The magazine Backyard Poultry is, unlike most publications, growing rapidly. It's subscription base has climbed by 42 percent (!) in the past year.
That is one piece of evidence cited in yesterday's USA Today to illustrate a growing trend -- amateur, urban chicken farming.
I knew it!
Alll my friends -- well, at least half of my friends -- have a little chicken fantasy. My writing group has seen its discussions of plot points, novel pacing and writing obstacles hijacked more than once by a wistful discussion of how nice it would be to have a few laying hens in the backyard.
I have even gone so far as to research hen houses, particularly liking the stylish "A frame" featured on Amazon.
Back in May, Slate published a rebuttal to earlier accounts of this phenomenon, calling it the bogus trend of the week. Slate's basic point was that while no one really knows how many people have chickens in their backyard, it's quite clear the number remains small.
Well, duh.
The point here isn't that there's a chicken in every backyard. The point is that there is a growing longing, a growing interest, a growing desire.
Twenty years ago, I read a book about women pioneers. It quoted the diary entry of a woman living alone in the plains, she noted that no one would understand how much company her chickens were. At the time, I thought that was sad beyond words. Now? I think: "Anyone can get a dog! I want chickens."
(I won't get any. I know myself well enough to know the novelty would wear off quickly. And my neighbors wouldn't like it and while Louisville Metro law allows chickens in some circumstances, I am pretty sure my subdivision rules do not.)
I think the anecdotal evidence presented in the various stories, no matter how underwhelming to Slate, indicates that I'm not the only one daydreaming about hen houses.
What does that say about life here in the early 21st Century? Does it mean we feel as isolated as the woman living alone on the plains?
I hope not. I think it indicates that we long for a bit more self-reliance and a higher quality of food. It suggests that we nurse a desire to make our homes and our yards productive and useful, rather than decorative and fossil-fuel consuming.
It probably also indicates that we're so divorced for our food production that we don't realize how much of a hassle keeping chickens would be. I recently talked to a friend who actually raised chickens for awhile. She was amazed that anyone thought it seemed romantic. They smelled, she said, and they tried to get into the kitchen all the time.
Well, yuck. That's a bummer.
I'm not going to get chickens. But I just might get a subscription to Backyard Poultry.
You know I love you for posting about Chickens. Have you seen backyardchickens.com? Great site. Great info. And, everyone in the online chicken community LOVES their chickens. I believe Louisville allows 5 or fewer non-crowing birds on a lot less than a half acre, is that correct? I'd love a couple, if I could be sure my pesky neighbors would leave them be.
Let's discuss parenting as it exists here in Louisville, Ky., at the beginning of the 21st Century -- the ridiculous, the worrisome and the occasional moment that makes it all worthwhile
The magazine Backyard Poultry is, unlike most publications, growing rapidly. It's subscription base has climbed by 42 percent (!) in the past year. 
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Beverly Bartlett