157698797552/
Peninsula
Peninsula Chicken Keepers (PeCK): www.peninsulachickenkeepers.weebly.com
Portsmouth:
Portsmouth Hen Keepers: www.facebook.com/PortsmouthHenKeepers
Suffolk
Suffolk Hen Keepers: www.facebook.com/groups/suffolkhens
Virginia:
Pet Chickens of Virginia (PCOV): www.facebook.com/groups/Petchickensofvirginia/
Virginia Beach:
4 Virginia Beach Hens: www.facebook.com/4VirginiaBeachHens
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