That’s how Chapel Hill Planning Board Chairman George Cianciolo describes what’s happening in the town where, as the Chapel Hill News puts it, chickens are in.

Well, sorta.

Although the town code permits chickens, the town’s zoning rules prohibit them in residential districts.

“We’re kind of caught in the middle,” planning board Chairman George Cianciolo said, “between ‘sustainability is good’ and wanting to make sure people are not going overboard.”

Chickens are in these days. Whether it’s the drive for locally produced food, more humane farming or a reflection of the economy, more people want to raise chickens.

Let’s just hope Chapel Hill chickens avoid what happened to Fizzle the rooster in Portland.