Factory Farms, eggs and Prop 2

I found this article this morning and thought it was interesting.  If CLUCK is successful, eating eggs that are “a product that’s criminally cruel to produce”, and have increased in cost 20% due to Prop 2’s humane hen keeping regulations, will be less of an issue for many Sacramentans!

victories on chicken laws across the country

Columbia, MO just passed a law to legalize urban chicken keeping. Below is a good excerpt from the article:

Ann Koenig, a mother of two, supported the ordinance not only because of the local food aspect, she said, but also because her children look forward to raising chickens.

Koenig discussed the learning process of selecting breeds, designing a coop and building it as a family.

“It seems just priceless,” Koenig said.

Adam Saunders, with the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, spoke in support of the local food movement in Columbia.

“There are many benefits these children will receive by seeing where their food comes from,” Saunders said.

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http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/02/01/city-council-passes-urban-hen-ordinance/

chicken m.o.s

If you’re not yet at the ad nauseam stage with chicken web sites, here’s one that gets into more than 60 different chicken breeds and their predominant neuroses, likes and dislikes, and winning characteristics: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

A letter from Alex (a 12 year old former backyard chicken farmer)

With the amazing media coverage that CLUCK has been getting lately, many folks in the community have been reaching out to us to express support.  One of these folks is lovely lady named Linda.  Her 12 year old son, Alex, feels pretty strongly about the ban on hen keeping in Sacramento and wanted to let us know that he’s behind our efforts.  Linda and Alex recently moved to Sacramento from Vacaville, where chicken keeping is legal.  Alex had an egg selling and delivery business and a flock of chickens with cool names who even went to church with him once!  When they moved to Sacramento Alex had to leave his flock behind.  Anyhow, Alex’s letter pretty much says it all.

My name is Alex and I am a former flock owner . I had 45 chickens when I lived in Vacaville. I moved to Sacramento and now I am not allowed to have chickens. It makes me enraged that the city will not allow us to have such a peaceful and useful creature such as the chicken.

I will be sending letters and this picture I made (see below) to the mayor and the city council members.

Please if there’s any other way that I can support your work to lift the ban on backyard chickens, I would like to help.

Alex

Gaining momentum…

In just the past few weeks, local restaurants and businesses have joined our cause. Mulvaney’s Building and Loan, Magpie Caterers, Ravenous Cafe and the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op have all written to the council expressing their support for CLUCK’s efforts to legalize urban chicken keeping.

When you have a chance to stop by, please thank these folks!

Great CLUCK Media Exposure

Howdy CLUCKers! The urban chicken movement has been getting some attention in the media this month. Follow these links to view the 4 articles that ran in the Sacramento Bee this week.

Getting Fresh Backyard Eggs Means Starting from Scratch

http://www.sacbee.com/740/story/2389685.html

The Conversation: Why are birds a dirty word?

http://www.sacbee.com/740/story/2389684.html

A Chicken Fancier Defends the Flock

http://www.sacbee.com/740/story/2389686.html

Sacramento to Rethink Backyard Chicken Ban

http://www.sacbee.com/1085/story/2389978.html

Additionally, there’s an article in Inside the City this month as well. Pick up a copy at many local shops. I always get my copy at Gunther’s Ice Cream on Franklin.

Want to show your support for CLUCK? Consider buying a t shirt. We have some good lookin’ t’s with the CLUCK logo on the front for just 15 bucks. Email info@eatsacramento.org to place your order. This would make a super cool Christmas gift for the urban ag enthusiast in us all!

the Chicken Whisperer

There are tons of Urban chicken websites, just hit you favorite search engine and go for a spin. You can spend hours cruising fun and informative sites. Recently I came across a blogradio site for a guy who calls himself “the Chicken Whisperer”. His show is nationally broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia and its focus is keeping backyard poultry and living a self-sufficient lifestyle. Check him out on either:

http://atlantachickenwhisperer.blogspot.com/

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/backyardpoultry

The Way It Was –

Chickens in Downtown Sacramento’s backyards — circa 1916.  Photo taken at a home near 26th & P, downtown Sacramento.

Diary of an Urban Chicken-Keeper

Here’s a humorous little article on the travails of urban chicken-keeping from across the pond.  The Eglu it mentions is pictured above. A cute, hassle-free coop, if not very environmentally benign. 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/diary-of-an-urban-chickenkeeper-563138.html

Quick Coop

not an urban coop... but WOW! FANCY!