Sacramento gardening activists want to take urban agriculture to the next level and legalize raising chickens in your back yard. "It's really been a hot topic lately," said Jaclyn Hopkins, volunteer coordinator for Environmental and Agricultural Taskforce Sacramento. "A lot of cities are changing their regulations to allow chicken-keeping, and Sacramento's on it's way." EAT Sacramento and its partner group Campaign to Legalize Urban Chicken Keeping (CLUCK) were founded this year to advocate... cheyacary Creativecoopsman 2009-11-22T18:15:27Z 2009-11-22T18:15:27Z

The definition of a “Modern City” is changing from the last 50 years to a new sustainable city. Imagine the reduction in the waste stream going into landfills if a percentage of residents kept back yard chickens and fed them table scraps. It adds up! Municipalities should encourage chickens as a way to save money for the city. I make a small back yard chicken coop that makes it fun and easy to start keeping chickens. I hope this change eventually happens. See more at CREATIVECOOPS.COM

Creativecoopsman 2009-11-22T18:15:27Z kkneer 2009-08-13T19:02:07Z 2009-08-13T19:02:07Z

My friend and I live in Orangevale and have been hosting a monthly "poultry swap" at my house. This is a free event and you can bring chickens to sell, trade or donate. This is our 5th or 6th year and we have definitely noticed a large increase in the number of individuals who are looking for laying hens. While we never know how many or what kinds of animals we will have, it is also a great place to meet other chicken enthusiasts and or to get some "chicken" advice. We also have had a large number of ducks - which if you want to eat eggs, Gourmet magazine rates duck eggs in the top 100 "gourmet" foods. We also now have one woman who brings organic-raised chickens. Our next event is Aug. 22. Call and leave message at: 916.725.6372.

kkneer 2009-08-13T19:02:07Z Tina Armour 2009-08-11T21:08:17Z 2009-08-11T21:08:17Z

Excellent facts about the chickens as pets. Do you know if people in Sacramento have started to keep chickens as pets more often?

Tina Armour 2009-08-11T21:08:17Z jmsamuels 2009-08-07T19:23:17Z 2009-08-07T19:23:17Z

I'm really glad to see this issue covered and to learn about the film screening, but I feel compelled to point out the typo in the fourth paragraph - "Madison City, Wisconsin." Having lived in Madison for seven years before relocating to Sacramento, I often use the affectionate nickname "Mad City" to refer to Wisconsin's capital, but the name of the city itself is actually "Madison."

jmsamuels 2009-08-07T19:23:17Z Hawa Arsala 2009-08-07T19:10:44Z 2009-08-07T19:10:44Z

Great article, Cheya. Do you happen to have links for those Penn State studies?

Hawa Arsala 2009-08-07T19:10:44Z George Jackson 2009-08-07T15:22:44Z 2009-08-07T15:22:44Z

Movies On a Big Screen is just as awesome as when they were in West Sac. Can't wait to see the above movie and Visioneers next week.

George Jackson 2009-08-07T15:22:44Z Colleen Belcher 2009-08-07T10:23:38Z 2009-08-07T10:23:38Z

The Friday screening of Mad City Chickens at the Guild Theater is being put on by Movies on a Big Screen. For more information, read this article: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/11557/Mad_City_Chickens_in_Sacramento

Colleen Belcher 2009-08-07T10:23:38Z