City of Houston promotes itself as a green, progressive city; however, it is currently illegal to raise hens for any purpose within 100 ft of any adjacent residence. This effectively outlaws chickens inside city limits. The ordinance is an outdated hold-over and not in line with current practices in other sustainability-oriented large cities, like Chicago. Small numbers of hens are quiet and pose no public health threats, unlike other common pets. They do provide a healthy and safe source of fresh eggs and sustainable organic fertilizer for home gardens.