UCP Episode 012: 4H – It Will Teach Your Kid More Than Just Showing Chickens
06/05/13 • 37 min
4H Poultry Clinic in Boise Idaho – June 2013
What do Johnny Cash, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Orville Redenbacher all have in common? 4H – they were all members of 4H in their youth.
Wyatt with Shoelace the Chicken
It was suggested by one of my guests in a recent episode that one of the main reasons that people go into keeping backyard chickens is for the benefit of their children. These folks want their children to grow up with a better understanding of where their food comes from and to develop responsibility and compassion through the care of a few family hens. Keeping backyard chickens is a terrific way to help your children learn invaluable lessons and skills. But my thought is — why stop there?
Jessica with her rooster Cowboy
Why not take the experience of raising and keeping chickens to the next level and have your children enroll in their local 4H chapter? 4H is an American organization that is over 100 years old. The name, 4H, represents the four personal development areas of focus for the organization: head, heart, hands and health. The mission of this group is to teach children leadership, citizenship, responsibility and life skills through experiential learning. The slogan of the organization is, “Learning by doing.”
Quiz station at the 4H Poultry Clinic in Boise
Though 4H now has many different areas of skills that it teaches (e.g. archery, sewing, ecology, rocketry, science, math, public speaking, etc.) the most core and traditional focus of the organization is teaching children about agriculture and livestock. Through 4H, children ages 6-18 across America learn how to care for and show animals at their county fairs. Chickens are one of the most popular livestock animals for children to show. Moreover, chickens are an animal that children living in urban and suburban surroundings could raise on their own property and still participate in 4H.
Zach with his “crazy” Frizzle
On today’s show, we go to a local 4H poultry clinic where children were being taught skills to prepare them for their upcoming county fairs and chicken shows. These county fairs will start in the next couple of months. I interview several kids who are at this clinic with their pet chickens that they plan on showing at their fairs and ask them to share their candid opinions about 4H and showing chickens. They are best advocates for the benefits of this organization.
Hailey, Jessica and Stephanie at 4H Poultry Clinic
Also on this week’s episode, we discuss a mysterious “fowl murder” in Detroit, Michigan and talk about a recent public radio interview of Erica Strauss concerning her recent article arguing that some people should not get backyard chickens. You will recognize Erica as being the author of the NW Edible Life website and the her article was the subject matter of the Urban Chicken Podcast’s main segment in episode 10.
4H kids being shown how to handle their birds at the fair
Show Resources:
4H Poultry Clinic in Boise Idaho – June 2013
What do Johnny Cash, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Orville Redenbacher all have in common? 4H – they were all members of 4H in their youth.
Wyatt with Shoelace the Chicken
It was suggested by one of my guests in a recent episode that one of the main reasons that people go into keeping backyard chickens is for the benefit of their children. These folks want their children to grow up with a better understanding of where their food comes from and to develop responsibility and compassion through the care of a few family hens. Keeping backyard chickens is a terrific way to help your children learn invaluable lessons and skills. But my thought is — why stop there?
Jessica with her rooster Cowboy
Why not take the experience of raising and keeping chickens to the next level and have your children enroll in their local 4H chapter? 4H is an American organization that is over 100 years old. The name, 4H, represents the four personal development areas of focus for the organization: head, heart, hands and health. The mission of this group is to teach children leadership, citizenship, responsibility and life skills through experiential learning. The slogan of the organization is, “Learning by doing.”
Quiz station at the 4H Poultry Clinic in Boise
Though 4H now has many different areas of skills that it teaches (e.g. archery, sewing, ecology, rocketry, science, math, public speaking, etc.) the most core and traditional focus of the organization is teaching children about agriculture and livestock. Through 4H, children ages 6-18 across America learn how to care for and show animals at their county fairs. Chickens are one of the most popular livestock animals for children to show. Moreover, chickens are an animal that children living in urban and suburban surroundings could raise on their own property and still participate in 4H.
Zach with his “crazy” Frizzle
On today’s show, we go to a local 4H poultry clinic where children were being taught skills to prepare them for their upcoming county fairs and chicken shows. These county fairs will start in the next couple of months. I interview several kids who are at this clinic with their pet chickens that they plan on showing at their fairs and ask them to share their candid opinions about 4H and showing chickens. They are best advocates for the benefits of this organization.
Hailey, Jessica and Stephanie at 4H Poultry Clinic
Also on this week’s episode, we discuss a mysterious “fowl murder” in Detroit, Michigan and talk about a recent public radio interview of Erica Strauss concerning her recent article arguing that some people should not get backyard chickens. You will recognize Erica as being the author of the NW Edible Life website and the her article was the subject matter of the Urban Chicken Podcast’s main segment in episode 10.
4H kids being shown how to handle their birds at the fair
Show Resources:
Previous Episode
UCP Episode 011: Medicated Chick Feed or Not – What Is Best For Your Baby Birds?
Laura Haggarty & Family of Pathfinders Farm
Many people take up chicken keeping for the particular purpose of having more control
Laura Haggarty, Pathfinders Farm’s Buckeye Chickens
over this food source of eggs (and sometimes meat) in a direct response to the world of large agribusiness. These individuals want hormone and antibiotic free meats and try to raise their birds as naturally as possible. This raises the question, can you raise healthy, natural birds and eggs if you start the hens with medicated chick feed? Laura Haggarty of Pathfinders Farm joins the Urban Chicken Podcast today to discuss this very issue.
Laura Haggarty, Pathfinders Farm’s Buckeye Chickens
Medicated chick feed is specifically treated with a medicine called Amprolium. The purpose of adding Amprolium to the feed is to slow down the growth of the Coccidiosis protozoa in baby birds. Slowing the growth of Coccidiosis protozoa gives the birds’ bodies a chance to adjust to this creature living in their system without overwhelming their tiny bodies and killing them. Despite this benefit to the birds, use of this drug begs the question – how long does Amprolium linger in a bird’s system? On today’s show, Laura Haggarty addresses the issue of the effects of Amprolium in your baby chickens and the benefits of using medicated feed. She also provides useful, actionable tips to follow if you decide to not use medicated chick feed with your flock.
Miranda Lowry’s Chicken Coop in Texas
In Sally’s Sidenotes, I discuss a recent email message that I received from listener Miranda Lowry, who lives in Texas. Ms. Lowry recently wrote to me the following lovely email:
Hi! I just started a backyard chicken coop in Dripping Springs, TX and wanted to let you know how much I’ve enjoyed your podcast! Keep up the great work!
~Mandy
Miranda Lowry’s Lovely Cuckoo Maran Hens — They lay dark brown eggs!
Mandy and I emailed a little bit and she shared pictures of her new chicken coop and her flock. She also gave me a terrific idea for a show topic and I am going to turn her suggestion into a show in the near future. You should follow Mandy’s lead and email me your photos, chicken stories and show topic ideas. I take very seriously your input and ideas. Thank you Mandy for writing to me. I am very much looking forward to turning your suggestion into a show!
See a short video of Mandy’s Cuckoo Marans clucking about their coop below.
Miranda Lowry’s Chicken Coop
Show Resources:
- Laura Haggarty’s Pathfinders Farm LINK
- Laura Haggarty’s recipe for herbal chicken mash to treat viral illness LINK
- Laura Haggarty’s Pathfinders Farm Twitter
- Laura Haggarty’s Etsy account of retro, vintage cards and gifts LINK
- Laura Haggarty’s Buckeye Chickens LINK
- Utne Reader article “Photographing the Standard of Perfection” LINK
- First State Vet Supply for Amprolium medicine (powdered or liquid) LINK
- Backyard Chicken Forum (“The BYC” as Laura calls it) LINK
- Ira Glass and Tamara Staples’ Book
Next Episode
UCP Episode 013: The Ins and Outs of Washing Eggs
Fresh Eggs With Bloom Still On by Jake Wasdin
Soak your eggs in water with one cap of bleach...wash your eggs with warm water...wash your eggs with cold water...wash your eggs with non-toxic dish soap...wash your eggs with baking soda... don’t wash your eggs...etc. There is a lot of conflicting advice on the internet on whether you should wash your freshly laid, backyard eggs and if you are going to wash them – what the correct method is.
Frida and Amelia Eggs February 2013 by Jen Pitino
Should you wash your backyard eggs, is a debate in which technically neither side is right or wrong. There are strong arguments against washing your backyard eggs. Chickens lay their eggs with a protective, protein-like coating on them called a bloom or cuticle. This bloom seals the pores of an eggshell preventing the passing of bacteria from the outside of the egg to the inside. Moreover, the bloom’s seal on an egg helps slow the deterioration of the food inside. Eggs stay fresher longer with their blooms left intact. Washing an egg removes this natural, protective coating. Eggs which keep their blooms, don’t need to be refrigerated. European commercial egg producers do not wash their eggs, unlike egg producers in the United States, which are required to wash their eggs by the U.S.D.A. This is why Europeans don’t refrigerate their eggs, but store them at room temperature.
Big Egg, Little Egg by Lisa Breuer
But what do you do with poopy, dirty eggs? Let’s face it, not all the eggs collected out of the coop are in pristine condition. This is where the “wash your eggs” advocates gain some traction with their side of the wash/don’t wash egg debate. No one wants poopy eggs in their fridge. Moreover, you can’t really gift dirty eggs to your friends and family who are already disconnected to the nitty-gritty of food production. Receiving muddy/poopy eggs would simply gross them out. Truth be told, maybe muddy/poopy eggs sort of gross you out too. Advocates of the “don’t wash your eggs” camp advise that you use sandpaper to lightly scrub off the dirt and poop while keeping the bloom safe. It does seem a strange practice to take up – sanding your eggs. However, it is effective. On the other hand though, it may seem a lot simpler and more natural feeling to just wash your eggs.
Egg Line-up by Lisa Breuer
If you do decide to go the route of washing your eggs, you need to consider how to best wash your little orbs of deliciousness. The internet is full of people spouting off suggestions of how to properly wash an egg. Many of these suggestions are, in my humble opinion, bad advice. An egg shell is porous and that fact should be at the forefront of your mind when you go to wash an egg. You don’t want to use any cleaners that are synthetic or toxic such as soaps or bleach because those chemicals could be transferred to the interior of your egg for you to consume. Though there is conflicting advice on the proper temperature at which to wash your eggs, the prevailing and more reliable sources all suggest that you use water that is slightly warmer that the egg being washed. It is also suggested that you make sure that the eggs are fully dry before storing them. You don’t want your eggs to have a moist surface encouraging the transfer of bacteria through the egg shell’s pores. Also, do not soak your eggs. It is unnecessary and also encourages the transfer of contaminants to the inside of your eggs.
The topic of egg washing is discussed in depth on the Main Segment of today’s show.
In Sally’s Sidenotes, we discuss a topic complimentary to the issue of egg washing – how to properly crack an egg. Proper egg-cracking prevents bits of shell from falling into the bowl with the eggs you intend to eat.
In the Chicken News segment we discuss how a duck recently fathered a chicken?! Ewww... I know. We will consider this genetic manipulation and its implications.
Show Resources:
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