wedding dress

It seems as though keeping your own chickens (as in building a chicken coop and raising chickens) is a growing trend. Off the top of my head I can think of at least five people who keep (or will soon be keeping) their own chickens: examples here and here. There is a whole "homesteader" movement that I have been completely oblivious to. I like the idea of growing my own vegetables, herbs and and possible even canning, but chickens? It may have something to do with being a bird hater- really, I hate them. I fell down a flight of concrete stairs once in an attempt to avoid a bird.

Here is my question for all of you, to coop or not to coop?