By July 14, the City Council of Harrisonburg, Va. expects a draft of an ordinance that would allow residents to keep egg-laying chickens in their backyards.
Members of the Harrisonburg Backyard Chicken Project initiated the change to allow participation in the "organic food security movement," reported the Rocktownweekly.com.
The impact on property values and the potential for the spread of disease to commercial flocks have been raised as concerns.