Chickens on the Loose: 11/12/21

Chickens on the Loose by Jane Kurtz and John Joseph (Illustrations) is a picture book about a flock of urban chickens on the run from their coop. While their humans give chase the chickens take a hilarious tour of the nearby downtown.

Along the way the poultry visit a thrift shop, make some art, run amok in a pet shop, and grab a snack from some food trucks. As they make their way through town, they gather an every growing parade of people trying to catch them.

As someone who lives in an urban area with a history of chicken farming and current laws allowing the keeping of chickens (including roosters) I found the similarities to my town an extra bonus. There aren't many picture books that really capture what life in Hayward is like but this one does.

But this book isn't just about some chickens going on walkabout. There's a back of book section that includes a brief introduction to keeping chickens in an urban setting. The book mentions that many cities don't allow rooster keeping. Unincorporated areas, like where I live, do, however. Your local city or county government website will have more information if this book inspires you.

Five stars

Comments (0)