As bird flu worsens across the US and commercial suppliers struggle to keep up with demand, the keeping of fowl and production of eggs in home environments, has surged in popularity, and Whalen is keen to join the revolution.
“A lot of this started around Covid times, with homesteading, growing an edible landscape and having a garden in your yard, because people saw how fragile our food system is with the just-in-time food supply where stores only keep three days’ worth,” she said.
“When Covid hit there were so many folks rushing out to get their own chickens thinking it would be cool and cheaper to just have their own, [but] they were finding out that it’s not as easy as one thinks, especially if you have never had them before,” said Norma Padgett, the APA’s president.
Such inconsistency prompted Whalen to launch a petition to persuade Port St Lucie commissioners to change their mind, pointing out the economic and environmental benefits of home chicken farming, as well as increasing food security.
The nearest thing the US has to an organization for backyard chicken farmers is the American Poultry Association (APA), which was established for breeders and those who want to show their animals, but has increasingly become a support group for a new generation of enthusiasts.
