The growing trend of backyard chicken coops has caused a stir across the country. Some cities have implemented bans or regulations for "urban chickens," and in other cities, residents are petitioning local government to allow them.The benefits of backyard chickens have been covered extensively in the news - fresh, local eggs; fertilizer for gardens; bug-free lawns - but there is another side to the urban chicken story.
As Kim Severson with the New York Times reported, "Chickens...have issues."
These issues range from strange diseases, like pasty butt and fowl plague, to pests and rodents appearing in the backyard as well. Unwanted urban chickens are even showing up at local animal shelters.
To read more from the New York Times article, click here.
Posted: 10/26/09
