Don't count your backyard chickens ...

 
There has been a lot of clucking lately by locavores who want to legally be able to keep chickens in Toronto backyards. It even has a name -- the urban chicken movement.

The city is, after all, urging us to be green and eat locally. What better way to do that than keep a couple of chickens out back, providing fresh eggs for the table and daily agriculture lessons for the kids?

How about a coop for the city hall green roof?

Well, Toronto's bureaucracy isn't known for hatching plans quickly. Lawson Oates, director of the Toronto Environment Office, says the issue will be in a report on local agricultural practices that will go to the government management committee ... "in the new year."

Paltry - or poultry - progress?