Municipal ordinances around DFW, and the rest of the country, have been changing to allow residents to keep a small number of backyard hens for personal egg production and other utility in an urban garden. Chickens are less noisy and produce less waste than dogs, and their waste can be composted on-site to improve soil fertility. They are useful as a non-pesticide means of insect control, and could contribute significant value in terms of a local food economy.