DALLAS — Chicken coops — a staple of rural America — are now starting to pop up in an urban environment.
It's the latest trend in the progressive food movement.
We got a look at the new pecking order in Dallas Sunday at Stonewall Gardens, 5828 Mockingbird Lane. It turned out to be the appropriate venue for the Urban Coop Tour.
"Raising backyard chickens has become kind of a rage these days, and a lot of people are raising them in the backyards for their eggs," explained Stonewall Gardens supporter Jeanne Ferguson.
Youngsters are getting an early start at becoming urban farmers. Students showed off the custom-built chicken coop they use for classroom lessons.
Christian Shank has a favorite rooster. "Having him at home, I can breed him with the other hens," he said. "He's sweet, so I can show him off and he's quite a conversation-maker."
Jesse Cromwell is another youngster absorbing henhouse information. "We learned how to take care of chickens, and we also learned several things about chickens we did not know — like they'll eat anything!" he said.
These chickens even have an appetite for bugs. That's why Jason Druebert (an adult) thinks raising them can be beneficial. He also showed us how many eggs they produce.
Turns out eggs this fresh can be used as a bartering tool. He often exchanges his eggs with his neighbors for a bottle of wine.
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