Raising Chickens in the City

What could be more idyllic than a flock of hens happily clucking in your backyard? A growing movement of people in cities and suburbs, not just farmers, are raising chickens—and I'm right there with them. I first picked up about eight baby chicks in March of 2007 and raised them to provide eggs for my baking and cooking needs as well as share with friends and neighbors. The pictures here are some of the original hens I picked up. One great side benefit of raising chickens: their droppings, which make great fertilizer for the garden. Plus, chickens are unexpectedly entertaining.

Over the past three years my chicken herd has increased to 24 hens, of many different breeds and color patterns. They make for quite the pretty flock as they casually peck and scratch through their yard on lazy days.
The current flock includes the following hens (as well as I can remember...I may miss a couple!):

Chastity - California Speckled

Olivia - White Crested Black Polish

Rose - Buff Orpington

Ellie Mae - Red Cochin Banty

Genevieve - Blue Cochin Banty

Phyllis - Light Whetan Americana

Bernadette - Gold and Black Americana

Tallulah - White Americana

Agnes - Black Australorpe

Hazel - Gold Sex Link

Gretchen - White Silkie

Chickadee - Barred Cochin Banty

Minnie - Gold Laced Seabright

Gina - Gold Laced Seabright

Martha - Buff and Blue Americana

Bianca - Splash Polish

Lola - Light Brahma

Violet - Blue Wyandotte

Bea Arthur - Speckled Sussex

Maude - Cuckoo Maran

Penelope - Red Americana