"An Egg Today is Better Than a Hen Tomorrow". Are You Allowed to Have an Urban Hen House? Part II

Perhaps the first thing you should look into is the most obvious:  are you legally allowed to have a hen house where you live?  Of course, countryside/more rural residences are going to be a lot more lenient than their urban counterparts - so it's always best to just check first to see what is and is not permitted, and what steps are necessary to have one if you are allowed.  

For example: Minneapolis, MN (taken from Minneapolis Animal Care & Control - MACC)

- Are you allowed to have an urban hen house?  Yes, but you need a "small animal permit"
- What do you need to do?
1. Define the number and type of each bird to be kept on the property.
2. Obtain written consent from 80% of your neighbors within 100 feet of your property.  A copy of the consent form and the addresses needing permission can be generated by the MACC.
3. Allow the MACC to inspect the area where you wish to keep the birds for zoning and living requirements.
4. All animals must be vaccinated and licensed
- Is there an application fee?  Yes, $50
- Is there a renewal fee?  Yes, $40 = one year, $150 = five years

Unfortunately Toronto, you are not allowed to have urban chickens, as they are one of the "prohibited animals" - i.e. Galliformes.  (Schedule A to Ch. 349 - Prohibited Animals) 
However, there has been talk of changing this law as of recently, so hopefully this will be amended...after all, pigeons and rabbits are ok.  Weird.

If you are in the US and are interested in keeping back yard chickens, there's a great website that can help lead you in the right direction: http://www.backyardchickens.com/laws/search.php

Good luck!