I’m Back – photo by adihrespati
If you have been wondering, “where the hell is my weekly UCP podcast?!” – you were not alone. I received a few emails asking what was going on and very kindly inquiring if I was okay. I was fine, but my laptop (a.k.a. Command Central) on the other hand, was not okay. Continue reading
When it rains, it pours — photo by inexplicable
Sometimes it seems that when you have difficulties in life, they can come raining down in an overwhelming deluge. I have been struggling with what I thought was a wifi driver issue with my computer. This past week my computer crashed — and it crashed hard.
At first, I struggled for a couple days to see if I could figure out and fix the issue on my own and still get this week’s episode out late. Nope. I have since enlisted the help of a professional, who is still working to fix my laptop.
At this point, I am still unsure if I will be able to save my computer or if I will be forced to buy a new laptop. Ugh. Sometimes I really hate computers! Until I hear back from the computer whiz who is working to save my current machine, I will be unable to produce and publish new episodes. Double Ugh!
I am very sorry for this inconvenience – I am very disappointed to be unable to deliver my weekly show as promised. I will try to get this issue fixed as soon as possible and us back on a regular our regular programming schedule. Please bear with me as I work out this computer problem. I appreciate you patience as I get this worked out.
Pasture-Raised Chickens – photo courtesy of Lee Lynn Thompson
Lee Lynn Thompson, owner and operator of Scratch A-Lot Farm has a lifetime of experience in raising chickens. She and her husband have recently opened their farm which primarily raises, processes and sells heritage breeds of poultry in Washington State. Sabra Snow is a retiree with a passion for permaculture and desire to learn. She is an apprentice on Lee Lynn’s farm and has learned some surprising skills. Both Lee Lynn and Sabra join me on the Urban Chicken Podcast today to discuss pasture-raised poultry, eating heritage breed chickens, and the reasons to learn how to butcher chickens ourselves. Continue reading
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Kentucky Specks Rooster – Photo by elmfarm87
The Kentucky Specks chicken is an American rare breed of chicken that is shrouded in much lore and mystery. These small white and black mottled chickens – splashed with red hackle feathers and blue, green and red saddle and tail feathers are unusual and handsome birds. Today on the Urban Chicken Podcast, we are joined by guest Denis Dooley who is an breeder and advocate of the Kentucky Specks chicken. Denis helps separate the facts from fiction surrounding this diminutive speckled fowl. Continue reading
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Keeping you backyard flock of chickens healthy and safe requires more than just providing them clean water and food and secure housing. One of the most important considerations for the conscientious chicken keeper, that is unfortunately often overlooked, is the issue of bio-security. On this week’s episode of the Urban Chicken Podcast, we take an in depth look at the issue of protecting your birds for inadvertent exposure to illness, pests and deadly diseases. Continue reading
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Lovely Chickens at the PNPA October 2013 Poultry Show – photo by Jen Pitino
Everyone has anticipated something or some event in their life, only to find that reality and their imagination do not match up exactly. The imagination can be a dangerous thing – it can give one expectations that are unreasonable and nearly impossible to fulfill. I recently attended my first poultry show in the Vancouver, Washington area (this is about 15 minutes north of Portland, Oregon) and had all sorts of assumptions in my mind of how a large poultry show should be. Today, on the Urban Chicken Podcast I share my top ten observations of attending a poultry show and discuss where reality and fantasy did not match up. Continue reading
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Beatrix’s Soft-shelled Egg – photo by Jen Pitino
Eggs: they’re colorful; they’re delicious; and they’re supposed be the hard-shelled and oval. However, sometimes they’re not shaped and formed as they ought to be. Today, on the Urban Chicken Podcast we are discussing why chickens sometimes lay soft-shelled or even shell-less eggs. We will also consider what you the chicken owner can do to try to remedy any soft/shell-less egg issues in your flock. Continue reading
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Lauren Scheuer and Lucy the Barred Rock – photo courtesy of Lauren Scheuer
Whether a chicken has a qualitative conscious state of being is surprisingly a matter up for debate.
Recently, a co-worker told me that chickens do not have any feelings. He went so far as to even doubt whether chickens are fully self-aware. I was dumbstruck by what he was quite seriously suggesting. As he shared his opinions, I could barely stop myself from blurting out, “You obviously know nothing about chickens!” Of course chickens have feelings, as well as personalities, emotions and self-awareness – any chicken-owner can tell you as much. However, upon greater reflection, it struck me that my co-worker is not alone in his sentiments. In fact the prevailing attitude might be closer to his point of view than mine.
Lauren Scheuer joins me this week on the Urban Chicken Podcast, to talk about her experiences raising soulful backyard chickens. Her shared tales of chicken language, humor and compassion certainly contradict any beliefs that chickens lack self-awareness.
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Here is another very clever commercial using chicken steady-cam head as the subject matter. Enjoy!
Chicken Steady Cam Experiment – photo courtesy of jeremiahwj
Mercedes-Benz recently released a new commercial in which several chickens are rolled and moved about by anonymous human arms. The point of the commercial is to demonstrate the fact that a chicken’s head is incredibly stable despite its body’s movements (and then liken their automobile’s stabilization to a chicken’s stable head). This physical attribute gives chickens the appearance of having “steady-camera” head.
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