One of the projects in David’s capstone class is the one-day/five-points-of-view story. This is a picture story that must be told in five pictures and that happened over a relatively short period of time (no more than a few days).
As you might have gathered from my blog, I chose to do a light exploration of backyard chickens in Columbia as a result of the recently-passed “chicken ordinance.” But now I’ll let the photos — and their captions — tell the story.
The chickens have escaped from their greenhouse home on St. Joseph Road, and it's up to Adam Saunders to chase them back inside. Saunders and other members of the non-profit Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture own six hens, which is the maximum number allowed by a Columbia city ordinance that permits urban residents to keep chickens in their backyard.
Five of CCUA's six hens stare each other down inside the greenhouse on Feb. 17. CCUA owns three Rhode Island Reds, one Buff Orpington, one Australorp-Rhode Island Red mix and one Dominic. Roosters are not allowed under the city ordinance, largely because of their crowing.
Adam explains to a large crowd why CCUA's hens are in a greenhouse: Members of CCUA are still working on a coop in the non-profit's house/office backyard. This was the second "How-to Hens" workshop CCUA hosted to educate fellow Columbians about the particulars of the city ordinance and of raising chickens. The non-profit is planning more workshops over the upcoming months, including a coop-building workshop and a butchering demonstration.
CCUA's Australorp-Rhode Island Red hen reveals a rogue egg laid inside the greenhouse on Feb. 17. Hens lay eggs year-round, though they typically lay less during colder weather. Although the city ordinance does not allow backyard hens to be used for commercial purposes, it is common for people to sell a dozen eggs for three or four dollars to their friends and neighbors.
Two of CCUA's Rhode Island Red hens explore the further reaches of the greenhouse on Feb. 17. CCUA co-director Daniel Soetaert said none of the six hens is up for "processing" -- that is, butchering -- because they've been laying eggs fairly regularly, even in this cold season.
I do plan on keeping up with CCUA and attending more of their workshops. I’m not the only journalist/journalism student attracted to the city ordinance and CCUA’s activities, but that hasn’t deterred my interest at all.
Words and Light 
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