- Jun 23, 2013
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When I first contact our planning and zoning department, I found out we could not keep chickens in my area. They send me a booklet of the facts and myths of keeping backyard chickens. I passed this out at the first meeting and again at the third and last meeting. I think it went a long way to get the law passed.
MYTH: Chickens are noisy
FACT: The main rule for keeping urban chickens is "NO ROOSTER ALLOWED." Hens do not make a ruckus in the morning like their male counterparts and they are fast asleep in their coop by the time the sun goes down. You do not need a rooster to have eggs. Roosters are only need if you want to have fertilized eggs for baby chicks. Hens make a soft clucking noise that is less noisy than a barking dog.
MYTH: Chickens are messy & smelly
FACT: Chickens themselves do not smell. It is only their feces that has the potential to smell which is also true of dogs, cats, rabbits or any other animal that is outside. www.pacshell.org/projects/petwasterinfo.htm#facts
A 4lb laying hen produces 0.0035 cubic foot of manure per day. According to the FDA, an average dog generates 3/4 lb of manure a day that cannot be composted because of the harmful bacteria and parasites of roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms. This waste is considered a major source of bacterial pollution in urban watersheds. Dog waste contains higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than cows, chickens or pigs and is a major contributor of excessive nutrients that flow into ground and surface waters through runoff from city sidewalks and laws. www.csld.edu/downloads/sussman
The reason people fear an odor problem is because their only experience with chickens, if they have any at all, is on a farm or commercial poultry operation. Under these circumstances, hundreds if not thousands of chickens are sometimes kept in crowded conditions with poor ventilation and without proper cleaning.
MYTH: Chickens attract rodents/predators
FACT: The truth is that rodents already exist where you live and are attracted to any unprotected food source like bird seed, dog food, cat food, open trash cans, fruit trees, and even koi ponds. Their are preventative measures (chicken feed containers and coop designs) to nearly eliminate this concern.
MYTH: Backyard chickens will decrease property value.
FACT: There is absolutely no evidence that keeping pet hens within the ordinance guidelines would have any affect on property values. This is a property rights issue and while it is necessary to protect neighbors from any potential nuisance, homeowners should have as much freedom from government interference. Major cities like Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver support backyard chicken keeping. Actually, chickens can be kept in a yard so inconspicuously, that it may not be apparent that chickens are even around. A backyard chicken coop housing 6-8 does not create the odor issue that is concerning some residents.
MYTH: Chickens will create a health hazard.
FACT: In the US, there is no need at present to remove a flock of chickens because of concerns regarding avian influenza. Research shows that there are actually more diseases that can be spread from dogs and cats than from chickens. Chickens can actually keep your yard healthier because they eat ticks and insects.
MYTH: A chicken coop is an eyesore
FACT: City coops are typically small, clean and attractive because people love their pets and live in close proximately to them. Attractive and inexpensive coop designs are available on various websites for those who are not able to build their own.
MYTH: Backyard chicken keeping is a fad
FACT: Chickens have been domesticated since 10,000bc and have played an important part of life ever since. Many of our grandparents had victory gardens and knew how to grow vegetables, can food, and raised their own chickens. Raising 6-8 hens in the backyard is a tremendous opportunity for parents to teach their children about the responsibility that comes with caring for a pet and because of their small size and friendly demeanor, young children can easily handle hens without fear of being bitten.
Backyard chickens and sustainability - Better food source for eggs. While the nutritional superiority of organic and homegrown eggs vs. conventional store-bought eggs may be debatable, it is certainly true that the harmful effects of antibiotics, hormones, or other chemical additives would be avoided with homegrown eggs. Compost/fertilizer- Chicken manure is a sought after fertilizer, and chicken litter (the wood shavings on the bottom of a coop to absorb droppings) provide a weekly addition of about 4lbs of organic material from the average backyard flock of 6 hens. Even if there is no compost pile, chicken droppings or chicken litter may be placed directly around trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, or other plants as general organic fertilizer. Food waste consumption - Backyard chickens delight in eating vegetable scraps from the kitchen. All types of fruit and vegetable discards can be diverted to the chickens instead of to the trashcan or garbage disposal. In many cases, it may be preferable to feed such discards to chickens rather than composting where they may attract rodents. Insect and weed control - If chickens are allowed to roam a small backyard lawn even for a short period, they can perform the useful tasks of weed and insect removal. Weeds with seeds are a prime target for chicken grazing. In the spring, chickens will feed especially on dandelions, chick weed, and other low seed-bearing weeds to help the laws. Mosquitos have reduced chance in shallow water exposed to chickens since the birds will feast on the insects in addition to disturbing the larvae. Low inpact pet - Contrary to their commercially raised counterparts, backyard chickens are a decidedly easy to care for pet. A two-gallon water supply will last almost a week in average weather for a flock of 6, and chicken feed is cheap. Potential energy product - Although not commonly part of the backyard chicken cycle of sustainable events, chicken litter can be used as a fuel source in some types of wood burning stoves. Commercially, chicken litter is pelletized for fertilizer or pellet burning stoves. Flock role in a backyard ecosystem - Backyard chickens can be part of a larger backyard ecosystem not only in their feeding, grazing and waste recycle roles, but by being a component in a symbiotic relationship with other pets, namely dogs. "Guarding" the flock can be perceived as a job for the herding dog and can distract those hyperactive dogs from other annoying behaviors. In return, the dogs will definitely deter crows, hawks or other predators from lighting the yard.
If you want me to email you a copy of this complete brochure, contact me at [email protected].
Credit goes to John Harrison, Kim Pray, Ashley Doolittle and Kathryn Chambless who prepared and submitted this to the Dunwoody Planning Commission February 2, 2010.
I have had my chickens just about three months now and thoroughly enjoy them. I am glad I built the coop first because they grow faster than the coop was built. They are an endless source of entertainment for my two Lab mix dogs and the chickens seem to enjoy their company. I had to bring the hens inside for two days so as not to be subjected to drilling around the house. My dogs hid out for those two days but when the dust settled and the dogs got brave, they came to me all worked up like Lassie to Timmy letting me know their was something wrong. I looked all over the house to see what their problem was and finally opened the back door and told them to show me what their problem was. They went immediately to the chicken coop and let me know it was empty. I put the chickens back in their coop and all was right again with the dogs. Gotta love em.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EFFORTS TO CHANGE THE LAWS WHERE YOU LIVE. It was worth all those months of waiting
MYTH: Chickens are noisy
FACT: The main rule for keeping urban chickens is "NO ROOSTER ALLOWED." Hens do not make a ruckus in the morning like their male counterparts and they are fast asleep in their coop by the time the sun goes down. You do not need a rooster to have eggs. Roosters are only need if you want to have fertilized eggs for baby chicks. Hens make a soft clucking noise that is less noisy than a barking dog.
MYTH: Chickens are messy & smelly
FACT: Chickens themselves do not smell. It is only their feces that has the potential to smell which is also true of dogs, cats, rabbits or any other animal that is outside. www.pacshell.org/projects/petwasterinfo.htm#facts
A 4lb laying hen produces 0.0035 cubic foot of manure per day. According to the FDA, an average dog generates 3/4 lb of manure a day that cannot be composted because of the harmful bacteria and parasites of roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms. This waste is considered a major source of bacterial pollution in urban watersheds. Dog waste contains higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than cows, chickens or pigs and is a major contributor of excessive nutrients that flow into ground and surface waters through runoff from city sidewalks and laws. www.csld.edu/downloads/sussman
The reason people fear an odor problem is because their only experience with chickens, if they have any at all, is on a farm or commercial poultry operation. Under these circumstances, hundreds if not thousands of chickens are sometimes kept in crowded conditions with poor ventilation and without proper cleaning.
MYTH: Chickens attract rodents/predators
FACT: The truth is that rodents already exist where you live and are attracted to any unprotected food source like bird seed, dog food, cat food, open trash cans, fruit trees, and even koi ponds. Their are preventative measures (chicken feed containers and coop designs) to nearly eliminate this concern.
MYTH: Backyard chickens will decrease property value.
FACT: There is absolutely no evidence that keeping pet hens within the ordinance guidelines would have any affect on property values. This is a property rights issue and while it is necessary to protect neighbors from any potential nuisance, homeowners should have as much freedom from government interference. Major cities like Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver support backyard chicken keeping. Actually, chickens can be kept in a yard so inconspicuously, that it may not be apparent that chickens are even around. A backyard chicken coop housing 6-8 does not create the odor issue that is concerning some residents.
MYTH: Chickens will create a health hazard.
FACT: In the US, there is no need at present to remove a flock of chickens because of concerns regarding avian influenza. Research shows that there are actually more diseases that can be spread from dogs and cats than from chickens. Chickens can actually keep your yard healthier because they eat ticks and insects.
MYTH: A chicken coop is an eyesore
FACT: City coops are typically small, clean and attractive because people love their pets and live in close proximately to them. Attractive and inexpensive coop designs are available on various websites for those who are not able to build their own.
MYTH: Backyard chicken keeping is a fad
FACT: Chickens have been domesticated since 10,000bc and have played an important part of life ever since. Many of our grandparents had victory gardens and knew how to grow vegetables, can food, and raised their own chickens. Raising 6-8 hens in the backyard is a tremendous opportunity for parents to teach their children about the responsibility that comes with caring for a pet and because of their small size and friendly demeanor, young children can easily handle hens without fear of being bitten.
Backyard chickens and sustainability - Better food source for eggs. While the nutritional superiority of organic and homegrown eggs vs. conventional store-bought eggs may be debatable, it is certainly true that the harmful effects of antibiotics, hormones, or other chemical additives would be avoided with homegrown eggs. Compost/fertilizer- Chicken manure is a sought after fertilizer, and chicken litter (the wood shavings on the bottom of a coop to absorb droppings) provide a weekly addition of about 4lbs of organic material from the average backyard flock of 6 hens. Even if there is no compost pile, chicken droppings or chicken litter may be placed directly around trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, or other plants as general organic fertilizer. Food waste consumption - Backyard chickens delight in eating vegetable scraps from the kitchen. All types of fruit and vegetable discards can be diverted to the chickens instead of to the trashcan or garbage disposal. In many cases, it may be preferable to feed such discards to chickens rather than composting where they may attract rodents. Insect and weed control - If chickens are allowed to roam a small backyard lawn even for a short period, they can perform the useful tasks of weed and insect removal. Weeds with seeds are a prime target for chicken grazing. In the spring, chickens will feed especially on dandelions, chick weed, and other low seed-bearing weeds to help the laws. Mosquitos have reduced chance in shallow water exposed to chickens since the birds will feast on the insects in addition to disturbing the larvae. Low inpact pet - Contrary to their commercially raised counterparts, backyard chickens are a decidedly easy to care for pet. A two-gallon water supply will last almost a week in average weather for a flock of 6, and chicken feed is cheap. Potential energy product - Although not commonly part of the backyard chicken cycle of sustainable events, chicken litter can be used as a fuel source in some types of wood burning stoves. Commercially, chicken litter is pelletized for fertilizer or pellet burning stoves. Flock role in a backyard ecosystem - Backyard chickens can be part of a larger backyard ecosystem not only in their feeding, grazing and waste recycle roles, but by being a component in a symbiotic relationship with other pets, namely dogs. "Guarding" the flock can be perceived as a job for the herding dog and can distract those hyperactive dogs from other annoying behaviors. In return, the dogs will definitely deter crows, hawks or other predators from lighting the yard.
If you want me to email you a copy of this complete brochure, contact me at [email protected].
Credit goes to John Harrison, Kim Pray, Ashley Doolittle and Kathryn Chambless who prepared and submitted this to the Dunwoody Planning Commission February 2, 2010.
I have had my chickens just about three months now and thoroughly enjoy them. I am glad I built the coop first because they grow faster than the coop was built. They are an endless source of entertainment for my two Lab mix dogs and the chickens seem to enjoy their company. I had to bring the hens inside for two days so as not to be subjected to drilling around the house. My dogs hid out for those two days but when the dust settled and the dogs got brave, they came to me all worked up like Lassie to Timmy letting me know their was something wrong. I looked all over the house to see what their problem was and finally opened the back door and told them to show me what their problem was. They went immediately to the chicken coop and let me know it was empty. I put the chickens back in their coop and all was right again with the dogs. Gotta love em.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EFFORTS TO CHANGE THE LAWS WHERE YOU LIVE. It was worth all those months of waiting
