Chickens for Ridley Township, PA

Hi, everybody. I'm new to backyard chickens, and sort of new to chickens in general. It all started last year, 2012, when I joined 4-H. I was immediately fascinated by all of the different chicken breeds, not knowing that the common leghorn was not the only kind of chicken. Over that time, I joined the poultry showmanship program and learned a lot about my bird, Christi. We won a lot of ribbons together. She was a black Silkie, and I would talk to her and she'd answer back. She was real nice and I wanted her BAD. I asked my mom if we could have her, and she said we could if it was allowed where we live. When I got home, I checked online, and apparently, we cannot own chickens, or any other poultry in Ridley. This just broke my heart. I've tried other ways of changing the law, but they didn't seem to work. I started this petition, http://www.thepetitionsite.com/528/...ley/#13620883951092&action=fb_connect&fb_id=0 but I didn't get enough signatures. Then I stumbled onto a site called www.chicken-revolution.com and it told me to come to you guys. i'm not exactly sure how to do this, but it said something about starting meetings. I'll figure out a time then if anybody replies to this. I just don't want to feel like the only one who cares.

Just to be clear, the exact ordinances keeping chickens out of Ridley are §77-21 to §77-26 (http://ecode360.com/16175134) Even though I'm new to this whole petitioning the government thing, I read about it in social studies class, so I know that there should be a big formal document written and I am working on it, but the problem is, I just don't know how formal to be. Any writing help?

I agree you should be allowed to have backyard chickens.

and i'am sorry for you loss i hope you will be able to see Christi again.

Oh my gosh! I found a loophole!!!! In 77-22, it states "It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain any farm animals within the limits of the Township or any structures, buildings, shelters or pens for any farm animals on any lot less than one acre in area." The key words are less than one acre in area. That means if there's a free lot that's an acre or more in area, we can keep chickens, and other fowl there too! The only problem is that I don't think there is a free lot that is over an acre in size. What do I do now?

Oh great... I live in Ridley and plan to get 3-4 chickens by this summer with any luck. This has to be fixed!

That's what I'm going to do too, except there's only one problem. We need to change the law! I'm not really an expert, so can someone help me? (If you don't want to that's ok)

I certainly plan to try.

You're pretty young, right? Would your Mom be willing to help?

The first step seems to be showing up at our commissioners meeting, which takes place the 4th Wednesday of every month at Garling Hall (at the Municipal Building).

A-HA!

Ok, in the ordinance banning farm animals, it defines "farm animals" as:
"...chickens, swans, turkeys and nonpoisonous snakes, native to Ridley Township."

Is the "native to Ridley Township" part referring only to the snakes, or to the whole list? It would seem strange to say that you CAN own nonpoisonous snakes from another township, but not Ridley Township, right? If so, this law seems to state that I CAN own chickens that are not native to Ridley Township, which is to say any chicken born anywhere other than Ridley Township?


Call it a loophole, but we may just have something here!

I like the way you think!!!! Not only is it a loophole, but a pretty good one at that! I guess we can ask at the meeting. Btw, what time is that, and what part of the library/municipal building is that in?

It's at 7 PM, in Garling Hall. Not sure exactly, but I'm sure there's a sign pointing to it.

I'm thinking I may not even go right now, since the law is pretty clear. As long as the chickens were not born in Ridley Township, they're legal.

I started building my coop today.