A sign of the times! San Diego City Council voted on Jan. 31, 2012, to allow residents to keep chickens, goats, and bees, citing the importance of accessing local food. Read more here.
31 Jan
As an aside… Light pollution featured in new movie
The Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N. State) will air the movie – “The City Dark” February 4, 8, 9. This movie features light reduction and my bird rescue work with Chicago Bird Collision Monitors.
THE CITY DARK is a feature documentary about light pollution and the disappearing night sky. It premiered in competition at the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize for Best Score/Music. After moving to light-polluted New York City from rural Maine, filmmaker Ian Cheney asks: “Do we need the dark?” Exploring the threat of killer asteroids in Hawai’i, tracking hatching turtles along the Florida coast, and rescuing injured birds on Chicago streets, Cheney unravels the myriad implications of a globe glittering with lights—including increased breast cancer rates from exposure to light at night, and a generation of kids without a glimpse of the universe above. Featuring stunning astrophotography and a cast of eclectic scientists, philosophers, historians, and lighting designers, THE CITY DARK is the definitive story of light pollution and the disappearing stars.
View the trailer here! http://www.thecitydark.com/
27 Jan
Hens Find a Home in Northbrook, IL
Nigel and Robert are two hens living in Northbrook, IL. Their coop placement could be a legal issue for their owners. Read more here.
27 Jan
Backyard Poultry Magazine on Legalizing Chickens
Many of you have been asking about how to legalize chickens in your community. Backyard Poultry magazine has a great article with tips and pointers on making hens legal in your area of residence! Read more about this here!
26 Jan
Toronto Eyes Backyard Hens, Eh?
In Toronto, laws currently ban backyard hens; however, according to a Canadian Press report dated Jan. 5, 2012, the city’s licensing and standards committee is voting on whether or not to consider a step toward lifting the ban. Continue reading more.
20 Jan
Naperville Chickens Under Scrutiny
Well, here is another instance of non-chicken-loving sentiments: http://www.wbez.org/story/owning-chickens-scratches-controversy-95624
A quote in the article compares chicken coops to dumpsters and complains of odors – these are comments that suggest that a visit to some chicken coops is in order. Most coops are well kept and do not smell.
All the more reason for chicken owners to practice good animal husbandry and for people who are not chicken friendly to visit a few coops.
12 Jan
FACT Funding Local Farmers
Food Act Concerns Trust has a Healthy & Humane Farm Funds Project that will provide small grants, of up to $1500, to qualifying humane farmers who need assistance in improving the welfare of their farm animals. FACT will award grants for projects that (1) help farms transition to pasture-based systems, (2) improve the marketing of their humane products, or (3) more generally enrich the conditions in which farm animals are raised.
FACT’s Healthy & Humane Farm Funds Project is designed to empower farmers to positively impact farm animal welfare. Farmers often want to make on-farm changes to give their animals a better life, but sometimes need financial assistance to make it happen. FACT recognizes that farmers have the technical expertise to make farms more humane, and can effectively use small grants to make these changes.
To learn more, go to the Healthy & Humane Farm Funds Project webpage. That can be found here: http://www.humanefarmfunds.org/. The application and application guidelines can be found online. Deadline for applying is April 1, 2012.
Contact:
Lisa Isenhart
Humane Farming Program Manager
Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT)
773-525-4952
12 Jan
Belmont Feed and Seed Ordering Chicks for Spring 2012
Spring is almost here and Belmont Feed and Seed is preparing for the first order of chicks.
The hatchery will ship out the first order on February 13, so the chicks should be here by the 15th. The current order includes
- Rhode Island Reds
- Barred Rocks
- Golden-Laced Wyandottes
- Silver-Laced Wyandottes
- Araucanas / Ameraucanas
- Black Australorps
- Buff Orpingtons
Contact Lidia if there are other breeds you’d like to have: (773) 588-1144 or aandd8703@sbcglobal.net. Tell her I sent you!
12 Jan
4 Feb., 2012: Mid-Atlantic Small Flock Poulty Expo
For my non-Chicago readers:
The University of Maryland Extension will host the Mid-Atlantic Small Flock Poultry Expo on Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the University of Maryland Extension-Carroll County Office & Carroll County Agriculture Center, 700 Agriculture Center Drive, Westminster, Maryland, 21157.
For more information, click here.
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