oh boy….

Every once in a while I voyage out of the small town and into the big city.  I am teaching a FREE workshop on raising chickens in the big city. I know, I know your’re thinking, “what the hell does Nick know about raising chickens in an urban enviroment?” Well, you may have a point. I bet I know more about it than the people that will attend the event.  After all, I know all the city regulations and how to raise chickens.  What else do I need to know?

It’s been a tough week or so for Nick-san. I have lost 4 chickens to sickness and one to a fox. Things seem to be getting back to normal, especially since the weather has dried up quite a bit.  It’s never fun to get out the old hatchet. I have noticed that it keeps getting harder and harder to have to put my beloved chooks on the stump. It’s all part of being a chicken farmer I guess.

Anyway, here’s the info for the SF Workshop:

Yes We Can (and Pickle!): Bringing Food Justice Home
Wednesday, October 28th, 7-9:00 pm
Sha’ar Zahav – 16th St & Dolores St, San Francisco 94110

Oct 24 (sat) 1-5.  Awesome harvest party at the SGP.  There will be live music, games for adults and kids, great food and tons of fun. Hope you can join us. I may even give an impromptu chicken workshop.

This is what I’m talking about people!  Free range them chickens!Ninja having a moment alone (chicken in center of photo, just before tree).

Do not buy chickens from the self proclaimed “chicken queen” currently in Cotati, Ca. Unless you want sick or dead chickens.

This is Ravi. She has been super broody over the last few months. When I take her out of the hen house so she can get some food and excersize, she lays back down for a few minutes as if she’s still sitting on some eggs.

Still life with Elvis

4 new ameraucanas.

Left to Right: B (aka Latoya a Silver Laced Polish), Wenis (Rhode Island Red) and Cocania (Columbian Wyandotte)

My enire world was flipped up side down the other day. Amber, bantam black silkie, the sweetest chicken of them all is actually a rooster. I should have seen it coming- the growing comb, the iridescent tail feathers… But how could such a sweet, sweet hen, be not a hen at all? Simple answer: gender change. Let’s face it- many humans go through gender complications (for lack of a better word) such as a woman always feeling like she is acually a man or vice versa. What about hermaphrodites, huh? What about Amber?

Elvis, my only other bantam (Mille Fleur) is a rooster and has always been since about 6 weeks old. He’s the same age as Amber and as mean as a snake, but, harmless. The only way to explain this is that it is yet another miracle on Rup Nut Ranch.

She has been an outcast her whole life (about 8 months). She’s always been in the background pecking and scratching away all by herself, with no one to talk to, except me. Well, the tides have changed and through the power of Allah, she is now a he! Amber, officially the nicest rooster in the world.