New Orleans Wakes Up to Rooster’s Crowing

This interesting article, “Consumer demand for fresh eggs equates to more hens in urban backyards,” is complete with  video of an urban chicken farmer and plenty of recipes. It’s wonderful to hear about a town where chicken and roosters roam the streets. And nice to hear that New Orleans is excited about urban farming.

Chickens are becoming popular with urban homesteaders because they fit neatly into the gardening cycle. They’re natural composters.

“You feed chickens your food waste, they produce meat or eggs for you, and they also produce fertilizer for your garden. It’s a great cycle,” Estrade said. “That’s one of the great things about having chickens.”

Chickens always have been a part of the fabric of New Orleans during its long history, from the first French Quarter patios. They are nearly ubiquitous to this day; many residents see chickens roaming the area or hear a rooster crow regularly.

If you are in New Orleans, you can even find classes to help you get started.  New Orleans Food and Farm Network gives inexpensive monthly training sessions. In April, the training topic is “Chickens in the City Garden.”