[wideminded]

I wish I could raise chickens, but I don’t think we’re zoned for it.

We aren't either, but I have seen people doing it.

[muawiyah]

Try the Salvadoran method (very popular in my neck of the woods). You get a grown chicken ~ not a poulet. Just one that looks like it can lay some more eggs. Turn the chicken loose in your garage. Keep the feed tray in the garage. Keep the feed bag in the house away from the chicken. The chicken will then stay in the garage to get fed and watered.

Leave some newspapers in there for the chicken to make a nest. Presuming the chicken has ever seen a rooster, there are going to be eggs. If not, bring in a rooster for an overnighter. Then, get rid of him.

There will be eggs.

Once you're happy with the chicken's weight, snap it's neck, remove the feathers (hot water bath will do that), but it, clean it, put it in a pot to roast for about 3 hours.

Get a new chicken.