Chicken and chicken care-related equipment sales have reportedly gone up an estimated 500 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic as Americans fall back on more sustainable sources for food that’s sourced from their backyards instead of braving local grocery stores.
Orlando has had an official Urban Chicken Program since 2012, which allows for residents to register with City Hall to be permitted for an accessory coop structure in certain pre-approved districts. Commissioner Patty Sheehan has been a participant in the program since the beginning – check out her home flock HERE in a previous interview.
Editor’s Note: Orlando has previously been ranked in Redfin.com’s Top Ten Cities for Urban Farming in 2016.
Participants are allowed no more than four chickens (hens only), and they must live in a single-family home as chickens are not allowed to be kept at a duplex, triplex, townhome, or multifamily property. They are also not permitted to be kept at community gardens. Click HERE for more information on the program or to apply. There is a $50 application fee.
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Orange County offices (UF IFAS) will host a special online Backyard Chicken Training Class at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20. Topics to be covered include the care of baby chicks, common diseases, nutrition, and basic care of backyard chickens. Click HERE to register for the webinar but a pre-test is required before registration.