Tuesday, May 21, 2013

News
"Chicken Bungalow" Cam Takes You Inside the Coop
24/7 webcam shows urban chickens online
By Lauren Maxwell
Bio | Email

ANCHORAGE – The number of people who are raising chickens in their own backyards in Anchorage has steadily increased ever since the Anchorage Assembly voted to make it legal two years ago.

One local couple has taken their hobby a step further by installing a “chicken cam” in their coop that streams video 24 hours a day. Peggy Wilcox said the camera wasn’t meant as entertainment, at first.

“Our chicken cam originally came out because we didn’t know what kind of predators were in the neighborhood,” said Wilcox, who was worried about both neighborhood cats and even foxes.

But it wasn’t long before she and her husband discovered that checking up on their chickens could become a bit addictive.

“And then it was like wow, maybe we could watch it from work. We have a phone app so we can watch it on our phone. And then we decided that maybe other people want to watch the chickens cause they are just kind of fun.”

And, as it turns out, other people do watch.

The chickens have a website. There is also a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Followers hail from across the U.S. and Canada, as well as Great Britain.

Wilcox said she understands completely adding that there is something peaceful about watching the birds in their backyard setting. It’s a view she is happy to share.