Chicago Chicken Ban ON HOLD

I've been pretty quiet lately because I've been so busy working on this proposed chicken ban issue!

As previously posted , the Chicago City Council was considering a ban on keeping live chickens in residential zones.

It's been crazy over the last couple weeks as I tried to lobby alderman and get the message out through the press (one very nice article on this issue can be found here) that having chickens in the city is an asset, not a problem. Oh, and at the same time I had to work my usual busy job, take care of myself, go away with my husband on our previously scheduled vacation, and prep for the holidays. Whew!

Today the City Council agreed to refer the issue back to committee for further comment and consideration. This the absolute best outcome we could hope for!

OK, now the real work starts. We have to put together educational materials and craft a better amendment to the ordinance (or a new ordinance entirely), all while keeping this newly formed coalition of chicken folks and urban agriculture folks together on the same page. Then we have to get the committee's agreement on this new ordinance, and finally get it passed through city council.

This will all have to be done before the meeting in January, too. Yikes!

We luckily have lots of great models and materials to work with.

Anyone in Chicago with chickens, PLEASE CONTACT ME through the email link under my name. We really do need to hang together on this and make sure we're adequately addressing all the concerns you may have heard, too.

There will be compromises to make, too, folks. It's very likely this new/updated ordinance will have to ban roosters since so many people just don't want the noise or like the association with illegal activity.

I am trying to track down info on one issue, too. For some reason, several of the folks opposed to chickens in the city keep focusing on rats eating chicken manure. Does anyone know of a reliable source of information on this? I'm not looking for anecdotes, but real evidence or documentation of this happening or not. Any ideas?

Thanks to all here for your support and encouragement! This is not concluded, but I'm happy that I and my hens did not have to go "outlaw."

If you're keeping your coops clean, even with DLM, rats eating poo shouldn't be a problem. You could mention that chickens will eat baby rats and mice, if they find nests. Show'em pictures that CarriBrown posted of PotPie (a hen) with a dead mouse hanging out of her beak. Search "Potpie is a nasty little mouser"

Someone posted a link (on BYC) to the ordinance that San Antonio has regarding keeping chickens in the city. It seemed well worded and easy to understand.

Rats don't eat feces!!!
I work in a petstore and I have YET to see a rat eat feces...so that's bologna!

We've been having a run of McMansions and they're disturbing all of the wild life. I've had foxes, coyotes, hawks, possums, skunks, and raccoons all traipsing through the yard. In my back porch where my chickens are, another long story, I found a mouse nest. Not because there was food on the floor or feathers from the moult, but because it was safe and out of the elements...One of my hens grabbed a pinky(a hairless baby mouse) and swallowed it whole...blech...
Chickens are omnivorous, so they can and will eat insects, small rodents, worms, and such.
I'll keep my for you...

I also emailed Neil Cavuto about his being negative about chickens in the city.

This is ridiculous. I am sure if you look around you will find lots of people who do not scoop the dog crap in their backyards! Whats the difference in dog and chicken crap? If they ban chickens start a petition to ban dogs, I see no difference in the two! I hate ignorant people.

Linda thanks for working so hard for your chicken rights inyour city. I admire all your workl Good job getting things put on hold

Glad you were able to get that ordinance put on hold! Best wishes for the January council meeting-hope it goes well.

The idea of rats eating chicken feces is ridiculous! They will eat eggs, grain, and young chickens but not feces. Besides, if you have deep litter in the hen house and pen the chickens will scratch it all in.

Regarding roosters-is it possible to put wording in the ordinance that if people want to keep roosters...they can't have more than a certain number and can't let them outside until after 8 a.m or so? Strange how people protest against roosters, but a barking dog can be much more obnoxious. A rooster will crow intermittently throughout the daylight hours; a dog has the capacity to bark nonstop during all hours.

Hey... does this picture help you out at all? Says City of Chicago on it!



Take care and good luck.

Tami

EDITED:

Hey, you know what else attracks rats? Watch the video
http://www.wnbc.com/news/11089614/detail.html?dl=mainclick

Good find Tami!

I have to say, that sign makes me not want to go to Chicago!

Actually, I have gone to Chicago many times over the years, for business, leisure activities and to visit family and friends. I do like that city. That sign still creeps me out, with the rats bouncing along behind the guy!

I've been watching the threads on this topic. I'm glad that enough people have been voicing enough concerns, so that this matter is being considered more fully. I feel bad for the people with roosters, if they end up having to go, but it would be worse if all the chickens have to go. I hope that with more time for factual information to come out, common sense will prevail and there can be a reasonable compromise.

What a great picture Tami, somebody send that to cavuto!!!