Demand from residents to learn about ethical food production has been strong.

The workshop on how to keep chooks in the backyard was at full capacity, with half of attendees looking to build a chicken coop, and the other half already owning a chicken coop, looking for tips on how to best look after their chooks.

“The Shoalhaven is perfect for keeping chooks,” Mr Everingham said.

“Most house blocks are of a reasonable size, having a yard is the most important thing.”

There are a number of benefits of keeping chooks at home.

“It’s a great way to support ethical food production,” he said.

“It’s a great way to bridge a connection with kids and living things.

“They can, depending on the breed, make great pets.

“Most people keep them for eggs, if you give them access to a varied diet, the nutritional value you get from your eggs will way out-value the nutritional aspects of an egg from a caged chook.” 

There is a limit of five chickens to each residential block in the Shoalhaven.

And while there are a number of regulations that owners must adhere to, Mr Everingham said the two most important rules to keep in mind are chickens should not pose a health risk to neighbours, and they should not be a nuisance.

For instance, keeping a rooster in town may present a problem for shift workers who do not want to be woken at the crack of dawn.