Tip #1:

Buy chickens. It will likely be one of the only times in your life that you will live in an area that allows you to do so, and they are terrific pets. Not going to lie, it has taken me a while to get used to the after-rain stench that occasionally wafts into the house, but the two to three fresh eggs I pull out of their cage daily more than compensates this vice. And there is nothing cuter than your son, strutting around, garbling like a chicken. Well, except for the times when he comes up to you with big, betrayed, puppy-dog eyes, finger extended and pouting 'ouch', all because while he was happily feeding them they got too excited and pecked his finger a bit...

don't worry, all their beaks have been filed, so it really doesn't hurt as much as it scares....