Chickens Anonymous
As many urban chicken keepers will attest, backyard chickens can be addictive. And for flock owners, like myself, who often have non chicken keeping friends’ eyes glaze over at the mere mention of chickens, there is help out there. It is in a social network at MeetUp: Los Angeles Urban Chicken Enthusiasts (although I have over heard a few members jokingly call Chicken Addiction Anonymous.)
When I first joined in April of 2010, Los Angeles Urban Chicken Enthusiasts, or LAUCE for short, was still a relatively small community group, but membership quickly swelled beyond 750 members. I was tickled when I noticed the group was mentioned in the first issue of Urban Farm Magazine.
Los Angeles Urban Chicken Enthusiasts is an online community for people who either have chickens or are thinking seriously about getting chickens and who live in Southern California. In addition to the chicken discussions that take place in the online discussion board, different members host regular free monthly workshops, called Meet Ups, and gatherings to share what folks know about chicken keeping in a backyard setting. Sometimes they are casual potlucks, but generally, the meetings focus on a particular topic or have a featured guest speaker. Typically, the meetings are held at locations where folks have a chance to see chickens up close and view a coop. It is a nice place to get started with chickens, to compare stories with others with the same hobby, or to get questions answered.
At LAUCE, I get to talk to others passionate about the same stuff I am interested in. Many of the members are also organic gardeners, bee keepers, sustainable living advocates, and urban homesteaders. I actually fit in! The only thing missing is medieval costumes and then I would call it the perfect group. Oops, I have never mentioned here at my blog that I used to be a member of the S.C.A. during the decade prior to buying our house. Sorry, I digress.
Here is a short video featuring LAUCE and the founding member, Lora, with her backyardchickens.
I am aware of similar chicken themed Meet Up groups in Austin, New York, and Atlanta. However, I am sure with the increase in backyard chicken popularity, there are many more throughout the country that an online search could easily turn up.
- Typically the meet ups are held where folks can get a coop tour or see chickens in person. This Coop used to be at the Wrigley Community Garden in Long Beach, where a meet up was held in 2010. The community garden is now closed but the coop has since been moved to Farm 59. Photo from Los Angeles Urban Chicken Enthusiasts
For more information on Los Angeles Urban Chicken Enthusiasts or to find a similar group at Meet Up in another part of the country, click here.
One thought on “Chickens Anonymous”
I put cattle panels on top of the soil,so the chickens cant destroy my plants like they did last spring.I dont think chickens should be allowed to destroy other peoples property.I spend alot of hours in my flower beds,An I just hauled out all my mulch.an have wire on all my beds.I really dis like what they do to flower beds.So now i eat more chicken!