Chickens and your friendly city Code Officer!

[Mrs. Barn Builder (MBB)]

Hi,

When I read the newsletter, it riled my feathers that so many city councils are making what amounts to lame excuses for not allowing hens within city limits. So, I posted a short retort on my website; hope you don't mind me sharing a part of that post.

Keep in mind please, that dogs are everywhere! And certainly allowed in cities (to my continuing chagrin).

Dogs are not usually a quiet animal; they can bark incessantly. Hens quietly cluck.

Dogs can and occasionally do, bite people - which on rare occasion, can be lethal. A hen can try to peck you if she is setting on a clutch.

Dogs have a genetic feud with restraint; they are challenged by fencing of any kind, digging under, climbing over or simply leaping them. Hens (with an occasional necessary wing-clip), respect their fences.

Dog poo is more repulsive to me than a year-old chicken coop! And cities don't 'crow' too much about it, interestingly enough. Hen coops are easily cleaned - AND - hen poo is a welcome addition to a compost pile as well as a great fertilizer for gardens, trees, etc. Haven't seen much dog poo on anyone's Azaleas lately...

Dogs give a lot of Love; point taken. Hens...give Love too...and eggs.

Dogs don't seem to have a hankering for grasshoppers and other insects that plague back-yards gardeners. Insects are a hen's caviar!

When dogs die, (I lost 2 lifelong pets last year and still deal with the painful loss), they go to doggie heaven. When hens die, they can pass through the dinner table, first.


Thanks for listening.

Danielle

 

[Bridget399]

Let me know if you get any reaction. I loved you letter. Very nicely done!

Was this a local newsletter?
I've been trying to get the township to enforce our code about the garbage next door. The neighbors tore down their barn and never cleaned it up! Now, we have a serious black rat snake infestation!
Politics are not fun... or fair. Keep good records of everyone you speak to, their names and dates, and what they told you. If your seriously going to fight this, you can atleast bring facts to the table.
Good Luck!

 

[TheChickenShrink]

Hi Danielle,

I love your retort and we (my wife and I) totally share your opinion.

Here in the province of Quebec (Canada), the urban backyard chicken movement is totally underground, because no major city allows them for now. It angers us precisely for the same reasons as the ones you mention.

We have several dogs in our neighborhood that bark almost all day, yet no one considers that a reason to forbid dogs. But our 2 roosters crowing a few times during the day is unacceptable? All our close neighbors tell us that they actually love to hear our roosters and that it's the dogs' constant barking that annoys them!!! (We keep our 2 roosters in a pen under our house between 9 PM and 9 AM, and you can't hear them crowing from outside.)

We also have numerous cats roaming around and pooping in our garden, but it seems that it's OK too. And like you say, dog poo stinks. The first thing people are amazed at when they visit our backyard is precisely the absence of any odor. And we have 15 chicken!

So thanks for your efforts, it is very encouraging. We are precisely thinking of taking steps to bring our city to change its regulations concerning the keeping of chicken in people's backyard.

It is more than time to put an end to these ridiculous double standards!

Regards,

Pierre

 

[PippyChicken]

It must be bad to have laws about chickens our town doesn't have very many chickens so we have no limit or anything right now were at 70-something

 

[muddypuddles]

AMEN!!!

I totally agree!!!

 

[cmom]

I agree too.

 

[Mrs. Barn Builder (MBB)]

Thanks for your support guys!

Chickens rule...right?!

It's nice to know that other people enjoy watching their "girls" for entertainment and understanding. I know I learn a life-lesson or three, watching them interact. And when I approach the pen calling 'chick-a-dees', and they all run toward me in hopes of the upcoming goodies...well, we all enjoy our 'pets'.

MBB

 

[Sjisty]

We live in a rural area so are allowed to have chickens. We lived in the city until about a year and a half ago and had no chickens. Now I don't know how I ever lived without them - they bring such joy and pleasure ... all this and eggs, too!

 

[bufforp89]

I agree compleatly. Everyone should be allowed to keep chickens if they want them. Really whats not to love? They are like the most verstile pet ever and produce eggs and meat.

I also live in a rural area so keeping chickens is not a prob here. I dont know what i would do if someone told me that I couldnt have them.