Mad City Chickens

For centuries, families lived with chicken coops in their backyard for an easy source of eggs and poultry. In most modern American cities, the practice is illegal, but a dedicated class of chicken enthusiasts in Madison, Wis., continued to keep chickens hidden in their backyards until the city legalized the practice in 2004. With a whimsical tone, the documentary Mad City Chickens interviews some of these urban farmers, and makes a gentle case for allowing urban chicken coops in other cities.