CLUCK Analysis: More Indications Linking Chickens to College-Educated Young People

CLUCK has been ridiculed and dismissed for suggesting the ability to keep backyard chickens might play a discernible role in attracting young, college-educated, creative class workers to a community.

Now (June 13 and 20, 2011 edition) Newsweek has listed 10 HOT CITIES that are the "best destinations for recent grads". So how do these burgs rate on being chicken friendly? Well, 9 of the 10 allow backyard chickens and there is an active campaign in Oklahoma City. When you combine that with a similar ranking CLUCK published earlier, that means that out of 15 cities identified as being great places for recent college graduates, 93.33% allow backyard chickens. Coincidence? Possibly. But we continue to advance that proposition that 1) young people are attracted to other young people, 2) young people prefer to settle where they feel welcomed, and 3) allowing backyard chickens, supporting bicycling, having farmer's markets, and allowing a downtown scene with music and cafes are all indicators that collectively signal to young people whether a community is welcoming to them.
Here are Newsweek's 10 Hot Cities and their chicken stance:

Fayetteville NC -- 10 chickens

Omaha -- chickens can't run at large   May have chickens in city limits as long as they are hens, no roosters, for egg production.  

Oklahoma City Not Yet. campaign ongoing.

Austin TX Up to 10 fowl per household, but keep in enclosure that's 50 ft. away from neighbors.  Other soucres say there is currently no limit on the number of chickens you can keep here.  The city is considering banning roosters. 

Houston Chickens may be kept on a lot which measures at least 65 feet X 125 feet: 30 chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, peafowl, rabbits or guinea pigs or 40 of any combination of the above. 

Lexington Kentucky Fowl cannot run at large or be noisy

Durham NC -- Limited number of hens with permit,  campaign in 2009

Dallas Yes, Even a Meetup Group

Tulsa  Chickens must be in pens or buildings located at least 50 feet from your property line.  Do not exceed 6 adult birds and 14 chicks.  You have to put screens on your coop so as to discourage flies. 

Little Rock The chickens must be at least 5 feet from the owner's residence and at least 25 feet away from any other residence. Their housing must have three square feet of floor space per chicken over 4 months of age.  There appears to be a four-hen limit.