Superfood of the Aztecs

Or was it the Incas? Anyway, I am writing to let you all know about Chia. Yes, Ch..ch..ch..CHIA. It is the same seed that is used to grow hair on ceramic figurines. It is also happens to be a Superfood. I think we should include it in “Dawn’s Mircle Mix for Chicken Omnipotence.” Chia has many benefits (although it does not actually cause hair grow in balding men). One of the most obvious is its incredible omega-3 fatty acid content. Chia is higher than hemp seed in Omega-3 and does not contain toxins. Hemp seeds are apparently full of toxins. This high fat content provides a great energy source. The Aztec (or was it Inca) messengers could run all day on a handful of Chia. The 11&12/05 Saturday Evening Post ran an article on Chia saying it "could be considered the world's most nutritious food crop."It emphasizes that Chia reduces the inflammations in the body that are linked to coronary artery disease (heart disease), diabetes, cancer, & Alzheimer's disease. " It even cures hang nails and sea sickness. While some of these afflictions may not effect chickens we can agree that this is some pretty healthy chow. I have a connection in the secretive South American Chia trade. I can get the goods shipped directly from Bolivia by the 55lbs sack. Apparently the seeds stay good for a very long time and one sack would go a long way. The cost is around $120 per sack. I don’t know how this compares to the cost of other feed ingredients, but it is probably more expensive. Maybe some co-op members would like to pool together to buy a sac for our fantastic chickens? Let me know what you think. Maybe first I should see if I can get the chickens to eat this stuff.

Interspecies Love?

Dear Co-op Members and casual chicken fanciers, We have 24 chickens right now and I have owned chickens for five years now, but never have I seen a chicken so smitten with a dog. Aspen is our 10 year old yellow lab. He thinks that chickens are nothing more than blades of grass - easy to ignore and uninteresting. The chickens feel pretty much the same way about him. But then came Blue. It's so strange, but she really likes Aspen. Each morning when I let them out of the coop they all go running around pecking for food and such. Aspen always walks around the fenced chicken yard smelling for coons or cats. Every morning, without fail since two months ago, Blue follows his every footstep completely around the yard ignoring all of the other chickens and disregarding early food gathering. In the evening when they are all out of the fenced yard and can mingle, Blue is found with Aspen. She studies him, follows him and otherwise enjoys his company. Dawn Grafe Co-op Founder