Baraboo screening a success: Girls moving city closer to allowing chickens

Two young teens, Maia, 14 and Lydia, 13, are leading the citizens of Baraboo, Wisconsin ever closer to finally getting their backyard chickens. Last night, they hosted a public screening of the Mad City Chickens documentary to a crowd of over 60 enthusiastic supporters.

Baraboo, a municipality of about 11,000, currently prohibits the keeping of poultry in the city. But that could change with the efforts of these two girls. They’ve been on a 4 month-long campaign to legalize backyard chickens, and even though they presented to the city administrative council once before and were rejected, they have not given up. (Urban chicken groups take note.)

It’s all stemming from this green and sustainable movement that’s going across the whole country, and even the whole world, right now, Maia said. Allowing residents the opportunity to raise small flocks of chickens for healthy food and local food goes hand in hand with us being an eco-muncipality.

We have now been gathering lots of community support through displays, petitions, etc. and are scheduled to go back before the council on June 2.

Keep up the good work Maia and Lydia! You’re a shining example for the many others wanting to bring urban chickens back to their communities.

Lydia and Maia (holding chicken) with the filmmakers

Chickens Flick gets write-up in Baraboo News Republic

Tonight's screening of Mad City Chickens in Baraboo, Wisconsin gets noticed by the local press. Read the piece in the Baraboo News Republic.

Mad City Chickens screens Tonight in Baraboo!

Mad City Chickens will screen tonight in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Sponsored by Baraboo chicken enthusiasts looking to get their local laws changed to allow for backyard hens, the public screening is free. The filmmakers are scheduled to attend.

Where: Baraboo Arts Hall, 323 Water Street Baraboo Wisconsin
When: May 28, 2009, Doors open 6:30pm, Film starts 7:00pm
Come show your support of the urban backyard chicken!

New chicken banner design launched

In efforts to reach an ever widening audience for the Mad City Chickens documentary, we have launched a couple of new promotional banners. They are currently running on the International Poultry Breeders Association website, and will soon be found on others as well.

Chicken documentary now has Facebook page

We just launched the Official Mad City Chickens Documentary Facebook Page.


Come write on our wall and become a fan. Thanks for your support of independent filmmaking and the return of the backyard chicken.

Mad City Chickens screens in Toronto Tonight!

Mad City Chickens makes it’s Ontario, Canada premiere today at a screening in Toronto. The showing is sponsored by the Toronto Chickens, an urban poultry group who’s goal is to get the laws changed in Toronto to allow backyard chickens within the city.

7:00 pm Artscape Wychwood Barns complex, Barn #4, 601 Christie Street

Mad City Chickens screens in Chicago today!

Sponsored by Chicago Chicken Enthusiasts and First Slice, Mad City Chickens will screen in Chicago today during an Urban Farm Breakfast at First Slice Pie Café at Lillstreet Art Center 4401 N. Ravenswood Ave.

Get information about responsibly raising chickens in the city and meet other Chicago Chicken Enthusiasts who will be sharing stories and exhibiting their chickens outside the art center and restaurant.

The screening of Mad City Chickens will take place on the first floor at 12:30pm. Free will admission.
Saturday, May 16, 2009 10:00a – 2:00p

Mad City Chickens Premieres Tonight in Halifax!

Sponsored by the Citizen Science Project at Saint Mary’s University, the Ecology Action Centre, and the Citizen Advisory Council on Urban Poultry with financial assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency, Mad City Chickens is making its Nova Scotia premiere tonight in Halifax, Canada.
The film screening is at 7 p.m. in Theatre A of the Burke Building at St. Mary’s University in Halifax.

New Backyard Chicken T-Shirts Now Available

The new chicken t-shirts are here! Return of the Backyard Chicken! Three colors, 3 sizes. Visit our tarazod.com shop.

Mad City Chickens screens tonight in Castlegar, BC

It’s "chicken week" in Castlegar. On Wednesday May 6th, 7pm at the Community Forum, the City of Castlegar, British Columbia held a public meeting to hear resident’s input into the keeping of chickens in residential areas. The UrbanWorkbench (a blog dedicated to Sustainable Designs for Life) in conjunction with the Kootenay Food Strategy Society will be holding a public screening of Mad City Chickens tonight in an effort to raise awareness about the benefits of urban backyard chickens.

The screening takes place tonight, Thursday May 7th, at the Castlegar and District Health Centre at 6.30pm.

Mad City Chickens to make Nova Scotia premiere on May 13th

The Citizen Science Project at Saint Mary’s University is joining forces with the Ecology Action Centre this May 13th to present a public discussion forum and feature screening of the Nova Scotia premiere of  Mad City Chickens. Canadians want their chickens and the citizens of Halifax are no different. Urban poultry is legal in only a handful of Canadian cities, but the tide is turning. With the legalization of backyard hens recently in Vancouver, other municipalities are being asked to re-examine their own outdated zoning laws.


The film screening will take place May 13 from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in Theatre A of the Burke Building at St. Mary’s University in Halifax.

Radio Interview with Atlanta’s Chicken Whisperer

We were guests today on Andy Schneider’s Chicken Whisperer radio show.

In addition to being a radio host, Andy, a.k.a. The Chicken Whisperer, is an Atlanta-based backyard poultry expert, organizer of the Atlanta Pet Chicken Meetup Group and owner of Atlanta Pet Chickens, the city’s first and only pet chicken company. As the backyard chicken movement continues to grow, Andy has become one of the go-to-guys for anything chicken.

Listen to the mp3 file of today's radio interview.