Backyard Chicken Keeping Grows in Suburban Neighborhoods

More suburban homeowners are adding a small coop out back, drawn by fresh eggs and low-key pest control.Local ordinances that once banned backyard poultry have loosened in many towns, often with limits on flock size and a ban on roosters to keep noise down. Enthusiasts say a few hens require surprisingly little daily maintenance once a secure coop is set up, and the birds happily work through kitchen scraps and garden pests. Feed stores in suburban areas report chick sales climbing every spring as more first-time keepers give it a try.