Mean chickens maybe reported (6)
I believe the answer is:
paltry
'mean' is the definition.
(as in a paltry sum)
'chickens maybe reported' is the wordplay.
'chickens maybe' becomes 'poultry' (chickens are poultry).
'reported' shows a homophone (sound like).
'poultry' is a homophone of 'PALTRY'.
(Other definitions for paltry that I've seen before include "Petty - trifling" , "Small and mean" , "Meagre; petty, trivial" , "Trivial, comtemptible" , "Measly, trifling" .)