Here is the draft of my (very long), letter with identifying info redacted. My next step is to write -- as a writer interested in the backyard chicken movement -- all the local towns to ask for copies of the relevant ordinances. I'm also going to include some separate info sheets about various issues such as the sizes for coops and runs, photos of urban coops and attractive tractors, and other such things intended to emphasize that chickens are perfectly compatible with small town life on 1/2 acre lots. I might alter my suggested ordinance to request that chicks up to X weeks be unlimited so that people can raise replacements and that meat birds be allowed 25 at a time as long as there are no odor problems. That last being due to the fact that the last grocery store in the area that carried chicken, other than the $$$ organic and kosher kinds, that was not injected with "broth" has switched. Whatever they use in that "broth" makes my DH sick.
Dear Councilmen/Councilwomen,
When we called Town Hall to inquire about keeping a small flock of laying hens we were told that chickens were not permitted in town. I would like to request that you consider amending this rule in light of the many advantages that citizens would obtain from the ability to keep backyard hens.
These advantages being:
1. Residents would be able to obtain fresh, local food of superior quality. Even the federal government has realized the advantages of local food over food which has been transported hundreds, even thousands of miles before it reaches our tables and is encouraging people to eat locally as is the North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture.
2. The eggs from hens that have access to sunshine, fresh air, and a natural diet are higher in vitamins A and E and other nutrients while being lower in cholesterol and saturated fat.
3. Chickens provide a nutritional safety net in times of economic hardship. Farm-raised eggs of equal quality cost $3.50 and up to buy. A mere half-dozen hens would provide several dozen eggs per week giving families a reliable source of high-quality protein. Given that the largest demographic category for TOWNNAME residents is the construction trades, a field in which work is often seasonal and which has been hit hard by the ongoing economic crisis, this could be an important contribution to many families well-being.
4. Raising chickens is educational for children giving them a greater understanding of history and teaching them to understand that food doesnt appear in the grocery store by magic nor is it made in a factory.
5. Having the ability to keep chickens would open more of the character-building 4-H programs to TOWNNAME children. Additionally, few things can do more to teach children responsibility and provide them with a sense of worth than to not only be in charge of a living creature but also to contribute to the familys food supply.
6. Chickenkeeping offers the opportunity to improve our soil, which tests as severely deficient in vital plant nutrients, by adding composted chicken manure. With our soil enriched in this way, our lovely town could be even more beautiful as gardeners would be able to raise healthy plants while using fewer chemical fertilizers.
7. Chickens reduce the population of insect pests by eating many harmful bugs including the ticks that can carry disease and many harmful garden pests.
8. Chickens put into a mobile pen for the day can rid our lawns of tough to kill weeds including dandelions, plantains, and other locally common problem plants.
9. Special feeding practices can produce designer eggs with elevated content of certain desired nutrients. These are not generally available in the US market but the practices can be easily adopted by the backyard chickenkeeper especially the lutein and zeaxanthin enriched eggs that help prevent macular degeneration.
10. The addition of outbuildings and fenced areas improve property values.
11. Chickens themselves are highly ornamental and entertaining to watch. Many of the breeds are attractively colored and patterned, adding charm and beauty to the landscape they inhabit.
Naturally, when someone suggests a change as initially startling as adding chickens to the list of familiar pets dogs, cats, rabbits, caged reptiles, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. people may have concerns about possible negative effects on their neighborhood. The good news is that a well-kept flock of backyard hens gives neighbors no more trouble or concern than any of the more traditional suburban animals.
Some, knowing the foul nature of commercial chicken houses, worry that backyard chickens may smell. While any animal will stink if ill-kept, a small flock of well-cared for hens will not create an offensive odor. Even a dozen hens would create less waste than a couple medium to large dogs. Waste that is easy to dispose of because, unlike dog poop, chicken manure can be composted which turns waste into valuable, odor-free fertilizer.
Some worry that chickens may carry disease, especially bird flu. The good news is that there has never been a documented case of chickens transmitting bird flu to human in the US. And transmission of other diseases is exceedingly rare. Just as with human-to-human transmission, washing hands and practicing ordinary good hygiene works wonders.
Some worry that chickens may attract pests. They do not. Mice may infest improperly stored feed just as they might infest dog food, cat food, or the seed for our birdfeeders but the chickens themselves will, like cats and dogs, kill mice and even snakes when given the chance. Additionally, as insect eaters, they like nothing more than to rid our yards of ticks, roaches, and garden pests. Raccoons, possums, foxes, and other predators are a natural part of the environment in our town. Chickens are no more attractive to them than garbage cans, cat/dog food bowls, gardens, and other, more familiar parts of the small town environment.
Some worry that chickens may be noisy. Roosters can indeed be noisy, but a backyard flock of laying hens need not include a rooster. The hens clucking would quickly become mere background no more obtrusive than the sound of the heat pump, the neighbors pool filter, the wild birds, or the traffic hum from Route X.
With so many advantages to permitting citizens to keep backyard chickens in town and no real drawbacks, I would like to propose that you amend the town ordinances to permit each household that so desires to keep a backyard flock of up to a dozen chickens, hens only with no roosters, with no more restrictions on them than are provided for other household animals under the ordinary leash laws and nuisance laws.
When kept on this modest scale, chickens could contribute greatly to the well-being of the community while adding to the beauty and small-town charm that is a significant part of TOWNNAMEs desirability for its residents. Ive included some reference materials for your convenience in further research as you consider this matter.
Thank you very much,
References:
Storeys Guide to Raising Chickens, Gail Damerow, Storey Publications, 1995
Management Guide for the Backyard Flock, Sander and Lacy, U. of GA Cooperative Extension, 1999 http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/L429-w.html
Small Poultry Flocks, Extension Poultry Service, North Carolina State University, 1988 http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/tech_manuals/small_flocks.pdf
Meet Real Free Range Eggs Mother Earth News, Long and Alterman, October/November 2007 http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-10-01/Tests-Reveal-Healthier-Eggs.aspx
http://www.motherearthnews.com/uploadedFiles/EggGraphic.pdf
Designer and Specialty Eggs, Jacob and Miles, University of Florida IAFS Extension, 2008 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PS/PS04800.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/
http://www.salemchickens.com/SalemChickens/Hen_Myths.html
http://www.examiner.com/x-14639-Atl...Backyard-Chickens-Setting-the-Record-Straight
http://www.shanmonster.com/chicken/news/news021.html
http://www.wasatchgardens.org/Library/Urban Chickens.pdf
Dear Councilmen/Councilwomen,
When we called Town Hall to inquire about keeping a small flock of laying hens we were told that chickens were not permitted in town. I would like to request that you consider amending this rule in light of the many advantages that citizens would obtain from the ability to keep backyard hens.
These advantages being:
1. Residents would be able to obtain fresh, local food of superior quality. Even the federal government has realized the advantages of local food over food which has been transported hundreds, even thousands of miles before it reaches our tables and is encouraging people to eat locally as is the North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture.
2. The eggs from hens that have access to sunshine, fresh air, and a natural diet are higher in vitamins A and E and other nutrients while being lower in cholesterol and saturated fat.
3. Chickens provide a nutritional safety net in times of economic hardship. Farm-raised eggs of equal quality cost $3.50 and up to buy. A mere half-dozen hens would provide several dozen eggs per week giving families a reliable source of high-quality protein. Given that the largest demographic category for TOWNNAME residents is the construction trades, a field in which work is often seasonal and which has been hit hard by the ongoing economic crisis, this could be an important contribution to many families well-being.
4. Raising chickens is educational for children giving them a greater understanding of history and teaching them to understand that food doesnt appear in the grocery store by magic nor is it made in a factory.
5. Having the ability to keep chickens would open more of the character-building 4-H programs to TOWNNAME children. Additionally, few things can do more to teach children responsibility and provide them with a sense of worth than to not only be in charge of a living creature but also to contribute to the familys food supply.
6. Chickenkeeping offers the opportunity to improve our soil, which tests as severely deficient in vital plant nutrients, by adding composted chicken manure. With our soil enriched in this way, our lovely town could be even more beautiful as gardeners would be able to raise healthy plants while using fewer chemical fertilizers.
7. Chickens reduce the population of insect pests by eating many harmful bugs including the ticks that can carry disease and many harmful garden pests.
8. Chickens put into a mobile pen for the day can rid our lawns of tough to kill weeds including dandelions, plantains, and other locally common problem plants.
9. Special feeding practices can produce designer eggs with elevated content of certain desired nutrients. These are not generally available in the US market but the practices can be easily adopted by the backyard chickenkeeper especially the lutein and zeaxanthin enriched eggs that help prevent macular degeneration.
10. The addition of outbuildings and fenced areas improve property values.
11. Chickens themselves are highly ornamental and entertaining to watch. Many of the breeds are attractively colored and patterned, adding charm and beauty to the landscape they inhabit.
Naturally, when someone suggests a change as initially startling as adding chickens to the list of familiar pets dogs, cats, rabbits, caged reptiles, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. people may have concerns about possible negative effects on their neighborhood. The good news is that a well-kept flock of backyard hens gives neighbors no more trouble or concern than any of the more traditional suburban animals.
Some, knowing the foul nature of commercial chicken houses, worry that backyard chickens may smell. While any animal will stink if ill-kept, a small flock of well-cared for hens will not create an offensive odor. Even a dozen hens would create less waste than a couple medium to large dogs. Waste that is easy to dispose of because, unlike dog poop, chicken manure can be composted which turns waste into valuable, odor-free fertilizer.
Some worry that chickens may carry disease, especially bird flu. The good news is that there has never been a documented case of chickens transmitting bird flu to human in the US. And transmission of other diseases is exceedingly rare. Just as with human-to-human transmission, washing hands and practicing ordinary good hygiene works wonders.
Some worry that chickens may attract pests. They do not. Mice may infest improperly stored feed just as they might infest dog food, cat food, or the seed for our birdfeeders but the chickens themselves will, like cats and dogs, kill mice and even snakes when given the chance. Additionally, as insect eaters, they like nothing more than to rid our yards of ticks, roaches, and garden pests. Raccoons, possums, foxes, and other predators are a natural part of the environment in our town. Chickens are no more attractive to them than garbage cans, cat/dog food bowls, gardens, and other, more familiar parts of the small town environment.
Some worry that chickens may be noisy. Roosters can indeed be noisy, but a backyard flock of laying hens need not include a rooster. The hens clucking would quickly become mere background no more obtrusive than the sound of the heat pump, the neighbors pool filter, the wild birds, or the traffic hum from Route X.
With so many advantages to permitting citizens to keep backyard chickens in town and no real drawbacks, I would like to propose that you amend the town ordinances to permit each household that so desires to keep a backyard flock of up to a dozen chickens, hens only with no roosters, with no more restrictions on them than are provided for other household animals under the ordinary leash laws and nuisance laws.
When kept on this modest scale, chickens could contribute greatly to the well-being of the community while adding to the beauty and small-town charm that is a significant part of TOWNNAMEs desirability for its residents. Ive included some reference materials for your convenience in further research as you consider this matter.
Thank you very much,
References:
Storeys Guide to Raising Chickens, Gail Damerow, Storey Publications, 1995
Management Guide for the Backyard Flock, Sander and Lacy, U. of GA Cooperative Extension, 1999 http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/L429-w.html
Small Poultry Flocks, Extension Poultry Service, North Carolina State University, 1988 http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/tech_manuals/small_flocks.pdf
Meet Real Free Range Eggs Mother Earth News, Long and Alterman, October/November 2007 http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-10-01/Tests-Reveal-Healthier-Eggs.aspx
http://www.motherearthnews.com/uploadedFiles/EggGraphic.pdf
Designer and Specialty Eggs, Jacob and Miles, University of Florida IAFS Extension, 2008 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PS/PS04800.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/
http://www.salemchickens.com/SalemChickens/Hen_Myths.html
http://www.examiner.com/x-14639-Atl...Backyard-Chickens-Setting-the-Record-Straight
http://www.shanmonster.com/chicken/news/news021.html
http://www.wasatchgardens.org/Library/Urban Chickens.pdf
