Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!

Urban Chickens.  They seem a little trendy these days, but I’ve wanted chickens for quite some time.  There’s nothing like a farm fresh egg.  Right now though our city ordinance is preventing my dear, stubborn tenacious, law-abiding husband from jumping on board.  (I and optimistic though and have the place and the coop all picked out for when I finally get the go-ahead.)  Our lot is very long but narrow and it just isn’t possible locate a coop 200 feet away from other houses.  In fact, I would guess that most lots in our town would have the same problem.  The solution?  Change the ordinance!

I know that there are people out there that would support the change, including some of our aldermen.  So I’ve been gathering information about the benefits of urban chickens.

1.  Fresh eggs that are free of pesticides and antibiotics when fed organic feed.  Eggs are a more efficient source of protein than the other four top sources, higher in value than cow’s milk, fish, beef, or soybeans.  Raising a handful of your own backyard chickens, gives you complete control over the quality of your eggs.

The nutritional comparison showing eggs raised commercially in chicken farms versus those raised in backyards or as free-range chickens.

2.  Chickens produce poop high-nitrogen, rich fertilizer that can be used for gardening.

3.  They eat table scraps – reducing waste.  This directly impacts landfills but also, reduces the “carbon footprint” of eggs.  Recycled nutrients at it’s simplest.

4.   Chickens eat insects that are pests such as crickets and grasshoppers.  Ticks beware!!!  Nature’s exterminator is on the job.

5.  Heritage-breed city chickens can act as an extinction-prevention task force by allowing those breeds to thrive.

Barred Plymouth Rock

And besides, how cute is this coop??????