HELP! Need counter-arguments for non-believers.

[Cyprus]

One of my things about the backyard hen fad is all the inevitable extra cockerels. You see it everyday, people who end up with cockerels they can't have and no home for them.

This isn't post isn't mean to be condescending.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I am in the midst of working to legalize backyard hens in my town (a suburb of Chicago). I've got a small group of volunteers, an ongoing petition with 350 signatures from residents, and a few supportive aldermen. We failed in city council 2 years ago but are back with some new aldermen and I am hoping this year will work. However, I am going up against some really crotchety folks who won't listen to reason.

Last night I was invited to speak at a ward meeting. Right away I knew I was in trouble when a few old men behind me started laughing and making chicken sounds when they saw me. Classy! I came prepared with tons of statistics, letters from avian vets as well as all the nearby towns that allow hens. I had a good case. But as I spoke there were a few people (they are always the loudest and meanest) that were not having it. Remembering that last time salmonella was the big sticking point I gathered so many statistics to make their head spin. However, that didn't seem to be the issue with this group.

Noise. Smell. Lowering property values. Those were their big arguments and no matter what statistics I gave them they didn't agree. Some of their fine points...

• It is okay for loud dogs to bark all day because they are dogs. That's what they do. And chickens are louder. Period. Nope... chickens are louder than dogs.
• Residents won't be able to sell their house if there are chickens next door. No one will want to live near that.
• My neighbor has a farm nearby and brought chicken poop to fertilize her garden and it smelled horrible forever. Worse than all other fertilizer because that smell goes away. Not chicken poop smell. Nope. Never goes away.
• No one will want to move to our town anymore. We will be a laughing stock. People will call us 'Chicken town'.
• If the ordinance says they have to be 10 feet from the property line they aren't going to put it by their house, they will put it under my bedroom window and I will have to hear chickens all day and it will smell and I won't be able to live there.
• It is okay that dogs are loud because they can go inside. Chickens will be loud outside all day long.
• My property values!!!!!!
• Chickens are farm animals for a reason. We aren't farmers. They should only be on farms.

So these are just a few of the things I heard last night. The worst part is that they were so angry about it. Just really seething. I am totally happy having rational discussions with people that have differing opinions but it is hard to talk to people that come at you yelling with such hostility before you've even opened your mouth. I just smiled, nodded, told them I heard them and countered as much as I could. But I would really LOVE any rational points I can bring up to counter these ridiculous arguments since they didn't want to hear facts (chicken decibels vs. barking dogs decibels) (amount of dog waste vs. chicken waste). Help me please find ways to reach these people and appeal to their senses (if they have any)

Some useful resources:

https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/kqharvey/backyard-chickens-in-glencoe

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/chicago-chicken-enthusiasts/hOTQZYDD0nU

http://www.pintsizefarm.com/will-backyard-chickens-decrease-property-value/

 

[Cyprus]

Cypress

Cyprus*

 

[Eevee]

Is it possible to maybe see if councilors in the ward (or what you have in the USA) would be willing to do a pilot project before fully allowing people to have chickens. Here in Edmonton, Alberta we had a pilot project where only something like 19 people in the city could have hens. After a couple years it was capped at 50. This year the cap was removed and anyone can apply for a permit to have hens. There are strict regulations an coop size, having only 3- 6 hens/no roosters, and we are inspected by our bylaw officers. You could get some documentation on any urban citys that do allow hens, and see how those programs regulations are.

I think many people when they think of allowing chickens...that people are going to have 50 chickens in the yard and the neighbour hood will smell like a barn. They are legit concerns so having an idea of what would and would not be allowed,and how complaints (smell/noise) could be dealt with could help with your arguments.

 

[khorvath]

One of my things about the backyard hen fad is all the inevitable extra cockerels. You see it everyday, people who end up with cockerels they can't have and no home for them.

This isn't post isn't mean to be condescending.

I get that and I appreciate your responses. I worry about that too. I am a 30 year plus vegetarian and am a lot of mixed thoughts about the poultry industry and whether it is just adding to a situation. I've heard stories about hatcheries just chucking cockerels into the grinder for animal feed and that horrifies me. I don't want to contribute to that.

 

[Cyprus]

I also recommend having a plan in place to handle manure output/disposal. Some cities don't allow composting.

 

[khorvath]

I'm surprised that the people holding the meeting allowed the hecklers to continue.
Can you go get more signatures on your petition? I like rosemarythyme's ideas for setting up suggested regulations that may assuage the naysayers' fears.

So we have hundreds of signatures (its only been out for 2 weeks mostly through word of mouth which is great). We have a defined plan based on all the ordinances for neighboring communities that include getting a permit, having coop structure guidelines, a limit to number of hens, no roosters etc. We are trying to do everything we can to be good neighbors. Much more than some do with their dogs for example.

 

[Cyprus]

I get that and I appreciate your responses. I worry about that too. I am a 30 year plus vegetarian and am a lot of mixed thoughts about the poultry industry and whether it is just adding to a situation. I've heard stories about hatcheries just chucking cockerels into the grinder for animal feed and that horrifies me. I don't want to contribute to that.

Hey, fellow vegetarian!

 

[Ribh]

Hey, fellow vegetarian!

X3

 

[Eevee]

For the issue with the extra cockerels, one way our city has avoided that issue, is that we are only allowed to have pullets over 16weeks old. Of course some breeds like silkies may still be sexed wrong, but most breeds can be sexed quite accurate by then.