Hi Linda-
Good news on the reprieve!!!
I would continue to focus on the CHICKENS ARE PETS angle. Use that combined with the RATS EAT DOG DROPPINGS sign to drive home the fact that, like any other pet, hens that are well-cared for do not cause any community problems. I found this worked very well here, and the tables started turning when we started saying "PET HENS" rather than "BACKYARD CHICKENS". The biggest hurdle you have is in getting people past their preconceived ideas of chickens as noisy, smelly, dirty, nasty farm animals. Your one vocal opposer, Edie (?), reminds me of our lone loud oppostion here, one lady who just hated chickens.
I found that once we started really focusing on the fact that the HENS are PETS, almost any argument could be won by pointing out that other animals are not banned as pets, even though they all have potential problems if not properly cared for.
SMELL- my 6 hens make less poop than two medium dogs. Pet owners must be responsibe and take proper care of their animals. If the dog owner left the poop all over his yard, it would smell worse than any chicken poop. I said about a million times, "WE're not talking about chickens raised in a farm environment, folks, where the pen gets cleaned only once a year.... we're talking about hens raised as PETS, like a dog, cat, or caged parrot, and cleaned every other day!"
PREDATORS- pet hens kept in the manner we are proposing will not attract predators any more than a rabbit in a backyard rabbit hutch.
.........etc. You get the idea. The whole rats/poop thing falls into this argument.
You just say, hey, lets draft a set of laws that make sure hens will be properly cared for, and then neighbors will be protected.
Also, I hate to say it, but if it's looking iffy, I'd say ban roosters. That's most people's big issue: noise. We had to make compromises here, but if it's no chickens or limiting it to 6 hens, I'll take the 6 hens.
Of course, focusing on the pet aspect means not so much attention on the immigrant population. I don't know what your politics are like in Chicago, but that was an argument that I chose to downplay here. The city councilors were mostly concerned about property values, looking "downscale", and offending neighbors. They could care less about the few hispanic and Asian families in town who were quietly raising chickens. In fact it would have made them all the more eager to ban chickens, I fear.
Anyway---- keep up the good work. I know its a major PITA. Honestly, I spent about 20 hours per week ALL SUMMER LONG on winning our battle here. It was exhausting, stressful, and a whole lot of work. But worth it in the long run!
Stacey
Good news on the reprieve!!!
I would continue to focus on the CHICKENS ARE PETS angle. Use that combined with the RATS EAT DOG DROPPINGS sign to drive home the fact that, like any other pet, hens that are well-cared for do not cause any community problems. I found this worked very well here, and the tables started turning when we started saying "PET HENS" rather than "BACKYARD CHICKENS". The biggest hurdle you have is in getting people past their preconceived ideas of chickens as noisy, smelly, dirty, nasty farm animals. Your one vocal opposer, Edie (?), reminds me of our lone loud oppostion here, one lady who just hated chickens.
I found that once we started really focusing on the fact that the HENS are PETS, almost any argument could be won by pointing out that other animals are not banned as pets, even though they all have potential problems if not properly cared for.
SMELL- my 6 hens make less poop than two medium dogs. Pet owners must be responsibe and take proper care of their animals. If the dog owner left the poop all over his yard, it would smell worse than any chicken poop. I said about a million times, "WE're not talking about chickens raised in a farm environment, folks, where the pen gets cleaned only once a year.... we're talking about hens raised as PETS, like a dog, cat, or caged parrot, and cleaned every other day!"
PREDATORS- pet hens kept in the manner we are proposing will not attract predators any more than a rabbit in a backyard rabbit hutch.
.........etc. You get the idea. The whole rats/poop thing falls into this argument.
You just say, hey, lets draft a set of laws that make sure hens will be properly cared for, and then neighbors will be protected.
Also, I hate to say it, but if it's looking iffy, I'd say ban roosters. That's most people's big issue: noise. We had to make compromises here, but if it's no chickens or limiting it to 6 hens, I'll take the 6 hens.
Of course, focusing on the pet aspect means not so much attention on the immigrant population. I don't know what your politics are like in Chicago, but that was an argument that I chose to downplay here. The city councilors were mostly concerned about property values, looking "downscale", and offending neighbors. They could care less about the few hispanic and Asian families in town who were quietly raising chickens. In fact it would have made them all the more eager to ban chickens, I fear.
Anyway---- keep up the good work. I know its a major PITA. Honestly, I spent about 20 hours per week ALL SUMMER LONG on winning our battle here. It was exhausting, stressful, and a whole lot of work. But worth it in the long run!
Stacey
