Urban Chicken

Move over John Travolta, the “Urban Chicken” is taking center stage. There appears to be an ever growing number of people living in urban areas who have chosen to raise chickens.  In fact their number has grown to the point that many cities are reworking their local laws and ordinances in order to allow citizens to raise chickens. With the increase of rooftop gardens and community garden plots resurfacing in the last few years this seems like a natural progression, but the idea of keeping animals considered farm stock in urban environments can be a little harder to sell to the general public. Some of the biggest concerns revolve around possible health risks due to potential disease, and smell and noise pollution. Those who support the raising of chickens in urban areas cite that they are doing their part for sustainable agriculture.  With cities from New York to Seattle to L.A. all permitting urban chickens the famous and often used quote  of “a chicken in every pot” is quickly becoming “a chicken in every backyard, rooftop, or tenement building.”