Suburban chicken keeping: do or don't?

Image of Madonna from B&W&C.  By Tim Walker for Vogue. 

I've always kind of wanted a farm. I'm not much of a down n' dirty kind of girl, but something about the simplicity of the lifestyle and the proximity to nature and to animals has always appealed to me. Of course, I've only ever lived in the city or in apartments where there is next to no outdoor space. You certainly can't raise a cow for milking on a 2 foot balcony.

That being said, the idea of animal keeping, specifically chicken keeping, is starting to change. No longer a past time reserved for the "Cowboy Take Me Away" type, chicken keeping is becoming more and more popular in suburban America, on small plots of land and in people's backyards. 

From Pinterest.

A recent article in Southern Living magazine pointed out this phenomenon, which I have noticed is also catching on in the blog world (they raise chickens).

So I ask: what do you think about suburban chicken keeping? Is it a great way to always have fresh eggs and teach children how to care after animals or is it a big pain in the rear? Do you think it's ethical? Would you do it? Do you have experience with Chickens? Can they be real pets? (A friend of mine recently told me they were the dumbest animals on Earth.)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. I don't have even a balcony now (and certainly don't want chickens sleeping with me) but I think it would be awesome. Imagine always knowing the chickens that produced your eggs were happy...??? 

Image from Mother Earth News.

Fresh Eggs from Pinterest.