It all started with a particular breed of chicken: an Izegemse
Koekoek. I don’t know how to pronounce it, but I suspect if you say it right,
you sound a bit like a chicken yourself. It’s a rather pretty bird, with black
and white spots. And it was in danger of becoming extinct. The place where
these chickens were once plentiful is Izegem, Belgium. In 2010, city officials
offered three of these lovely hens each to 2,000 qualified households. Among
other things, families had to guarantee they had enough space to raise
chickens, and promise not to eat or give away the birds for at least two years.
The program was a raging success. Not only did thousands of Belgians get access
to very fresh eggs, but household waste was reduced. (Chickens will happily eat
banana peels, melon rinds, potato skins, pretty much any food waste.) It was
such a success, in fact, they’re still doing it.
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