When you live in a big city, one of the last things you expect to hear is the distinct clucking of a chicken flock amongst the sounds of traffic and people. However, as more and more city folk are looking for ways to connect to their food sources, chickens are becoming less and less unusual.

Chickens are considered "micro-livestock," because they require relatively little and have minimal impact on their surroundings. Chickens can provide fresh eggs daily, and can even help with the maintenance of your flower or vegetable garden. They can be kept free-range in a yard, or in a coop, and can be kept without a rooster for their unfertilized eggs or with a rooster to create more chickens.  (It should be noted that many states prohibit keeping roosters in residential areas because of their breeding ability and high levels of aggression).

According to Toolbox For Sustainable City Living (A Do-it-Ourselves Guide), because chickens are constant moving and scratching at soil in search of insects and seeds, they have the combined effect of aerating the upper layer of soil and breaking down leafy material into dirt. At the same time, their nitrogen-rich droppings fertilize soil, and their insatiable appetites for food and for poking around the dirt can help to control pests.

Chickens can also be used as space heaters during the winter when kept inside of bioshelters or greenhouses!

If you are looking for a fun way grow food in a more sustainable way, give chickens a try. For a detailed guide on building your own coop, and integrating chickens into your home, check out Toolbox For Sustainable City Living (A Do-it-Ourselves Guide).

Laws and regulations regarding urban chickens can very state by state. For more information about your local chicken legislation, click here.

Photo credit: jamaicaplainforum.org