Yelitza Amador, a third-year biology major at Cal State University, Bakersfield, is the Chicken Enthusiast Coalition Club president. This organization’s mission to tackle food insecurity drew them to join it, which Amador has dealt with personally. 

Ensuring that there is a place on campus where students can go and grab organic produce brings Amador joy. The Chicken Coalition Club is intertwined with the edible garden at CSUB, with original members of the edible garden advocating for chickens to be brought there. In February of 2021, the chickens club came into existence, celebrating its one-year anniversary this previous month. 

Amador has seen firsthand how the chickens have positively impacted the CSUB community. At first, there was a disappointment because a lot of the produce the edible garden would grow and bring to the pop-up shop, which is still available every Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. would be going to compost, instead of students due to the lack of individuals showing up to the pop-up shop. Now with the chickens, their food to feed them is already being grown by the garden, and Amador explains that happy chickens means more eggs for the community. 

This has even offered the opportunity for vegan students to eat eggs knowing that the Chicken Coalition Club obtains their eggs cruelty-free. The club predominantly relies on donations such as chicken feed and scratch from local stores in the Bakersfield area. 

Amador says it can be tough at times to provide resources for the chickens, but it is completely worth it if allows someone to eat in the roadrunner family. 

There are 20 active members of the garden/ chicken coalition club. Amador elaborates that this is a diverse group, with students ranging from all the different schools on campus and the differing opinions this brings. 

The weather has taken the lives of previous chickens, Amador explained that the extreme heat during the summer was too much for some of the chickens they had. There are currently two chickens, they are americanas, which are very fluffy cheeked, but are currently working on an expansion of the coup before adding more hens. They are still deciding on when to add a rooster. 

There is an opportunity to name a lady (chicken) in the edible garden by participating in their fundraiser happening this semester.

To keep up with Amador and the club, follow them on Instagram @csub.cluck, or by checking RunnerSync. 

Amador ends things off by welcoming anyone to be a part of the flock.