Last Saturday, me n’ Tiff went on the Henside the Beltline: Tour d’Coop around Raleigh. All’s we had to do was turn in two cans of food, get a map of the 20 urban chicken coop locations, and we were off on a journey of knowledge and wonder.
The Tour d’Coop turned out to be really cool. When people think of raising chickens, you think of a farm out in hickville, but it turns out a lot of people in Raleigh raise chickens. Each house we went to was in a “normal” neighborhood. Most of the houses had really nice backyards, with little vegetable gardens, water cisterns, homemade chicken coops, and rain barrels.
There were probably around 10 visitors at each stop, and the yellow-t-shirt-clad owners were happy to dish out folksy nuggets o’ chicken-raising wisdom.
Fun Facts about Raising Your Own Chickens
I learned these here chicken facts during the amazing Tour D’Coop.
- Heat is more dangerous to chickens than cold (most can survive outside in winter)
- Make sure the chicken fence goes at least a foot into the ground to keep out burrowing predators
- Protect chickens from hawks, raccoons, dogs, cats (some dogs and cats can get along with them)
- At night, the hens get sort of “dumb” and slow, so make sure they’re safe
- Chicken poo is a good fertilizer
- Basically an egg a day per chicken!
- Easy to take care of, “like an aquarium”
- No rooster needed, so you won’t be waking neighbors up at the crack o’ dawn
- Orange yolk instead of yellow, because of more beta carotene
After all that learning, I think I’d like to raise me some chickens in my backyard one day. All the eggs I can eat (and give away), plus I get to watch chickens run around. It’s a win-win situation, I tell you! On that note, I will leave you with some pictures of the homemade chicken coops that I laid my eyes upon that fine day.
More sources:
Make Magazine – Backyard Hens
News Raleigh
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Ah-ho shiiit u think i can raze sum chicken and fry it
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
If you can dream it, you can achieve it, Gangsta Pat.
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:14 am
Would love some contact resources to network with other green and compasionate Raleigh homesteaders and navigate north Raleigh bureaucracy. Thanks
July 13th, 2008 at 8:27 am
GREAT….
July 14th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I am definitely going to attend this tour next year! It looks like a great way to get the truth out about keeping backyard chickens! I am currently working on a petition to the Town of Wake Forest to have their livestock ordinance changed. Check out our chicken saga at http://www.wfchickens.blogspot.com
July 15th, 2008 at 8:46 am
I definitely recommend the tour. I had no idea so many people raised chickens right here in Raleigh. I liked your site, and that’s good you got to be on the news to fight for chickens’ rights.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I am the animal control officer for the city of Carrboro,NC. I issue the permits for livestock within city limits. I am pro-chicken (HENS ONLY). I would be more than happy to show anyone in Carrboro my folder on how to apply for a permit. I also have various pictures of coops, chicken tractors, and chicken arks around the city. I think that every house should have at least six chickens. My city e-mail is RNekoranec@Ci.Carrboro.NC.US Office phone (919)918-7418.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Yeah, I hear the roosters are the main complaint for urban chicken coops.
May 30th, 2009 at 12:21 am
The other day I {tried|{ate|consumed|eaten|ate up|ate on}|{tasted|tried|sampled|savored|savoured}} omega 3 {rich|full|valuable}, free range eggs and they were {really|truly|real|genuinely|very|rattling} {good|pleasant|great|superb|healthy|wholesome|hearty}. Made me {want|wish|desire} to {raise|produce|grow|farm|nurture} chickens of my own to get {more||to a greater extent|more such|more some|more numerous} eggs into my {diet|dieting}. I used to {have|{own|possess}} a {duck|duck’s egg} coop a while ago, now {I’d|I would|I think I } {like|wish|care} to get {started|started out|initiated} {again|over again|once more|once again}.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:59 am
This is a wounderfull post. Keep it up…
December 11th, 2009 at 7:26 am
What a great idea for an article! Thank you for the awesome suggestion.
February 21st, 2010 at 3:24 pm
So many people now days are turning to raw foods and greens for there health intake. Think i might be the future.