I don't know about other cities, but here in Denver the art of urban chicken keeping has exploded. I can speak from first, second and third hand experience. We started keeping chickens this year, as did about ten other people I know. Compare that to the ZERO people I knew before who kept chikens. Anecdotal yes. But also true.

It's good to hear your voice from the front lines. Out here in the middle of nowhere, I haven't seen any increase in chicken production...but I don't get out that much either.

Same as comment 1. altho we live in the county semi rural. Raising chickens has gained popularity in the past 1.5 years here in Rowan county N.C. We recieved 7 sexlink chicks 2 months ago and there growing fast. They already look like teenage hens.I let em free range on our 3.25 acres mostly just in the yard tho. Many people have started to raise chickens this year. Ive learned already to watch out for the coons and possoms,foxes,and coyotes that weve been hearing at night but havent seen yet. Have the 8x10 foot shed turned into the chicken house and the old dog lot into a fenced yard. made the 4 foot chicken run from scrap laying around.Now i have to figure out how to make a sliding door on a rope and a timer,just to make things easier. Thru trial and error i learned that heat in a metal shed will be at least 30 degrees hotter than thee 90 degree heat outside.So i had to cut a vent near the peak, it was then that the fan i already had put in there actually started doing its job. Not bad for not knowing what im doing huh:)

Smart idea on the vent! I'm curious about how much you have to feed your chickens when they have so much space to range on. Do you have to supplement their forage with storebought feed?

Chickens are the new dog! The rural chicken "craze" is most evident here in Northern Connecticut. We started farming select veggies, got four Buff Orpington's as "pets" and are now enjoying eggs and considering expanding in this direction. What is so surprising to us, is how many people we have meet who also now have chickens as (egg producing) pets. I predict more chickens will rise in stature as noble pets and companions - Mark my words!

"Chickens are the new dog" --- I like that! Very catchy!

Here in Ballard, WA chickens are everywhere! We just got our own flock of 5 in June and we are abolustely loving it. Our neighbor across the street has 8 hens too. I have some photos on my blog. I keep mine in a pen, but I also have a very minimalist chicken tractor that I put them in for a few hours per night.

http://ballardfresh.wordpress.com/

Interesting that you put your chickens in their tractor at night. I assume you mean in the evening, but before dark? Chickens are very sensitive to light and tend to get on a perch and settle in for the night once evening hits.

I live in central fl, I'm a small local chicken breeder, have been for a few years... There's the large Hispanic population, so there's never been a time when the larger birds haven't been in demand for fresh meat.. Chicks though have been somewhat harder to move. There was just nobody wanting to raise them, minus the few in their trailers on 5 acres... But just this last year, late '10 on, I cant hatch them fast enough!! The sheer number of people stopping by in their nice new looking cars, as opposed to the big pickups is something that points to.................... A fad, Maybe, its just people wanting to be a bit more secure in something. A squawk, then, breakfast, is secure, right?

Great data. I love your observations of the difference in social class of the folks now turning to chickens. I think that's the real reason people are starting to notice --- backyard chickens have invaded the middle class.