Latest NY Times Article: "When the Problems Come Home to Roost"

[mandelyn]

Chickens aren't a fad... but that won't stop people with a fad mentaility from getting them and dropping them off when they're done with them. Like all those poor Pot Belly Pigs, Labradoodles, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, parrots...

People see or hear about something that sounds great, and they do it on impulse, and we all know how impulsive people can be.

Some people I have met with chickens, don't have any preperation, training, or research about dealing with an unwanted rooster. It's a "country" thing... and now that city people are getting chickens... they don't have this inherited "ability" like people have when raised on a farm.

I learned early on, animals are born, all the time. Animals die, all the time, from one reason or another. Sometimes you're the one that has to kill the animal. It's a cycle, and affects every species. If great-granny got flogged by a rooster, she'd ring his neck right then and there, no 2nd chances.

My grandma gave me grief about using an axe, I told her I'd never wrung a neck and I didn't want to screw it up. She called me a sissy. LOL

Keeping animals, chickens to fish, requires accountability, responcibility, and compassion... things a heck of a lot of humans don't have... exspecially the accountability. You get chickens, you better be prepared to deal with them. You don't make them someone else's responcibility.

Don't even get me started on people who flush unwanted fish or release them into local water... we have SSSOO many problem fish now because of that. Or the Anacondas and Constrictor's in the Everglades... People need to grow up and take proper care of their pets, there's too many issues all across the board, and the government will step in and regulate every single species if it continues to be a problem.

 

[damselfish]

I thought the NYTimes article was OK. I think it's important to point out that some people run into problems with keeping chickens, and that chicken-keeping isn't just a walk in the park. It has risks, and it has duties. And yes, if you don't keep up with poo, the coop/run/yard will be filthy. Probably there are people out there who needed to hear this, and will decide not to get chickens. That's good.

I laughed out loud over the Slate article. Anyone who thinks a chicken is more "diabolical" than any other bird is just being silly. Maybe the poor reporter got flogged by Grandma's rooster? Ever met a ticked-off gander? There's diabolical for you!

This trend-debunking is a regular feature of Slate. In this case, they correctly point out that many reports of the chicken trend have been lazy about the numbers they use. But they didn't bother to pick up the phone and call some backyard chicken suppliers like MPC or others and ask for year-over-year volume. Now who's lazy?

Gotta go let my filthy and diabolical darlings out of their coop now for another day of playing in fall leaves. Have fun, everyone!

 

[Wifezilla]

Diabolical? Someone must have been talking about silkies...or that brain eating buttercup. That is why I have ducks. They are too goofy to be diabolical

 

[PortageGirl]

LOL, I agree the NY Times article is more con than pro, but it's not horrible. As was mentioned earlier in the thread, it's better that someone easily discouraged GET discouraged early. Raising chickens isn't for sissies! There ARE illnesses, injuries, disappointments and disasters. It would have been better to at least MENTION some of the good things too, the eggs really are a bennie, (just don't exptect hundreds and you have to learn patience), good garden compost/fertilizer, friendly birds, and lots of satisfaction.

I actually liked the Slate article though. I'd say that reporter has had some experience in his background with a nasty roo, or a poorly kept coop he had to help clean!

Towards the end, it talks about how this so called "fad" has been around long enough that it should have lost its fad-status. He mentioned articles about it going back to 2004 and really before that, Mother Earth News has been touting the bennies since the 70's, so yeah, not such a fad I'd say!

 

[Shiningfeather]

Quote:
Amen to that!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I actually like some of it. "Diabolical" and "ruthless" are such cool words. I found it here: www.slate.com/id/2218390/

Bogus trend, eh, Mr. Shafer? Aren't you the same editor who didn't realize one of your writers completely fabricated an entire article? Why, yes, you are.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Shafer

 

[PortageGirl]

Quote:
I took that as the point of the article though, it's not such a trend or fad, since it's been an established practice for quite a number of years. He mentioned articles from at least as far back as 2002... is a seven year (and likely longer) practice any longer considered a trend? That's what I took from the article.

I guess it's just my point of view.

 

[possumqueen]

Quote:
Not so fast, quackhead, with a post name like yours you should be soooo into diabolical as a compliment!!

But that's okay. That's okay. Somebody has to raise the less challenging poultry. I'll take that "diabolical" moniker if you won't.

I think we ought to have a new heading in the index for opinions.

No. . . .wait. It's ALL opinions on BYC, isn't it.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Quote:
Well here is a good way to start doing something positive. We still live in an America where you can still use your voice to protest and uphold your way of life. You can contact this newspaper with your concerns and ask them to interview those willing to speak up on the “positive” aspects of successful chicken raising across this country.

Sitting here and muttering to ourselves will not help put a positive spin on our endeavors. The public needs an education. Most of us are trying to become self sufficient in these hard times. It works for most of us. And, as with any endeavor, there comes success and failure. Raising animals for food is no exception. It takes dedication and hard work.

Here is a chance for BYC to let the world know about those who are doing well. We are trying to feed ourselves and our families as this country's farmers once did in the past. Some of these “skills” have been lost and we are trying to revive them.

Most of us have taken the time to educate ourselves and with these newfound skills, we have become a thriving community. Here is a chance to further educate our communities on the subject at hand and not leave this education up to the gossipy alarmist newspapers.

It is time we took our rightful place and let the newspapers and our communities know that the American spirit is still alive and well, and its people are taking care of themselves and sharing their bounty with others. That is what we do. In fact, we are legend out here in TV Land, and we are doing quite well …and our numbers are growing…thank you very much.

 

[Wifezilla]

Not so fast, quackhead

LOL

I do think silkies have a purpose. They make great incubators so people without mechanical skills can still hatch eggs.

And it isn't my duck's fault they are a little bit special