When it comes to the skyrocketing prices of a dozen eggs there are only a few options the consumer has. You can pay the market cost, or you could just forego buying eggs for the foreseeable future. I guess there’s a third option. But stealing eggs doesn’t seem like something I’d recommend. And at these prices, it just might be a felony now.
But there is another option. And it’s one that more and more people are considering. You could raise your own chickens right in your own backyard. It might surprise you, but it actually is legal to keep chickens inside the city limits of Shreveport. But there are certain restrictions.
What Are the Shreveport Requirements for Keeping Chickens?
Inside Shreveport city limits you can keep up to 6 hens, but no roosters. You also aren’t allowed to breed chickens commercially, or sell eggs out of your property. You also need to have a permit issued by the city.
Shreveport Chicken Coop Requirements
And if you have chickens, they have to have their own safe place. If you build a chicken coop, you have to meet certain requirements there as well. The coop has to be at least 5 square feet per hen. It needs to be clean, well-lit, ventilated, and offer protection from the elements, inclement weather, and of course, predators. You also have to be careful of waste run-off, and all manure has to be composted in enclosed bins.
Or Maybe You Might Just Want to Rent Chickens at First
Now, if building and investing all of this sounds like a whole lotta trouble, there is another option. You could rent chickens. That’s right, you can rent chickens. It’s actually a great way to see if it’s something you might like to pursue. There’s a website called Rentthechicken.com that will set you up with everything you’ll need, including portable coop, chicken feed, and of course 2-4 laying hens.
After your rental period, if you find this isn’t for you, they will pick everything up. But if you have just fallen in love with your new feathered family fowl, you also have the option to adopt them…