Vancouver Approves Backyard Chickens

"Backyard chickens have become the new 'it' animal for urbanites striving for simple, sustainable living habits. Now, Vancouver is poised to join the North American wave of affection for all things chicken after city council approved a plan to allow city dwellers to keep the birds in their own backyards.

The plan has thrilled urban hen keepers who say the move will improve the quality of life for people and chickens alike. Urbanites are increasingly drawn to chickens, she said, because they provide a link to simpler times when people knew – and could see – where their food came from. Retrieving an egg from a hen's roost appears to be just the tonic for people craving a closer connection to their natural environment.

While Vancouver is often on the vanguard of urban trends, this time it is following in the footsteps of a score of large U.S. cities that have embraced urban gardens and small livestock."