Christine Tan
Student/GOOD intern
- May 18, 2009 • 6:52 pm PDT
- + responses
When George Clooney named Max, a potbelly pig, his newest best friend/pet, I have to admit that I kind of wanted one too.
Now these days the latest farm animal to become part of people's families is the chicken. According to a recent Washington Post article, chickens are "easy pets." Not only are they fun, but you get to cook your pet chicken's eggs for breakfast.
It sounds like even if you live in cities, you can raise your own backyard poultry as the article called it as "chic as growing your own vegetables." However, whether or not you consider it chic, this latest trend is part of the back-to-the-land movement "whose proponents want to save on
grocery bills, take control of their food supply and reduce the carbon
footprint of industrial agriculture."
If this has convinced you to buy a live chicken, you should check with your state first. Apparently, there are several different restrictions regarding pet chickens. In a lot of states, you can use them for eggs, and not meat. In other places like DC, you can't have chickens.
Personally, this all sounds good to me, but I don't think I'll be getting a pet chicken anytime soon. Although they are said to be "exasperating, dumb, funny, beautiful and so hopelessly ill-equipped to survive on their own that you have to love them," I think the the noise and protruding smells would outweigh the pleasurable company of a pet.
Go here for a somewhat entertaining article.
Now these days the latest farm animal to become part of people's families is the chicken. According to a recent Washington Post article, chickens are "easy pets." Not only are they fun, but you get to cook your pet chicken's eggs for breakfast.
It sounds like even if you live in cities, you can raise your own backyard poultry as the article called it as "chic as growing your own vegetables." However, whether or not you consider it chic, this latest trend is part of the back-to-the-land movement "whose proponents want to save on
grocery bills, take control of their food supply and reduce the carbon
footprint of industrial agriculture."
If this has convinced you to buy a live chicken, you should check with your state first. Apparently, there are several different restrictions regarding pet chickens. In a lot of states, you can use them for eggs, and not meat. In other places like DC, you can't have chickens.
Personally, this all sounds good to me, but I don't think I'll be getting a pet chicken anytime soon. Although they are said to be "exasperating, dumb, funny, beautiful and so hopelessly ill-equipped to survive on their own that you have to love them," I think the the noise and protruding smells would outweigh the pleasurable company of a pet.
Go here for a somewhat entertaining article.
