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By Jolene Renfro

In a fowl mood over the ‘eggstravagant’ cost of eggs, but not sure you are ready to commit to a permanent installation of chickens in your city yard environment? The solution to this problem, shown recently on Channel 26 in Houston, is a Rent-The-Chicken service based in Centerville.

Like renting a car or an Airbnb can have the luxury of egg-producing pet poultry without a long-term commitment. If it turns out that chickens are not your cup of tea, you can “chicken out” at any time. If you do find that you really enjoy having feathered friends with benefits, you can change your contract from Rent-The-Chicken to Rent-To-Own.

At $535 for a six months rental, the Rent-The-Chicken agreement includes a small movable house, a feeder, a waterer, two chickens, an instruction booklet, and 100 pounds of feed. It also includes free delivery within 50 miles of Centerville. If you already live in the country and own chickens, renting out some of your hens could be the start of a small business for you!

The company also offers a chance for Summer Camp Directors to bring Rent-The-Chicken to their facilities so kids can learn about where their eggs come from and how to care for animals properly.

Here’s the scoop on having a coop in Crockett. The city does allow a limited number of chickens in a fenced city yard. NO ROOSTERS! However, roosters are unnecessary to encourage the hens to lay their eggs daily. City Ordinance states that for one chicken, you must have a covered pen that is five square feet with sides made of chicken wire; add another five square feet of space for each additional chicken. Also, the chickens need to be kept at least 150 feet from the nearest neighbor.

If you decide to try raising your own chickens, you may learn which came first, the chicken or the egg. (Helpful hint: look in the dictionary---Chicken comes before Egg).

     Information on Rent-The-Chicken is available online at http://www.rentthechicken.com, or you can call 1-844-310-8782.