Chickens are the new black

Sure, the Obamas planted a Victory Garden, and these days urban and backyard gardeners from Brooklyn to the Midwest to San Fran are impressing their guests with salsas and salads plucked from their own sunny plots.

But can a tomato plant decorate your party? Will it entertain your guests? Certainly not. That’s where chickens come in. They’re budget-friendly — we paid $11 for each of them, plus a coop — and they even supply food!

Plus, chickens bring:

• An element of drama. Where will they run next? What are they scratching at? Can I pet them?
• The ultimate eco-friendly appetizers. From the backyard to the kitchen, there is no carbon footprint for fabulous deviled eggs!
• Coolest kid on the block status. Sure, your friends have the newest iPhone, but chickens? That’s the next level.
• Children love chickens! For petting, have an adult hold the chicken, beak facing away, while the tyke pats the smooth back feathers. Kids love chasing them too; don’t sweat it, chickens outrun little ones. Warning: My birds peck at beak-level food; when kids eat ice cream cones, put your feathered friends in the coop.

Ultimate, No Carbon Footprint Deviled Eggs!
Match the herb to the cuisine you’re serving. Going Greek? Add oregano. Good old American? Chives or dill will do. Italian? Try basil.

• 1 dozen fresh eggs
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat will taste just as good)
• 1 teaspoon. dried herb of your choice, plus a dash for sprinkling (got fresh? Use about 3 times as much, minced)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Place eggs in pot; add cold water until eggs are covered by an inch. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover, remove from heat and let sit 17 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and water. Transfer eggs to bowl, and chill until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes (this makes eggs easier to peel and prevents the dark coloring around the yolk).

Crack shells gently; peel, rinsing if necessary to remove shell. Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Transfer yolks to medium bowl and whites to platter.

Using back of fork, break up yolks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon dried herb and mustard; stir to blend thoroughly. Correct seasoning if necessary.

Using small spatula or spoon, portion yolk mixture evenly into halved whites. Sprinkle yolk mixture with herbs and serve.

Serves 12 as appetizer

Comments

Chickens are so much fun! I have about 20-30 chickens from chicks last year (we are on 2.5 acres), we get about 10 eggs/day which is too many for our family, but we give them away because we've become so attached to all the chickens. Matilda is a big black hen, and our favorite girl. As time has gone one, the chickens allow us to hold them. They are a huge hit with my 3-year-olds play group!

So many colors/breeds available, we love the brown and green eggs we get!

3-4 Chickens would be manageable for any backyard!

We had a chicken tragedy today...only 3 of our 4 chicken flock remain! A neighborhood coon must have come by last night before they went into their coop-a very sad day. Even in the city, there are predators!

I used to have baby chickens (they were a bit older than chicks) and they were the most loving creatures ever! So so sweet. They're comparable to dogs.

No animal should be bought simply for entertainment tho. Chickens require upkeep and care and can make a lot of noise. These sorts of things should be considered before purchasing.