Bird Health Awareness Week is from Feb. 24 through March 2. The USDA’s Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS) is bringing poultry experts together for a webinar called, “Growing Chicks Into Healthy Chickens: Getting Ready for Spring,” to be held on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. (EST). The webinar is hosted by the Chicken Whisperer and will feature veterinarians. Registration is required and details are here.
The Chicken Whisperer raises backyard birds in rural Georgia. He started years ago with a few hens and ducks, and this year is starting a new flock of 40 birds at his new home. Andy Schneider (the Chicken Whisperer’s real name) has helped countless bird lovers with their own flocks, has a radio show about backyard bird care, and runs the Atlanta Backyard Poultry Meet-Up Group, which has more than 1,600 members.
“There’s nothing not to like about backyard birds!” croons Andy. “The eggs are always fresh and tasty, but there are many other benefits to backyard chickens like composting, fertilizer, insect control, education for kids, and entertainment for the family.”
Raising backyard birds is becoming increasingly popular across the country and, as the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass describes, are part of the growing momentum and interest in local meat and poultry.