Urban Chicken Ranching Growing In Popularity

By Rick Wells, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Many people are beating the high cost of food by growing their own. They plant gardens for the vegetables and raise chickens for the eggs.

There is even a growing subdivision subculture of backyard gardens and urban chickens.

For example, there are about six people in a neighborhood near the University of Tulsa that have chickens living in a backyard near the University of Tulsa.

"There are at least six people in this neighborhood that have chickens," said Julie Ratliff.

Ratliff and Matt Bowen have been urban chicken keepers for about a year - and they love it.

"I can go out and get an egg for breakfast lunch or dinner, and it's there," Julie said.

"No hormones," she added.

That's another aspect of this project they like: they know the chickens their eggs come from. They have one big hen and three smaller bantam hens. Those lay the little eggs.

"Just about every day we get one of these and every other day we get one of these little white ones," Matt said, showing off the produce.

About a dozen eggs a week he says, and it's not just chickens. They've got a pretty extensive backyard garden.

"We've got strawberries broccoli cabbage, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, garlic, onions, tomatoes, peppers peas, green beans okra," he said.

They are urban farmers as well as urban chicken raisers.

They say they had no idea how much flavor garden fresh produce had. Julie said she always hated tomatoes. Now she loves them.

Matt said he built the coop out of recycled lumber and a roll of chicken wire. The chickens pretty much stay put,but if they get out – well, it's easier than herding cats.

The city has rules. Homeowners can keep six adults and 14 babies. No roosters are allowed.

There are other benefits to raising urban chickens.

"Kids love them, adults. They're easy to take care of, and you can get an egg when you want to," said Julie Ratliff.

You could even have fried chicken when you want – messier than eggs though.

See plans for building an urban chicken coop.