Chickens, Cows, Dogs, Cats, and the Urban Farmer

[Spade]

Several cities including Vancouver are considering lifting the ban on back-yard chickens. And, there's a moo-vement to miniature cows as well. Both are argued ideal for recession beaters.

Vancouver hatches plan for backyard chickens

Some may call this crazy, but there are already tasty-rabbit hutches and squab (pigeon) tasters right here in River City!

Are barnyard fowl any fouler than dogs and cats - quite the delicacy in some quarters?

 

[Scott Free]

In the dark and middle ages peasants (that is cottagers - people who owned their land but had to pay tax on it and could have it confiscated) lived with their livestock so this trend makes sense in an historical context. It even might be necessary as we race for the bottom.

 

[Twila]

The raccoons and the coyotes are going to LOVE Vancouverites having chickens in their backyards.

The neighbours are going to be pissed at the noise and the smell

I do believe this is going to be a fiasco.

 

[JLM]

The raccoons and the coyotes are going to LOVE Vancouverites having chickens in their backyards.

The neighbours are going to be pissed at the noise and the smell

I do believe this is going to be a fiasco.

I guess that would be one way of making some neighbourhoods more civilized.

 

[Spade]

When I was a child living in a small Prairie town, chickens were de rigeuer. Love to hear the roosters in the morning!

My grandmother had a goat for milk as well. It used to play on the teeter totter when we kids weren't on it!

 

[CanadianLove]

When I was a child living in a small Prairie town, chickens were de rigeuer. Love to hear the roosters in the morning!

My grandmother had a goat for milk as well. It used to play on the teeter totter when we kids weren't on it!

I don't know if it will go over very well in a lot of the areas there. The retirees may be able to handle it but the younger crowd don't even seem to have the time to cook for themselves let alone raise the food themselves.

As far as the immigrant families go they will be alright for a while, but they can pack a house pretty good and to have the amount of animals needed to feed a large family or two or three on a small lot may become a problem. It would start out OK as a suppliment but it is natural to want more.

Then they have to kill them. They don't even like to kill the rats in Van. They make the city use noise makers. Then again, grain fed rats are good eatin' too.

 

[Spade]

Then they have to kill them. They don't even like to kill the rats in Van. They make the city use noise makers. Then again, grain fed rats are good eatin' too.

And guinea pigs! And, they're quite legal.

 

[CanadianLove]

And guinea pigs! And, they're quite legal.

I was talking to a guy about gophers and the conversations went to rats and how one was a good meal for one man. I have seen rats that looked two feet tall at the back, around some of the water front grain elevators in the US ports I used to get into. They are huge. I bet they would be at least 10lbs dressed and ready for the spit.

 

[Tyr]

The raccoons and the coyotes are going to LOVE Vancouverites having chickens in their backyards.

The neighbours are going to be pissed at the noise and the smell

I do believe this is going to be a fiasco.

,,,,and it will be a fiasco. The size of most of the backyards in Vancouver could be filled with two good sized sandboxes.

I will guarantee that you will see some people trying to raise 100 hens in their backyard.

Ever been near a chicken farm? You have to have a pretty strong stomach and an absolutely deadened sense of smell

 

[Tyr]

And guinea pigs! And, they're quite legal.

... a little lemon and rosemary...

 

[Tyr]

I was talking to a guy about gophers and the conversations went to rats and how one was a good meal for one man. I have seen rats that looked two feet tall at the back, around some of the water front grain elevators in the US ports I used to get into. They are huge. I bet they would be at least 10lbs dressed and ready for the spit.

The ones in the alley behind the Army and Navy on Hastings have stalls and saddles

 

[VanIsle]

In the dark and middle ages peasants (that is cottagers - people who owned their land but had to pay tax on it and could have it confiscated) lived with their livestock so this trend makes sense in an historical context. It even might be necessary as we race for the bottom.

Sounds a little like today don't you think. We own our land but we have to pay taxes on it and if we don't, the city can sell it. Not much change.

 

[Scott Free]

Sounds a little like today don't you think. We own our land but we have to pay taxes on it and if we don't, the city can sell it. Not much change.

We are cottagers in Canada which is to say a peasant. An Earl and the King were free to own land and cottagers owned it (rented through taxes) by their grace. This is why I cringe when I hear Canadians say we are a free country. It simply isn't true. We are cottagers, that is, a nation of peasants, and that is, slaves bound by taxation.

 

[VanIsle]

The raccoons and the coyotes are going to LOVE Vancouverites having chickens in their backyards.

The neighbours are going to be pissed at the noise and the smell

I do believe this is going to be a fiasco.

I don't know about the raccoons and the coyotes but I do know there is already concern about the rats. Even here we are asked not to feed the vast amount of wild rabbits we have so that we do not attract the rats. Lucky for me - I have never seen a wild rat.
Pigs are gross smelling but chickens shouldn't be too bad. I think the number is limited if I recall the article and I know that roosters are not allowed. No crowing I guess. City lots in new areas are small now anyway so I doubt it's going to become a large problem. People have to have a chicken coup for one thing and most of us would not want chickens wandering all over the back yard. Someone mentioned that the young people would not want to take the time for them but having had chickens before once, it's no big deal. Scatter a little seed for them a couple of times a day. I gather avian flu is also a concern to some people. If you look at the cost of pure grain fed chicken (aka organic), you probably won't mind raising a couple dozen chickens a year. Properly fed they can grow a lot larger than the ones we buy.

 

[VanIsle]

We are cottagers in Canada which is to say a peasant. An Earl and the King were free to own land and cottagers owned it (rented through taxes) by their grace. This is why I cringe when I hear Canadians say we are a free country. It simply isn't true. We are cottagers, that is, a nation of peasants, and that is, slaves bound by taxation.

I don't disagree but - is anyone any different than we are?

 

[Scott Free]

I don't disagree but - is anyone any different than we are?

I'm not sure but that isn't really the point.

One of the principle arguments against slavery (in England) was that by paying workers a wage they had to look after, feed, house and tend to themselves. The argument was that paying people a wage and setting them free was therefore less expensive to the aristocracy than enslaving them - so England abolished slavery.

My point is that we are still slaves because we cannot own our land and thereby be self sufficient. We are kept in perpetual slavery by our need to pay land tax and the threat of losing our land. It is no surprise then that the wealthy pay little or no tax, nor do corporations.

 

[Spade]

In Bermuda, feral chickens wander the island. They are seen on neatly manicured lawns and on exclusive golf courses. No one seems to mind; really are they different from pigeons?

 

[Spade]

O, and on the issue of taxes. In Canada, there is no presumption of innocence. Freedom - a word to get youth to fight greybeards' wars.

 

[VanIsle]

I'm not sure but that isn't really the point.

One of the principle arguments against slavery (in England) was that by paying workers a wage they had to look after, feed, house and tend to themselves. The argument was that paying people a wage and setting them free was therefore less expensive to the aristocracy than enslaving them - so England abolished slavery.

My point is that we are still slaves because we cannot own our land and thereby be self sufficient. We are kept in perpetual slavery by our need to pay land tax and the threat of losing our land. It is no surprise then that the wealthy pay little or no tax, nor do corporations.

So, it's my understanding that in Dubai, people do not pay taxes of any kind. Therefore, they must be the only free people in the world in that sense. However, we must have laws to live by or we would abolish human kind so again - we are not really free. We still answer to someone for something everyday of our lives. There can be no other way.

 

[VanIsle]

In Bermuda, feral chickens wander the island. They are seen on neatly manicured lawns and on exclusive golf courses. No one seems to mind; really are they different from pigeons?

Huh! You should try walking around a few fields (football, baseball etc.) here. The Canada Goose truly loves to run loose. :smile: