Katie Whalen’s backyard in Port St Lucie, Florida, showcases her pursuit of self-sufficiency, with her cultivation of various fruits and the tropical tree spinach known as chaya. However, her ultimate goal is to establish a chicken coop and raise hens, as the cost of eggs in stores is becoming prohibitively expensive. The surge in bird flu has exacerbated the demand for eggs, leading to a growing interest in backyard poultry keeping. Nationwide, an estimated 84 million chickens are privately kept, a number comparable to the population of cats and dogs. Whalen’s ambition is being hindered by Florida’s inconsistent laws regarding backyard fowl, which vary greatly from one local government to another. While some cities have embraced the growing interest in eggs by allowing residents to keep a limited number of hens, others, like Port St Lucie, have prohibited the practice. The disparity in chicken-keeping laws is evident along Florida’s east coast and inland areas, where rural residents generally have more lenient rules than their urban counterparts. This inconsistency has prompted Whalen to launch a petition aimed at convincing Port St Lucie commissioners to reconsider their stance on backyard chickens, arguing for the economic and environmental benefits as well as the enhanced food security that home chicken farming offers. The American Poultry Association, traditionally focused on breeders and animal shows, has become a support group for the new generation of backyard chicken enthusiasts. Despite initial misconceptions about the ease and cost of keeping chickens, the demand for eggs and the widespread interest in self-sufficiency remain strong.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/23/florida-backyard-chickens-eggs