Rising prices and supply chain issues making people look into raising chickens

The rising cost of basic goods and supply chain disruptions are causing people, even those that live in densely populated cities like San Bernardino, to think deeper about where they get their basic foodstuffs and other items and whether there might be ways to produce some of their own.

While the vegetable garden is a basic staple of many Southern California homes, even if it is just an herb garden and a few tomato plants, people are getting more adventurous about what they are willing to raise themselves.

Chickens are one of the more popular animals to raise because of the production of eggs.

The demand for eggs has grown in the United States over the last number of years. In 2019, consumption of eggs in the U. S. was estimated at 293.6 per person.  So Americans are consuming an egg almost every day.

Eggs are also popular across many cultures and are used in many cuisines.  Think of the widely varietal uses of eggs.  The French use eggs to make quiche and custards.   Chinese-American Cuisine egg drop soup and scrambled eggs in fried rice as well as egg-foo-young.  Mexican American cuisine has the ever popular breakfast burrito with many things including chorizo, potatoes and cheeses but always eggs.  Of course the classic American breakfast table uses eggs in many ways from Bacon and eggs to omelets.

Raising chickens has many advantages over other animals you might raise for food.  Chickens when laying produce an egg almost every day so you don’t have to slaughter the animal for it to produce food.  Chickens also take up relatively little space.  They are generally easy to care for and can eat just about anything.  The Southern California climate is good for chickens – except for cases of extreme heat which can stress or even kill chickens.  A well ventilated chicken coop is a must have.

Having domestic chickens is legal in the City of San Bernardino but there are some restrictions.  In general the chicken enclosure must be at least 50 to 100 feet away from any human occupied space.  You also must control your chickens.   They can roam in your yard but they must not venture beyond its confines.  The number of chickens that may be kept is unclear but the municipal code does make a point that only one rooster is allowed and must be no nearer than 250 feet to any occupied building.

If you are interested in learning more about raising chickens, visit www.knowyourchickens.com.