One thing I have never done, nor do I anticipate ever in my life doing, is raising chickens. But living in rural Vermont, as I do, I have certainly not been isolated from chickens either. I pass by several several small scale chicken operations daily. When I am driving, I really try to avoid hitting the free ranging chickens, observing the sign that announces "Fowl at Play" just down the road, and so far I have been successful.
I have nothing against chickens. I just don't want the bother. For instance, my brother and my sister-in-law pack up their chickens and travel back and forth between Vermont and North Carolina twice each year. They have the donkeys and the dogs and the bird as well. This is not the way I want to travel. It was bad enough trying to sneak a cat into a hotel room. I'm thinking the average inn keeper is going to look askance at a flock of chickens, two donkeys, four dogs and a pet bird. But then, my brother thinks I'm wierd for paying for a cheap motel room when we have a perfectly good car to sleep in.
I have also been aware that there is a growing trend for people keeping chickens in urban neighborhoods. Often there is the "no rooster" rule enacted in these urban neighborhoods. It's kind of funny to me that we have the image of the rooster waking the farm up early in the morning and then quietly going about his business for the rest of the day. No. Actually rooster crow any time of day they happen to feel like it -- loudly. What was news to me is that keeping chickens as house pets is becoming increasingly popular.
You can't make this stuff up. There is a woman in Australia (Brisbane's Courier-Mail) whose business, City Chicks, sells (or rents, if you're not quite ready to fully commit) chickens. She also sells leads and harnesses for walking your chickens on the city streets, chandeliers for coops (if you can't quite bring the chicks into your house but still want to pamper them, I presume), and fashionable chicken clothing (because, really, who wants their chickens dressed in unfashishionable clothing?). She has just recently announced her line of "chicken nappies," which were, it is reported, developed in collaboration with a wedding designer.
Some people can really see the need and just know how to capitalize. I admire and quite envy such people.
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One thing I have never done, nor do I anticipate ever in my life doing, is raising chickens. But living in rural Vermont, as I do, I have certainly not been isolated from chickens either. I pass by several several small scale chicken operations daily. When I am driving, I really try to avoid hitting the free ranging chickens, observing the sign that announces "Fowl at Play" just down the road, and so far I have been successful.
I have nothing against chickens. I just don't want the bother. For instance, my brother and my sister-in-law pack up their chickens and travel back and forth between Vermont and North Carolina twice each year. They have the donkeys and the dogs and the bird as well. This is not the way I want to travel. It was bad enough trying to sneak a cat into a hotel room. I'm thinking the average inn keeper is going to look askance at a flock of chickens, two donkeys, four dogs and a pet bird. But then, my brother thinks I'm wierd for paying for a cheap motel room when we have a perfectly good car to sleep in.
I have also been aware that there is a growing trend for people keeping chickens in urban neighborhoods. Often there is the "no rooster" rule enacted in these urban neighborhoods. It's kind of funny to me that we have the image of the rooster waking the farm up early in the morning and then quietly going about his business for the rest of the day. No. Actually rooster crow any time of day they happen to feel like it -- loudly. What was news to me is that keeping chickens as house pets is becoming increasingly popular.
You can't make this stuff up. There is a woman in Australia (Brisbane's Courier-Mail) whose business, City Chicks, sells (or rents, if you're not quite ready to fully commit) chickens. She also sells leads and harnesses for walking your chickens on the city streets, chandeliers for coops (if you can't quite bring the chicks into your house but still want to pamper them, I presume), and fashionable chicken clothing (because, really, who wants their chickens dressed in unfashishionable clothing?). She has just recently announced her line of "chicken nappies," which were, it is reported, developed in collaboration with a wedding designer.
Some people can really see the need and just know how to capitalize. I admire and quite envy such people.
Me too! Who thought chickens would be the new designer pets? My daughter in Portland has a neighbor who keeps them and they are actually quite pretty - all different colors. I went by her coop one time and it didn't smell bad. She must really keep it clean.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Portland. This place is a heaven for chicken lovers. Not long ago they had a tour of chicken coops rather like a tour of homes for people.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I would have a couple of pet chickens if I had the room. Oh, perhaps not, I don't like stepping in chicken poop when I step outside! I also would not like diapering chickens so I guess I'm out as a chicken owner.
I just saw the other day where someone is selling chicken diapers for those who keep them as house pets.
ReplyDeleteI had friends who traveled with their pet chicken and they adored her. She had a deformed beak and had to be hand fed. She really was affectionate and devoted to their daughter.
I have several friends who have chickens in their suburban backyards. But they always end of dying-- raccoons, viruses, strange egg-related problems. I like my dog.
ReplyDelete