Chooks R' Us

NOI  chooks

     One fine day during a walk in my neighborhood, shortly after I arrived in Australia, I saw a chicken crossing the road. And I asked "why?". 

     Ha ha. Not why did it cross the road, but what was it doing there in the first place? It was doing the same thing I was, taking a little walk in the 'hood before going home.

My chooks seen in America?

My Neighborhood Old Italian, Carlo (whom you've met before)  has a couple "chooks".      Chickens -  up to 12 of them - are allowed to be kept  by city dwellers.  No roosters, thankfully. Several of my neighbors who live in real homes instead of flats have chicken runs and coops in their yards.  Another NOI, Dominic and his elegant wife Conchetta,  have 10 which enjoy a large chicken run, daily run of the yard for bugs and old lettuce/other green scraps negotiated  for free from the neighborhood grocery store.  It's these greens that Connie insists are the secret to her healthy chickens and nutritious eggs. No hormones, no antibiotics. But their chooks lay too many eggs for their use.  Guess where I buy my free range eggs?  Not super dirt-cheap but significantly less than the grocery store charges. Plus, I positively KNOW that my eggs come from happy chickens.

Peering through a neighbor's fence

       While I'm bragging about my excellent find, let me boast about how this deal benefits the entire planet.  I bring my empty cartons back to be reused (saving landfill space). The food miles equals about one block (calculate that carbon cost, if you can.)  The eggshells are deposited into my (OK, super-mini) compost pile and The Boss, Connie, has extra change in her pocket.   Virtue never tasted so good.

      FYI:  Truly fresh eggs do not hard boil in six minutes.   It takes 20-30 minutes at a rolling boil to firm them up for easy eating.  Plus, they are really good for baking.