Urban Chicken Movement- is it for me?

One night last fall I was browsing the internet as I frequently do. I don't know how I came across it, but I ended up on the Mother Earth News web site and there was an article for finding your dream homestead. It caught my eye and led me down a very interesting browsing path. I eventually came across an article, I don't remember where, that mentioned a chicken tractor with a link. I had no idea what a chicken tractor was so of course I had to follow the link. I found it so fascinating that I ended up spending several hours looking at photos of them, plans for them, advice on how to maintain them, etc. Now, I enjoy trying new things, experimenting and trying fun things. I like to think of them as my little adventures in an otherwise dull life so the thought occurred to me then that I could get a couple of chickens for my back yard.

After doing some research I decided I probably don't have the lifestyle or attention span to take care of poultry. Plus, I can't actually eat eggs as they sometimes make me sick, so it's probably not a bright decision for me. However, I encourage anyone who thinks they'd like to get into the movement to do so. The poultry industry in this country has some of the most disgusting and horrific practices that raising your own chickens would be a very wise health and environmental decision.

I did discover that where I live (Omaha) you can legally own two chickens without having to get a special permit, but that's not the case everywhere. However, several grassroots efforts have passed laws in their city to allow chickens so there is hope. A good site to start your own research is Urban Chickens http://urbanchickens.org/.

You'll want to be sure you don't get a rooster, but if you do, well, there's always Coq Au Vin.

Like Dave Cieslewicz (Mayor of Madison, WI) said "...it's no yolk. Chickens are really bringing us together as a community. For too long they've been cooped up."