Comments on: Why We’re Raising Chickens in the City

By: Chicken Man Kory

Chicken Man Kory — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:22:06 +0000

Chickens are fun. As long as the neighbors do not care then you are good to go. I had a few neighbors that would complain of the smell and noise. But, who cares right? lol

By: Chicken Man Kory

Chicken Man Kory — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:20:42 +0000

You make some very good points. Raising chickens can be so healthy it is amazing. fresh eggs every single day is so much of a plus right there. Also, kids love chickens and it teaches them a lot about respecting animals and about resonsiblity. My children love our chickens and have learned to take care of them pretty much on their own. Lovely post

By: Diana

Diana — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:43:02 +0000

Hey Lyanda,

Really enjoyed reading through your chicken article. My husband and I raise 5 hens right in the city . We started raising them 3yrs ago. I must tell you it is simply wonderful experience. Thanks again for your interesting blog. Will surely look for your book.

By: lyanda

lyanda — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:35:57 +0000

Thanks Muddah! Point well taken.

By: Muddah

Muddah — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:29:25 +0000

Why do people who live more than 200 miles from the New York State line always use us as an example of farming ignorance? I’m a native New Yorker, born and bred, living within 60 miles of Manhattan and chuckle every time I hear “country-folk’ speak of us.

We are a pretty big state — it’s a nine hour drive from Niagara Falls to New York City. The city occupies only a few square miles. So the state contains far more country than city!

My immediate neighbors have goats, chickens, and guinea hens. We drink local wine, eat local produce — gorgeous corn, tomatoes, peaches, strawberries, potatoes, herbs. At Thanksgiving we welcome local turkeys, duck, and venison to our tables. And our Long Island chevre is hard to beat. All produced by New York families who love and live off the land.

Our Catskill Mountain apple orchards stretch for miles as do some of the nation’s oldest vineyards. Mushrooms and onions grown in the cold plains off Lake Ontario are wonderful. Black Angus and sheep herds can be seen along our upstate highways. New York cheese is recognized as some of the finest. I don’t think those cows are grazing on 42nd St and Broadway.

And lastly, has anyone checked out Eli Zabar’s rooftop produce garden set smack in the middle of our city that never sleeps? Ooooooh, his heirloom tomatoes and upstate buffalo mozzarella on his freshly baked artisan bread — what a meal!

Thank you for letting me vent. New Yorkers are not just ‘city-folk’ but ‘country-folk’ too. Yes, there are ignorant ‘city-folk’ like those who were asking Elaine Belanger about the economics of chickens. But there are also ignorant ‘country-folk’ who implicate New Yorkers as being unaware of the joys of self-sufficiency.

PS — We have no clothesline laws in our community. All of us revel in sun-dried sheets and hang our undies with pride!

By: City Chicks « The Craft Begins

City Chicks « The Craft Begins — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:06:41 +0000

[...] the rise of chicken raising as a hip urban movement in cities like Seattle (detailed here, here and here), or it might be the fact that last time I went to my friend’s house there was a [...]

By: lyanda

lyanda — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:36:39 +0000

Isn’t it interesting how individual they are–even very young birds of the same breed? Thanks for the comment, and have fun with your new girls.

By: lyanda

lyanda — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:33:41 +0000

Thank you Dina. (Hey everyone–try Dina’s link, she has a lovely blog.)

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:22:26 +0000

I have to heartily concur with all of your sentiments above. We’re on our 4th batch of hens and they’re each different, but hilarious in their own special chicken way. There’s nothing like the one-eyed chicken look, or to have them come running with their chicken-waddle the minute they hear your voice.
Our newest buff orpington looks exactly like the one on your daughter’s head. Awesome pic!

By: dina

dina — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:30:35 +0000

Lyanda,

Preach it, sister! Your chicks *are* adorable – and you couldn’t be more right on the nose – it’s not a non-event financially to made the move to urban (or any!) chicken keeping! But oh, the benefits!

I agree on the neighbor issue… Our naked gardening neighbors (too long a story to go into! egad!) who HATED our rooster (that we and the rest of the neighbors adored) has gotten much chummier once gifted with a couple dozen fresh eggs! I also added a jar of picked from our own blackberry vines jam – that didn’t hurt, either!

Nicely put!