CHICKENS

Jason graduated from his father’s alma mater, Auburn University, in 2000 with a B.A. in Mass Communications. A former television producer, webmaster and copywriter, he turned away from the professional world and chose an agrarian, autodidactic lifestyle on a small farm near his adolescent home-place in rural Lauderdale County, Alabama. He has devoted his time and energy for the past ten years to learning and pursuing the skills and practices of how to live in accordance with the land. Jason has published over 200 posts since 2006 on a blog chronicling his family’s progression into the country lifestyle (Crowsonshire.blogspot.com). Jason lives in Rogersville, AL with his wife and son, their two aging pug dogs, a gaggle of geese, a herd of goats, a flock of chickens and guineas, and most recently two pigs.

A thirty something year old living transplanted to New England from the West Coast and living with her husband, toddler, dog, cats, pigs, chickens, horse, fish, and miniature ducks. She is an assistant at a nearby preschool/daycare and a full time student.

Jacque is a Christian, wife, and mom. She works part-time for a utility company and full time at her home on a small hobby farm in rural Oklahoma. She enjoys homeschooling her children, caring for her flock of chickens and two chocolate labs, and gardening. Her hobbies include crafting, reading and cooking.

Hello! I’m Shannon Fisher from Seattle, WA. Thanks for reading! It’s a busy life for me here in the Pacific Northwest. My days are packed with homeschooling my kids, running our family construction business, and taking care of our small farm. My kids and I like to rescue animals, and we adore our funky little menagerie of geese, chickens, dogs, cats, parakeets, fish and ducks. (Shhh…I’m looking for a goat to rescue, but don’t tell my husband!) It’s a crazy life, but it’s also a lot of fun. I was raised in the Arizona sunshine, so adjusting to this crazy Seattle weather has been a tough road. Sometimes I go a little batty in this gray, gloomy weather! I’m hanging in there, though! When I’m not taking care of day-to-day chores, you’ll find me teaching Jazzercise classes to the best students on Earth. I love what I do, and I’ll teach Jazzercise as long as I can. I get paid to dance with my friends…what could be better? Lots of people thing Jazzercise is leg-warmers and big hair, but that’s in the past. Not that I have anything against leg warmers! I don’t get a lot of date nights with the hubby, but when I do, we love to check out the Seattle dining scene. Our faves are Korean and Japanese, but the sky's the limit. We’ll try just about anything…except haggis I suppose. In the summer, we take our flat-bottom boat out on one of the many rivers up here. There's a novel in the works for me, and I click away at it whenever I can. Someday I’ll finish it. Just not today. I’ve always loved to write, but getting the confidence to actually submit my work has been a huge hurdle. If you read one of my stories, I’d really love to hear what you think. Please leave a comment for me. Most importantly, thank you for reading my work.

A small business owner in central Massachusetts, Ms. Stratton is passionate about issues pertaining to sustainability, self-sufficiency, farming, and our food system. She and her husband have one daughter, 2 cats, 2 goats and several chickens and rabbits.

I was raised in the military and spent most of my adult life associated with the military life, traveling to many places stateside and overseas. Having raised four beautiful children, they have now graced me with four amazing grandchildren. I enrolled in nursing school rather late in life, but after 18 years of a wonderful career in nursing, I retired this year. There was a time in my life, over 30 years ago, that I loved to write but somehow it was put on the back burner until this past year. This past year has been a whirlwind as I began to put my pen to page. The words began to flow from me like a fast moving river, bringing with it many new adventures that I never dreamed. I published my first children’s book called Sunnie and her Peeps, when the inspiration came as for the first time, I became a full time back yard farmer, raising six chickens. I then found myself publishing a few eBooks and have a new book on the horizon called When Delilah Smiles that will be coming out soon. I enjoy my new found love as a creative writer and find my days are filled with many inspirations to draw from. My greatest hope is that my writing inspires and encourages others. I am so happy to be a part of the Yahoo community of talented writers.

50 year young! wife,mum,grandmother,doglover,chicken lover and all round good timer! I love to write on just about anything. Have just started keeping and breeding chickens, and helping my husband make our own brand of pickles and chutneys.

I am a stay at home mom with many facets of expertise. I pride myself as knowing a little bit about a lot of different things and can offer information on many different topice. I am an extreme coupon user and stockpiler. I have been using coupons and saving tons of money for more than 3 years and I have lost track of the thousands of dollars I have saved since the beginning. I also raise my own chickens for eggs and meat. We have reared some of them from chicks and have even hatched our own from a homemade incubator. They are certainly entertaining, and anyone that has ever stopped to watch chickens interact with one another will know that they are hilarious! I consider them the ideal pet because when you feed them they give you gifts; eggs and manure. They contribute to my garden and I give back to them in return. It is interesting how easy they are to take care of and I wouldn't have it any other way. My household is working towards being more self sufficient and lower our utility bills by saving power and finding other ways to power, heat and cool our home. I also enjoy many crafts including knitting and crocheting items that I use everyday and some that I have sold at craft shows. In addition, I love to cook and bake whether from scratch or a box I tend to change the recipe to make it my own and usually the outcome is seriously delicious! I guess all of my hobbies are a direct result of my doi-it-yourself attitude that filters to my way of life. If I can make it myself then I won't buy it. I hope this has been an little bit of an insite into things I like to do and that I am very knowledgeable about. While I lack extensive experience in writing I hold plenty of information on the afore mentioned topics.

I have lived on my southeastern farm for almost ten years. I help raise the family's beef cattle, and have helped with chickens too. I am a self taught seamstress and love cooking and baking, especially pies! Homeschooling my four children is one of my passions.

Daniel lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife, two children and a flock of backyard chickens.

I live on 27 beautiful acres just outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan along with three horses, two cats, a flock of chickens, one golden Retriever and one Irish Poet. I love to cook, garden and go to the movies. I am retired for the third time - and maybe the last. I write stories.

amateur poet, married, mother of autistic teenager, home schooler, has backyard chickens, enthusiastic gardner

I currently work part time at my local water district. I am a notary public, wife, homeschooling mom, grandma, soap maker, gardener and my most recent passion is learning to play the harp. I worked in the medical field for many years, but I am enjoying learning all about water. Working at my local water district is an eye opening experience for sure. I live a quiet life in a small, mountain village and have a small flock of backyard chickens and several miniature goats. I had a handmade soap business for 8 years and hope to because a part time musician in the near future.

I teach children with special needs in an elementary school. I enjoy farm life and raise chickens as a hobby.

I'm 59, educated at U.of N.Texas in environmental biology and art with emphasis on ceramics. Born in Arkansas I was raised in Ft.Worth,TX I now reside in north Texas, I'm single,raise chickens, and love the outdoors.

I am a 51 year old Grandmother of 4, 2 girls and 2 boys, born in OK and have lived all over from OK, CO, MO, TN, FL, MS, TX and now in KS have 1 brother, was in the Air Force from 1980 - 1985 stationed in the Phillippines, and loved every minute of it. I have wonderful parents still living and enjoying life in TX, I live in the country with my husband, 5 cats, 1 dog and 27 chickens, I am presently employed by the US Govt and have been for over 20 years, and now am looking forward to retirement.

After an exciting decade of city living, I've returned to my roots and moved back to the farm. We are farming on a homesteading model, with our own vegetable gardens, fruit orchard, milk goats, and chickens and turkeys for meat and eggs. But wait, there's more... beyond being a farm kid who has gone back to the farm, I'm also a historian with a specialty in the experiences of women in the American West.

Tera Crain writes about music and chickens.

I am a 60 year old woman, who lives in rural Wisconsin. My husband and I live on a small hobby farm and raise chickens and pigs. I am fairly techno savvy. I am a professional cargiver We have a cat named mouse and a 145 pound dog named Samson.

I live in the south chicagoland area, and I am a stay at home mom. However, my life is anything but boring. We raise chickens in our backyard, we have 2 cats, 1 dog, a garden with cornfield and pumpkin patch, and I am also a portrait and tattoo artist.

I live on a 9 acre paradise with my husband, 3 dogs, 3 cats, 28 chickens, and a host of wild bunnies. I love being outdoors whenever possible. I will go fishing whenever somebody asks me.

Shannon is a former marketing manager turned mom, wife, farmer, writer, and photographer. She resides in a suburb of Memphis, TN with her husband, two boys, three horses, four dogs, five chickens and well developed sense of humor.

Full time student at Niagara University, looking to buy a new car and start a new career.

Mom of 3 kids. 1 pre adult. ;)Poultry farm in Tennessee. Last count approx 600 chickens with 49 breeds. Way too many. 7 Horses and 2 mini horses.

I'm the momma of a busy, busy four year old girl and a squishy baby girl born at home in April 2010. I am also a housewife (hah!), animal lover, and aspiring urban homesteader. We are loving our backyard chickens!

Kristen Brockmeyer lives with her husband, two kids, two cats, one dog and fifteen chickens on a small farm in Michigan. She writes about any topic that catches her interest, but her favorite subjects are kids, food and recipes, homeschooling, crafting and sustainable living.

I am a veterinarian by education, turned fiber and mixed media artist, stay at home mom and beginning homesteader/local food junkie. A born and bread Northeaster who has recently relocated to Kansas, we own a small farm with sheep, Angora goats, horses and chickens. I sell

Mother of 4, Wife, Student, and working on doing a lot of photography and interviewing. My husband and I also run a small dairy farm and we have a herd of 130 holsteins, 16 chickens, 6 pigs, 1 dog, and many cats. All lots of fun.

I'm a pastor's wife of a small church in the country. I live on 3 acres where we raise chickens, guineas, and bees. I am a homeschool mom of four children in which three have graduated. I teach piano to 28 wonderful students, I am married to my very best friend in the world

Gardening and food preservation are her passion, she has been doing both for 30 years.Working thousands of head of hogs, raising cattle, goats and chickens to being lead cook in a 90 resident nursing home. She is involved with alternative medicine, from learning Reiki to using healing alternatives for herself and livestock illnesses. Her interests are religion, crime and politics.