LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- To raise chicken in the backyard has become a new trend in many cities in the United States as a way to eat fresh eggs while saving money.

    Americans had the tradition to raise chicken in their backyards so they could eat fresh eggs every morning. But the tradition has long been changed in the process of urbanization. Many cities prohibit residents to raise chicken in their backyards.

    But during the current recession, many Americans are trying their own ways to support their families. To grow vegetables in their backyard is one choice, and now to raise chicken is another.

    While it is still against the law in most big cities to raise chicken in their backyards, there is a growing movement in California called "CLUCK" to change the law.

    CLUCK means the Campaign for Legalizing Urban Chicken Keeping.

    Only a few large cities, including Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, Portland, and Denver allow residents to raise backyard hens.

    Abi Crouch is a member of CLUCK and admits she has broken the law in the City of Sacramento, which bans backyard chicken. She raises hens in her backyard.

    "I am breaking the law," said Crouch. "I joke with my friends that I am in the chicken underground," according to the news10.netweb site.

    But Crouch said she didn't want to break the law: she would rather change it. That's why she and CLUCK are working to make it legal to raise a few chickens in the city limits.

    "Wild eggs are better than store-bought eggs," said Crouch, adding that there are more vitamins and nutrients.

    Sacramento City Councilman Ray Tretheway was surprised to hear that raising chickens in a backyard was illegal in Sacramento. He supports changing the law.

    "Every resident in the city of Sacramento can have two beehives, yet you can't have two chickens," said Tretheway.

    There are concerns on noise, disease and bad smell as reasons why chickens are not allowed to be raised in urban backyards.

    But Crouch doesn't see that as a problem with just a few chickens. She said smaller flocks are not prone to disease.

    She said she would propose that roosters be illegal because they usually make noises by crowing in the morning.

    Josephine Hook, a resident of Sacramento's Oak Park neighborhood, told the press: "It just makes me feel like I need permission to have something in my own backyard that would help me and benefit me and other families."

    "It makes me feel bad because with the chickens, I was able to have eggs when I didn't have something else to make," said Hook.

    In Riverside County, which is close to Los Angeles, more families are raising hens in their backyards so they can eat farm-fresh eggs.

    However, in Riverside and Redlands, people need to buy a big lot to raise hens in their backyards: the two cities require a lot specifically zoned to allow farm-type animals. The typical residential lot probably would not meet the requirements, according to city regulations.

    In Temecula, residents need to have a half-acre of lot to keep even a single hen.

    In the unincorporated areas of Riverside County, residents need at least a 7,200-square-foot lot, zoning that allows fowl and enough space to keep the hens at least 50 feet from any residence.

    Similar rules apply in unincorporated San Bernardino County.

    "Backyard chicken" has become an issue in other states.

    In St. Louis, Clayton, a suburban city, is considering limits on people who keep flocks of hens in their backyards, and the city of St. Louis is poised to outlaw roosters - a backlash against urbanites who raise chickens.

    To raise chicken in backyards has grown in popularity in some Missouri cities and throughout the U.S.

    But there are complains about noise, sanitation and appearances, and some residents have proposed to ban backyard chicken.

    "Up until recently, it hasn't been an issue, but we have seen a greater number of chickens coming into Clayton," planning director Catherine Powers said at a meeting.

    "Backyard chicken" lovers even set up a web site www. Backyardchickens.com to promote chicken raising in the backyards. The web site attracts a lot of fans.

    It has 42,000 members, 80 more joining each day. They post to the forums 7,000 times a day, which means more than five posts a minute.

    "There's a very large trend toward local sustainable living," said Rob Ludlow, who owns the site and co-wrote the book Raising Chickens for Dummies.

    "Chickens afford people the opportunity to be a part of these movements while living in a suburban environment. They can't have cows and hogs, but they can live on a small lot and have a handful of hens," said Ludlow.