Gifts for Chicken Lovers
Because you can never have too many items with chickens on them. Right?
Like a lot of people this time of year, I spent the weekend after Thanksgiving buying gifts. This year, like every year, I’m impressed by just how much stuff there is out there in the world. There is so much stuff, in fact, that a present I frequently request from my husband is the gift of an item I know it would take me hours of googling to find the best version of.
I’m currently in the process of getting the new and improved chicken coop set up so the girls can have more room when I can’t supervise their free ranging or the continued presence of avian flu keeps them on #Flockdown. That means I’ve been looking at a lot of things to decorate the coop with. This—and my general radar for anything chicken—makes me perfectly positioned to give you some ideas for things your chicken-loving self/loved ones actually want for the holidays.
So here are some gifts I recommend for chicken lovers in your life who you’re pretty sure already own too many tea towels and mugs with chickens on them. Oh, and I think everyone should consider preordering my book, Under the Henfluence, which just got a wonderful review from Publisher’s Weekly. It comes out in March which means you can slide a receipt for a preorder right into someone’s stocking. (Signed copies are available from Powells!)
For the chicken lover with a coop of their own
There is nothing more delightful than a chicken coop covered in lights. Especially during these dark winter days, I love knowing that even if I don’t get around to putting the chicken food away before 6pm, the twinkle lights on the coop mean I don’t have to fumble around in the darkness. For people with power near the coops, there’s always standard twinkle lights and timers (I’ve used these for four years and they’re still going strong.) If the coop is unpowered, there are some wonderful options in solar lights like twinkle lights, standard solar path lights, or decorative stake lights.
The way to a chicken’s heart is through their stomach but treats can get expensive fast. (I should really set up a fund on the @bestlittlehenhouse Instagram so people can “treat” the chickens.) My girls’ favorite treat in the world are Grubblies which are just dried mealworms. The ladies can get bored in winter which makes flock blocks an excellent option to give them something to do in the run. I like treat squares for a small flock since they can get through it in a day without attracting rodents overnight.
Finally, I’ve always found the key to a great gift is to get someone something they want but wouldn’t buy for themselves. Nesting herbs often fall into that category for me. They’re nice but not necessary. I love sprinkling some in the nest boxes after I’ve given the coop a clean.
For the chicken lover without chickens
Maybe your giftee always wanted chickens but live in an apartment. Maybe they used to have chickens but moved away. Here are some gift ideas for people missing out on a flock of their own.
One of my favorite chicken books is The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-Mi Hwang. People describe it as “The Korean Charlotte’s Web” and the book has sold over two million copies. The story follows a little hen who wants to hatch some eggs and has the feeling of a folktale. For another book recommendation, might I suggest Isabella Rossellini’s My Chickens and I. When she’s not acting, Rossellini spends time at Mama Farm in New York where she shares her land with a large cast of animals including, of course, chickens. The book was clearly written by a person who loves her flock.
If your chicken lover has a porch or front yard, you can get them some fake chickens to ease the heartache and give them something chicken shaped to glimpse out of their window.
Calendars are tough because people usually only have room for one or two in their home but the people behind the book Extraordinary Chickens also do an annual wall calendar that will grace your home with a different photo of an unusual and beautifully shot chicken every month.
For young chicken lovers
For bigger kids (or kids at heart) this inflatable chicken costume that makes it look like you’ve saddled up to ride a rooster off into the sunset isn’t just for Halloween. On colder days, maybe get this chicken onesie to bawk in around the house. (Don’t worry, it comes in adult sizes too.)
Kids can keep chickens in their room with this Lego henhouse or chicken farmer Barbie.
If your young chicken lover is a reader, I absolutely adored the picture books Chickens to the Rescue, Mr. Watson’s Chickens, and Interrupting Chicken. They all made me laugh out loud. For middle grade readers, I always recommend Kelly Jone’s Unusual Chickens series. Independent readers with their own flock will love How to Speak Chicken by Melissa Caughey.
For the person who doesn’t have chickens yet but should
Maybe this person just moved to the country. Maybe they need some company. Maybe they inherited a big coop in their backyard and need to decide whether to turn it into a potting shed or fill it with feathered friends. You and I both know their lives would be massively improved by a flock of chickens but you’re wondering how to convince them without being too obvious.
For a nearby foodie, consider picking up fresh rainbow eggs from someone with a flock in your neighborhood and gifting them. (Be on the look out for “fresh egg” signs while driving down country roads!) You might consider sending them a cookbook all about the incredible, edible egg. Michael Ruhlman’s Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World’s Most Versatile Ingredient is a great option.
For someone who is aesthetically inclined, consider getting them a pheasant feather wreath to hang in their home. It will get them ooh-ing and aaah-ing over the softness of feathers and thinking about how nice it might be to have feathers of their own molting in the backyard.
If they have a DVD player (or you can invite them over for a movie night), convince them to watch the documentary Chicken People which provides a surprisingly heartfelt and hilarious look into the world of show chickens. If you want to be more subtle, the book Birdology by Sy Montgomery contains a delightful section on chickens but isn’t only about them.
News from the Coop
Like most projects, the chicken coop is taking longer than expected to set up. I was hoping to have the girls moved in by now but between delays and now cold temperatures, I’m thinking it won’t be painted and ready for them until spring. But I’m thrilled with how it looks so far and can’t wait to spend some time stenciling and building nest boxes and perches to make it into a wonderful upgrade for the ladies. Here’s a sneak peek at the outside of the coop just for newsletter readers!
I hope everyone is staying warm and will be back next month with another edition! I have a whole set of Christmas chickens to put in the yard this week. I always enjoy seeing my real chickens pecking around them as though the light-up chickens are just part of the flock.
If you get any of the gifts I mentioned, please let me know how it works out. I love knowing I’ve henfluenced someone to share the poultry love.
A lot of you are already preordering my book and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it! Preorders are a big deal for first time authors and tells bookstores and libraries that there’s interest. (You can also request your local library order a copy of Under the Henfluence which also goes a long way. I love libraries.) There’s a UK publisher so people everywhere should be able to get a copy!
If you need a chicken fix before the next newsletter, you can follow me on Twitter or Instagram.
If you liked this email, please share the newsletter with a chicken or animal lover in your life! As always, email me at underthehenfluence@gmail.com with any tips or comments. See you next month.