In early March 2009, Vancouver, BC city council members voted unanimously to change city bylaws to allow city dwellers to raise chickens in their backyards. It’s a victory for local food advocates and devotees to the taste of fresh eggs.

The new bylaw does raise some issues about whether people will keep the birds humanely, given that most of us have only ever seen eggs come from a cardboard carton.

For those unfamiliar with the needs of our feathered friends, BackyardChickens.com and PoultryOne.com offer a plethora of resources and forums for answers to all your questions.

Just in time for Easter, this may be the one time in your life where it’s okay to have real, cute, baby chicks on hand for the Easter egg hunt, provided they are added to your flock and properly cared for once the festivities are complete.

Happy fresh, weekend omelets!