I raise quite a few breeds of chickens, and at any given time have hundreds on the property. These include rare and show breeds, layers, table birds, etc. So I guess you could say I'm a chicken guy. I can't imagine having chickens in the apartment conditions you describe. As mentioned above, they are dirty, smelly, and loud in small, enclosed settings. The stench would soon become unbearable if the cages were not meticulously mucked and cleaned out. Dust would be another big problem. I hatch dozens at a time and during the winter I'll keep the chicks in a room above the barn to keep them warm. Dust and dander is a constant problem in an enclosed space. There would also be a concern about health. Chickens don't do well in tight conditions. Parasites are common (mites and lice), and avian disease is a major risk. Granted, they would be less likely to come into contact with wild birds, but you would have to be darn sure you didn't bring any diseases in with new birds or expose them to a bug from the outside.
Finally, there's the expense - a practical issue. It's just not worth it to keep chickens for meat or eggs unless you are a) doing so on a fairly large scale, or b) a serious prepper focused on self-sustainability. It would be more expensive and time-consuming to feed, shelter, and care for the birds than it would be to buy eggs and chicken at the store. In an apartment, it would be considerably less hassle to simply buy powdered eggs and freeze-dried chicken, MREs, etc than it would be to raise the birds. Further, why look for a self-sustaining food source in an apartment? Is the plan to "bug in" and hunker down? One would hardly be inconspicuous with a bunch of chickens causing chaos in one's apartment.
