WELCOME to Chicks and Weeks

The year just turned 2021 and two things are definitely different from almost 9 years ago: One, hundreds of chickens later, I could write a pretty comprehensive book on chicken keeping with quite a different outlook than some of the ones i looked over, or ya can’t bullshit me about any chicken keeping related topics, second: we need to step up this garden adventure as the year 2020 has shown that  being at least somewhat self sufficient might come in handy.  What has not changed is my commitment to create a garden in which all the critters have space to live. I am not human-centric oriented, for me it is never going to be human human “ueber alles”, even if at least on this earth, humans are arguably the most evolved species. I know, it does not seem so, in any case, I am aiming for soil teaming with life, huge insect variety, bird habitat and, of course, also abundant food for the people. We’ll see how it goes.

Most of old pages and their information is viewable under the archive tab. This website will be about 2021, creating a garden world with space for everyone here.

In 2012 I had the good fortune to get access to a small part of someone’s 5 acre property and an amazing adventure of gardening with chickens began. My vision is to create and be part of a template for humans and animals and the natural world to be on this planet together with respect, compassion and love.

If you are new to chickens and are considering keeping some, I recommend to start here, with – the top 3 things to know before starting to have chickens.

There is the garden part – and my orientation is towards organic, permaculture, sustainable and regenerative  ..and integrated with chicken keeping.

If you wonder if maybe chickens can change you – start with Blacky.

There is definitely  a spiritual aspect to this and you will also find posts and pages on the ethical  or, as it may be – non-ethical –  way of keeping chickens. It is just part of it for me.

Back then, in the spring of 2012, it seemed so simple to start a blog and write, just intending to share of my experiences with chickens and gardening – and then I got so busy – and now I really think we don’t know chickens all that well – they are amazingly social, intelligent “little dinosaurs”, and even as they are bound by their genetic programming – they nonetheless express as their own unique individuals.

I thought I’d be all organized with my helpful hints about raising chickens and sustainable gardening – and you will find those here – and –  I ran into a big dilemma, which is: what do we do with the male chicks – those roos – when killing is not something you want to do?

Yes, I have a definite opinion and experience on what coop floor is best and how my chickens ought to be fed and how to deal with roosters so they don’t become aggressive – but the discovery of  the billions of male chicks being disposed of and the killing of these beautiful birds for our use – or because they are a nuisance – is driving something home about this planet in a deep way. Whether one likes to face it or not, it IS a moral/ethical dilemma.

Most happy homesteaders and city backyard chicken keepers, let alone those buying eggs and chickens in the store,  seem to not address this, and I do understand. I too don’t want to be depressing but share about the happy chicks & healthy eggs in colorful photos. It is so much fun. I also have seen the brothers of all those happy chickens being chopped up alive or suffocating to death … and I just am not built to ignore it or able to put it aside. I love birds, and I LOVE chickens. They are amazing creatures.
What IS responsible chicken keeping?

The scope is big. It expands into how we eat, what we have been indoctrinated with, the uneven distributing of wealth. It extends into ethics and morality and human evolution and connection, with each other as well as the natural world. It extends into the whole vegan concept. That is too big for me and so I will stick to  the garden, food and the chickens, what I am willing – or not willing to do, and what I have learned on the way in this adventure of raising chickens for gardening – and eggs. You are very welcome to join in any discussion or share any of your own experiences on any of the topics.

I have learned a lot and have written about chickens here and on 3 other locations: facebook, chicksandweeds on blogspot and my rant blog on quanyingardens.blogspot.com.

Myself, I am humbled by what I have experienced in my life with chickens so far and there is a deep appreciation for their beingness – and I also stand in stunned silence at the values that govern the behavior of  humans resulting in the horrendous abuse that chickens – and all animals –  have experienced at their hands and especially in large scale mass murder in  the last 100 years.

Let’s give energy to a different template, a different way of being.

Many Blessings to you.