The Chicken Chronicles, Part I
Brought to you by SSUCF: THE SECRET SOCIETY OF URBAN CHICKEN FARMERS

Story by Ms. Hen Herder; caretaker of urban hens Soufflé, Camilla, Honey and Bunny

Picture: Camilla (Rhode Island Red) and Soufflé ( Plymouth Barred Rock). These girls are champion egg layers! One perfect egg each, every day.

An introduction to the society: why secret?

I live in a neighborhood that may be very much like yours. My husband and I have a well maintained house and stable careers. We keep our chicken coop clean and smelling of fresh pine shavings. The only noise our ladies make is a bit of clucking in the morning during egg laying. We're responsible and considerate of our neighbors. As it turns out, we may also be criminals. Yup, folks, in a lot of urbanized areas, chickens are illegal. Thus, we are proud but quiet members of a secret society that is growing every day.

If you decide to take the poultry plunge you may find, as we did, that trying to get a precise answer about whether or not one can keep hens (roosters are almost never allowed in urban areas) is a frustrating pursuit. We checked and re-checked the laws in our area, and got a different answer from every source. We finally decided to give up and enjoy our chickens. It didn't take us long on forums on urban chicken websites to realize many others were in similar situations. So, why such confusion?

As it turns out, the history of your area usually dictates the current legality of owning poultry (and many other “farm” animals). If you live in an area that was recently rural, it is likely that there may not be restrictions against owning chickens. If you live in an area that has been urbanized for some time, there's a good chance there are laws on the books restricting (or forbidding) the keeping of chickens, usually do to past problems. In you live in an area that is urbanized but progressive, there may have been a repeal to past laws forbidding chickens in light of the recent trend towards backyard keeping of egg-laying fowl. You can always check to see if you'd be breaking any laws, but don't be surprised if you have trouble getting a clear answer. The bottom line: laws are changing all over the country in response to backyard chicken farmers. Cities are realizing that chickens can be kept like any other pet, with the added benefit of providing breakfast to city residents! In our next installment, we'll discuss the “whys” of owning chickens. Once we have you convinced, I'll let you in on the “hows”. So until next month's installment of the Chicken Chronicles, VIVA LA POULTRY REVOLUTION!