ADOPT-A-CHICKEN
Taking the Reins Adopt-a-Chicken Program
Do you have coop dreams? Yearn for a feathered friend? Long to be a chicken farmer but lack the land?
Here’s a hassle-free way to experience the joys of raising chickens, and there’s no chance that your neighbors will turn you into the health department.
At Taking the Reins (TTR), adolescent girls learn life skills in many ways. From riding and caring for horses to planting and tending to an organic garden, girls experience positive activities that empower them to be confident, compassionate, and creative. Now, part of that experience is raising chickens in our Learning Center!
We’ve got a flock of nine young hens living right here on our 2.5-acre urban farm. Volunteers built a beautiful, bright red coop for the hens, and taking care of the chickens has become part of our students’ curriculum in sustainable gardening and nutrition. The girls love looking after these charismatic chickens and would be the first to tell you each bird has her own story to tell. You can be part of that story by supporting our chickens through adopting one.
What does the Adopt-a-Chicken program involve? First, you pick your chick and make a donation in her name. Your contribution supports the hen as she goes through her daily routine of hunting, pecking, digging, foraging, tilling, fertilizing, and laying. And most importantly, adoption helps us cover the costs of our programs at Taking the Reins, including our happy chicken community. In return you receive an official adoption certificate and—at certain levels of contribution—a color portrait of your feathery family member. Of course, adopting a chicken for a friend is a great gift item too!
The Pecking Order (adoption levels):
- Helpful Hen ($50) includes an official, personalized adoption certificate
- Flock Friend ($100) includes an official, personalized adoption certificate and an 8.5x11 portrait of your chicken
- Chicken Farmer ($250) includes an official, personalized adoption certificate and an 11x14 portrait of your chicken
- The Big Bock ($500) includes an official, personalized adoption certificate and a 16x20 portrait of your chicken
- Coop Crown ($5000) includes an official, personalized adoption certificate, a 16x20 portrait of your chicken, and naming rights to the Taking the Reins Coop
To participate in Taking the Reins’ Adopt-a-Chicken program, contact Marianne at 323-906-1506.
Which Hen is for You?
Chickens are born with certain personality traits, a fact TTR students know well. From the girls’ observations of the coop, we’ve come up with the following descriptions.
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Like her name, Shadow Gal is sensitive, shy, and mysterious. If you’re a fan of film noir, she’s the femme fatale. |
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A brooder (a hen that sits on eggs to keep them warm before they hatch), Roberta (“Bobbie”) is both a devoted mother and an avid eater whose favorite treats are worms. |
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Sayu is a social butterfly who loves people; she’s a friendly, fancy girl. |
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Soul is a show-off with a short-attention span and lots of fun because you never know what shenanigan she’ll get into next. |
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Rockie is known as “The Bomber” because of her big comb. (FYI, combs help keep chickens cool.) Thus, Rockie is one cool hen. |
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A smart cookie, Suzie calls the shots around the coop. She can also perform tricks. |
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Fiona is curious and eager to explore new people and places. |
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Thumper is a dreamer and on her own schedule—a slow one. She usually lags behind the other hens and is always the last one in the coop. She also lays eggs anywhere and everywhere. |
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Sadly, the other chickens often bully Laila but she’s beloved by the girls. She’s starting to find her courage and is a great inspiration to those facing difficulties. |
Portraits of TTR chickens generously taken by photographer Christofer Dierdorff.