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PROFILE •

Something to Crow About Backyard chicken farming is taking off all over the Bay Area By Nori Jabba

Backyard chicken farming is on the rise locally and for many good reasons. Chickens provide eggs as well as the opportunity to spend time outdoors, learn about the basics of life, and participate in the farm-to-table and sustainability movements. Ken and Lucy Brock, who own Peninsula Feed Store in Redwood City, know just how popular backyard chicken farming has become. The store near Whipple Avenue sells food, treats, supplies, full-grown hens and baby chicks. It also serves as a rescue center for roosters (roosters over the age of four months are not permitted in Redwood City due to noise issues). "

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e have about 1,000 customers from all over the Bay Area buying feed regularly,” Lucy Brock says. The store also partners with public and private local schools to supply classrooms with baby chicks for children to learn firsthand about raising chickens, as well as where their food comes from. “Chickens have become popular pets for families, and especially for tech workers, who enjoy spending time with them (and eating fresh eggs) after long hours at Silicon Valley startups,” Ken Brock adds. “It’s a kind of life-balance therapy.” People raise backyard chickens for a variety of reasons. Some grew up on a ranch or farm; for oth-

ers, it is part of their culture. Many want to provide their own food or participate in sustainable food production. Parents often want to teach their children about nature. “I love chickens,” says Margo Callard a personal assistant who lives in Redwood City’s Mount Carmel neighborhood. She became enamored with backyard chicken farming after visits with her son to Hidden Villa Farm. “They’re happy little things. The fresh eggs are wonderful, and I like knowing that the food source comes directly from my backyard.” Many find the avian hobby fun or therapeutic. Eduardo Sagrero, who works at Peninsula Feed Store, believes “chickens can teach us a lot about the value of April 2020 ·

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