Urban Farm DB
Research catalogue
Database research record2024·United Kingdom (London)

Dancing with foxes: More‐than‐human design in ‘the chicken city’

Catherine Oliver

Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers

Urban Farm DB summary

This paper examines urban chicken-keeping in London, where urban spaces are transformed to accommodate chickens. It argues that the human-imposed design of urban barnyards is often impractical for chickens, leading to lawns being torn up, plants demolished, and vegetable patches consumed. Additionally, chickens are vulnerable to local foxes, highlighting that chickens' behaviors and territoriality often overflow their assigned space, challenging human design intentions.