According to Yahoo, searches for “chicken coops” are up 100 percent, while searches for “chicken coop plans” are up 225 percent.

Start-up costs for keeping a few chickens are minimal and 50 pounds of feed costs $20. Some backyard farmers do trick out out their coops though, with fancy interiors and even a chandelier. Keeping chickens was how my parents discovered there was a family of foxes living in the woods near our Connecticut house. And also how loud chickens can be — even without a rooster.