Peck. Peck peck. Peck peck peck.
What's that? Why, it's the enchanting sound of backyard chickens, ridding your yard of troublesome insect life while nourishing the tasty-fresh eggs that'll liven up your breakfasts and baked goods.
Yes, backyard chickens. Urban backyard chickens.
These days, we're all trying to do the local-motion. And what's more localicious than growing your food in your own backyard—city or no? Besides, the benefits are cluck-worthy: better-tasting, more nutritious eggs; thicker, creamier yolks; free fertilizer (a.k.a chicken poop); weed control; and an undeniable hip factor.
Plus a brood of feathered friends with quirky personalities.
One-part pets, one-part livestock, chickens are surprisingly easy to tend, especially with newfangled, pre-fab coops on the market and ripe for delivery. And while your yard's the limit in terms of flock size, you need only a couple of hens to keep breakfast interesting. So even if your patch of grass is size-challenged, you can set up a mini-farm without getting your feathers in a fluffle.
Begin your chicken adventure by reading up on the basics: where to buy, how to keep, what to feed, how to clean, etc. Consider buying a book or two for some practical chicken ed. Subscribe to Backyard Poultry Magazine. Decide on a coop style and size, and you're a long way down the road toward urban chicken bliss.
Bring some bawk to your block at
www.backyardchickens.com.