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Chicken Crack: It drives flocks wild!

By Cynthia Larsen

Real Estate Broker/Owner CalBRE# 01433049

November 02, 2012 07:41 AM

Treats for Chickens, a chicken supply business, recently opened up shop in Cotati CA. If you ask proprietor Dawn Russell, she chose the location because "Cotati is just so stinkin' cute".

I mean, after all, how many cities do you know of that has a flock of free-range chickens roaming around downtown? Drive into Walgreen's parking lot and you'll literally find yourself "playing chicken" with chickens just to find a parking space.

Treats for Chickens aims to be the premier supplier of treats, food supplements, nesting materials and more, particularly for urban and suburban families. And the timing couldn't be better. Santa Rosa, the largest city in Sonoma County, just passed an ordinance allowing chickens to be raised in backyards within city limits.

Dawn has been working for years to come up with innovative blends of feed. Take Chicken Crack for example. It contains organic cracked corn, rye, barley, flax, sunflower seeds, buckwheat groats, dried meal worms and river shrimp. Its slogan is "It drives flocks wild". It must be good ... Chicken Crack just won an industry award for new product of the year.

If you own or are thinking of owning chickens, check out Treats for Chickens in Cotati. They aim for the "health and happiness of the modern backyard chicken".

Treats for Chickens
Cotati, CA
(877) 598-4468
www.treatsforchickens.com

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Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

we're in "cow country"....we have cows and ducks.... no chickens....

Nov 02, 2012 08:15 AM

Cindy Jones

Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA

Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News

I'd love to have a couple of chickens however don't live in a spot where I can. Big push in the area to allow urban chickens.

Nov 02, 2012 08:23 AM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Barbara - this was a huge chicken ranching area, known as the egg capital of the world. Now we have more backyard chickens in urban and suburban areas ... fresh eggs!

Cindy - We are in a "grow your own food, raise your own chickens, eat healthy" mode here. And now there are laws in CA regarding chicken habitat, where they can't be kept in small cages. It has spurred a backyard chicken movement.

Nov 02, 2012 09:58 AM

Donna Foerster

HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO

Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

OK Cynthia, I would have to agree with Dawn. It seems that Cotati is just to stinkin' cute. To have chickens just roaming the streets?? That's a new one on me.

Nov 02, 2012 11:33 AM

Richard Weisser

Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA

Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Cyndi...

North of Atlanta they raise a lot of fryers, but they are definitely not free range. It would be nice if they could get out every once in a while.

Nov 02, 2012 11:45 AM

Donna - it is an adorable little town (population 7,300). The free-range chickens hang out mostly at Walgreens, but they really like the new Peet's Coffee and Tea shop that opened up this year. They are definitely a conversation piece.

Richard - We have a relatively new state statute that prohibits the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. The law is set to go into full effect on January 1, 2015. All of the chicken/egg farmers have started adjusting to the future which has spurred a movement to allow backyard chickens. Fresh eggs for everyone!

Nov 02, 2012 12:07 PM

Liz and Bill Spear

Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH

Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Cynthia, The only other place I've encountered free range chickens is in Key West! I know the movement is gaining steam for raising your own chickens. We tried ducks some years ago but I think the coyotes sampled them pretty quickly.

Nov 02, 2012 11:31 PM

BLiz - oops. Now you see them, now you don't? Poor ducks!

Nov 03, 2012 01:37 AM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

We have chickens in Fair Oaks. They wander around. Some people hate them but others love them. I don't mind chickens. I once raised a family of ducks in my back yard, and they're a lot more splatty than chickens, LOL.

Nov 03, 2012 01:44 AM

Elizabeth - Splatty, I love that word and I know exactly what you mean. We have a ton of wild turkeys in Cotati (free range) and they are MAJOR splatty. I once had to hose off my front lawn.

Nov 03, 2012 02:14 AM

Melinda (Mel) Peterson

Grants Pass, OR - Bend, OR

The Savvy Broker - ABR, CRS

Adorable post Cynthia! From Cotati to Chicken Crack... love it! I raised chickens and there's nothing better than homegrown eggs ;))) Kudos to Santa Rosa for allowing such things to scratch and hatch in their back yard!

Nov 03, 2012 11:11 AM

Mel - Cotati IS "stinkin' cute", I agree with Dawn. Guess that is why I've lived here for 22 years. Homegrown eggs are the best, but I haven't had one for years! I'll have to make more friends in Santa Rosa :)

Nov 03, 2012 11:57 AM

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Cynthia Larsen

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