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Those of us who have small home poultry flocks love to share stories about our chickens.
Virginia Beach City Code, Sec. 5-6. Where fowl may be kept. Fowl may be kept in the city only within areas zoned for agricultural uses. (Code 1965, § 5-3) Cross references: Zoning ordinance, App. A.
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The Backyard Poultry Report
The Adopt-a-Chicken Site from Heifer International - http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/03/25/2008-03-25_dont_be_a_chicken__adopt_one-1.html Apparently Heifer International has begun supplying inner-city neighborhoods with chickens via the Just Foods City
Chicken Project. Community Gardens and neighborhoods with an eight foot area for the hens can apply at the website.
No word in the article on how Heifer is getting around the standard city ordinances against keeping poultry (like the ones
in Virginia Beach). Update.... turns out that there is NO ordinance against keeping hens in NYC. Go figure! You
can't have them in the "city" part of VB but you can in NYC. Amazing!
The Backyard Chicken Chronicles:
March 20 - All chickens seem delighted with the
warm spring weather and we are now getting an egg a day from each hen. That's a dozen eggs every two days - more than
enough for a two person family. We're once again able to share fresh farm eggs with family and friends. The small
black banty hens, our most broody hens, have taken to over-nighting OUT of the coop if the gang is allowed to free range during
the day. This means they considering a hidden nest somewhere so Sybil can't "steal" their eggs.
Unbeknownst to them, we'd be happy to have them set some fertile eggs for new chicks. Alas, if they decide to hide
out to nest, the odds are that we won't see the hens or any chicks again - our racoons and foxes are too efficient.
November 2009 - February 2010: Nothing
much happening in the hen house. The back area of the farm has been covered with water weekly as the cold rains continue.
The chickens have a run that stays mostly dry and they forage out into it during the warmest part of the day but retreat back
inside the coop when the cold winds and rains return. A few random eggs, enough to keep us in fresh breakfasts, but
not much more. Everyone seems to be on hold, waiting for spring.
Great Chicken Websites
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I recommend BackyardChickens.com - the best hobby chicken site on the web!
Dottie - Silver-Spangled Hamburg
Please Note: Before planning any backyard farming,
check your zoning regulations. If you are in a development, there may also be specific homeowner covenants that restrict what
animals you may own - even what kinds of plants you are allowed to grow, especially in "publicly viewed" areas of
your property.
The Chez Mays - The photo shows the little
backyard chicken ranch at Sybil & Rob Mays' home in Blackwater. Coop was built with a garden shed kit from Home
Depot that allowed Rob to use 2x4 lumber with no angle cuts - it doesn't get easier than this. The chicken run (outdoor
area) is actually two chain-link dog runs (four 6'x10' panels each) that clamp together. They are easy to reconfigure
when new space is needed.
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| Mr. Chicken |
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| Holly's Grey Goose |
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| Banty Buff Rock Cross |
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| Barred Rock Hen |
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