Get The Truth About Urban Hens
By Ian Paulson
(WINDSOR, ON) – The old fable Chicken Little describes how a young chick comes to the conclusion that the world is ending when an acorn drops on her head. The common theme of “the sky is falling” is much like how Windsor City Councilors ran around warning of all kinds of looming malaise when a few proponents of keeping backyard hens approached council to float the idea. The self-described “Manager of Chicken Operations” (Drew Dilkens) was the leader of the mass hysteria, alerting citizens to the imminent vermin, disease, noise, filth, and depressed property values should advocates of food security get their way. No amount of lobbying, or addressing council would change Dilkens’ mind.
Against that background, Windsor Essex Community Supported Agriculture in partnership with Windsor Eats is presenting the screening of the documentary “Mad City Chickens”, as part of the Winter Bites restaurant promotion. On 19 January at the Capitol Theatre the truth behind urban chickens and food security will be presented to help off-set the misinformation held by some councilors.
Mad City Chickens is a film about people who keep chickens in the city – Yes a number of cities do allow this to happen. It’s a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens. From chicken experts and authors to a rescued landfill hen or an inexperienced family that decides to take the poultry plunge—and even a mad professor and giant hen taking to the streets—it’s a humorous and heartfelt trip through the world of backyard chickendom.
Highlights from the film include:
- Mother Earth News Editor-in-Chief, Cheryl Long
- Leading bird flu expert, Dr. Michael Greger
- Rare behind-the-scenes at Murray McMurray Hatchery
- Backyard Poultry editor, Elaine Belanger
- Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, Christine Heinrichs
- Stunning results from nutritional study on pastured eggs
- Follow an urban family for an entire year as they take the poultry plunge
- A factory farm hen that refused to die even after being gassed and dumped at a landfill
PLUS…coops, birds, eggs, art, images from the Seattle Tilth group, founding members of the Mad City Chickens group, a California musical hen, a Texas life-saving flock…and yes…even a mad professor and a giant chicken find their way into the mix.
Windsor Essex Community Supported Agriculture runs a cooperative chicken coop outside of the City of Windsor boundaries, thanks to Mayor Francis’ tie breaking vote, with local families who want to legally care for their own hens and enjoy the benefits of fresh organic, truly free range eggs. Families sign up on an annual basis and take their turn heading out to the cooperative farm to complete chores and gather their own eggs. The project has been an overwhelming success.
Tickets are available now at Shopeco, Taloola Cafe, Rino’s Kitchen, or by contacting Steve Green, or at the Capitol Theater of Windsor door on the 19th of January; so many ways for you to be there. Proceeds from the screening, if any, will go to benefit Ford City Community Garden 2012 growing season.
Special offer of a Free Ticket to any Windsor City Councilor that wants to attend!
Short URL: http://www.windsorsquare.ca/?p=24972
Victoria, where I’m from, allows urban chickens in most of its municipalities, which I’ve always thought was pretty wonderful. Food security is of particular concern on an Island, and allowing residents the option of raising their own eggs seems to me like one really practical way to help address that concern.
With the appropriate bylaws in place, there’s no reason at all why allowing urban chickens would cause insurmountable problems in Windsor. And take my word for it… having urban chickens in Victoria definitely did NOT lower property values!
And there you have your next blog story – a first hand experience with urban hens.
LOL! Good thought, but I don’t think I’d have too much to offer in that area as I didn’t have any chickens of my own!
@ Ian
You have a point but again were does this end, just because some cities allow it does not mean it is good for others. Then the question is will this be abused, will people take advantage and have more hens than allowed which most people do. Then there is the disturbing rooster making noise early in the morning, I can just hear the complaints.
It all depends on the by-law. But I can see your point as fas as Windsor’s tradition of enforcing some by-laws while allowing others to be disregarded. But the issue does not include roosters, just hens. I would complain too if I heard a rooster. No need for them as all that is being requested is to keep hens for egg production, and not to fertilize them.
Sometimes you have to turn off the tunnel vision and see how other cities are moving ahead with non traditional stigmas.If other, even larger cities can take the time to discuss it ,what does that say about Windsor’s thought process ?
http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/urban-chicken-ordinance-advances-metro-council
If you want to raise chickens move out to the county, buy your fresh eggs from a farmer. I am not a fan of the mayor or Dilken’s but they have a point, this is not the county this is the city. We allow chickens and whats next pigs, goats, and cows, it has to be dealt with now.
@Honesty
The “if chickens now, what’s next?” argument is a red herring. No one’s discussing livestock regardless that a local restauranteur brags that he keeps live goats on site.
The point of the argument is food security. I would suggest to watch Food Inc. If the mayor can have eggs delivered to his home, then why should Windsorites be denied to opportunity to raise their own eggs?
Windsor wouldn’t be the only city in North America to have urban hens. There are many cities (more cosmopolitan than Windsor) that allow urban hens. Allowing urban hens isn’t the tipping point between being city or county.