What a busy couple of weeks it has been! I signed onto participate in a new reality show, I have been asked to serve on a town committee charged with recommending a backyard chicken keeping regulation to the zoning commission and have been spearheading a grass roots effort to support the least restrictive chicken keeping regulation possible. Spring finally seems to have arrived and with it, we added seven new chicks to our flock!  Please enjoy the update and the photos.

After three months of conversations and brain-storming with the producer of the chicken-themed reality show, Coop Dreams, I have signed onto participate as a “chicken expert” in the show. Fear not- I’m not quitting my day job or abandon my online peeps, it’s not a paying gig for any of the on-screen participants and while the degree of my participation is yet to be determined, it should only involve a few days out of town for filming. It should prove to be a lot of fun and I promise to take you with me when I go! The show is scheduled to air on Discovery’s Destination America Network beginning July 2nd. Should be a lot of fun!

In backyard news: these two Buff Orpington chicks helped break up a broody hen along with a Dominique and Light Brahma chick. I have three slightly older chicks keeping me company under an EcoGlow in my office for the next week or so.  

Another project that has been taking up major chunks of my time is the ongoing battle to legalize chickens in my town. While the lawsuit the town brought against me finally settled with an apology from the town for the inconvenience it caused us, I am fighting for the right of fellow town residents to keep chickens legally in backyards.

I have been working with a zoning committee charged with presenting a draft regulation to the zoning commission. I have also been spearheading a grass-roots effort town-wide to support the least restrictive regulation necessary to accomplish the legalization of chickens in Suffield, CT while keeping the small-minded and otherwise ignorant politicians and zoning enforcement employee quiet. Pink flamingos remain a symbol of solidarity with the backyard chicken keeping cause as they pop up in front yards and properties all over town!