Neighborhood Watch Takes Stand on Backyard Chickens - Brentwood CA

[shadygrovefarm]

It really blows me away the ignorance of people. They act as if the only type of pollution is smell from chicken poop! I live on a lake, have 100 chickens and 5 sheep on 6.5 acres. We farm organically with our animals as well as our garden and greenhouse. We have no motorized watercrafts. What about noise pollution from jet skis, boats and snowmobiles? What about air pollution from neighbors burning plastic/garbage in their burning barrels near the lake because they are uneducated/ignorant on environmental issues? What about water pollution from people using lawn fertilizers down to the waters edge as well as their jet skis dumping 30% of their unburned fuel into the water (outboard motors on boats as well)? These are the types of people that are complaining about "farming" near water, etc. One of the people that complained at our 4th agricultural hearing the other night that lives on the same lake has, for lack of better terms, a small junkyard on his property and he is concerned that our farm, which connects to a pasture across the street, is going to lower his property value! We need to educate these people!!!! Be persistent and become knowledgable, then pay it forward!!! We need to stand up for our rights to be self sustaining!!!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Chickens are currently not allowed. There is a proposed ordinance that would allow them. The flyer is opposing this proposed change.

 

[hcammack]

I live in a suburban neighborhood on a one acre lot and I have had 25 chickens and two roosters with no complaints from the neighbors we don't have fences or barries between our property and theirs and they love to come visit the flock! There is no bird flu in this country so you can nix that problem right away. If the chickens are properly cared for all of the hygiene complaints will be non-existent. Chicken poop really doesn't stink as is the case with most animals that don't eat alot of meat. Dog feces is quite offensive and pound for pound there really isn't that bid a diffrence. There is absolutly no way to argue that chickens are WILDLIFE!! Chickens have lived with humans for hundreds if not thousands of years as a domestic species not a wild one you can easily maintain a small number of chickens in a limited space. This argument is just uneducated why doesn't your city take a look around at the other "progressive" cities that have changed their stance of poultry. My own city of baltimore now allows up to 4 chickens in movable coops with no roosters and Maryland is defently much further behind California's urban and sustainable agriculture movements.

Henry

 

[chicknjane]

I'd just like to add a few quick additions to what Shared Acres stated.

Chickens act as insect control. They will seek out and eat maggots (fly larva) thus controling the fly population.

Chicken poop can be composted/used as fertilizer in organic gardens. Dog poop cannot because of their diet.

In response to "How will the city regulate the maintenance of the coop or backyard area?
and Code enforcement will need to check that owners are properly abiding by the law and maintaining a clean environment?" They will regulate the same way they regulate maintenance and environment of dog owners.

There is a lot of reliable and reputable sources available to refute the claims made by this individual. You should have no problem countering these arguments if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, as another as already mentioned, you may find that you are facing a group of people who are steadfast in their opposition to chickens in the city and unwilling to hear the voice of reason.

Good luck in your endeavors.

Marcy

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Avian influenza IS in the US and has been for years. There are many types and strains of influenza. The big "bird flu" scare was merely one type--that mutated and was passed with considerable difficulty to humans. Has anyone not paid attention that the current H1N1 (a nomencalture that documents the various types of influenza) is a mix of swine and avian influenza strains? Why the news media did not jump all over this and start calling it bird flu, and regurgitate the mis-information they previously spread I do not know (but am grateful for).

When you are countering inaccuracies and blatant untruths with factual information you need to be sure that the information you state is exgtremely accurate.

Much better to state that the H5N1 strain of avian influenza that is the basis of the "Bird Flu" scare has only rarely been found in the US, and only in wild birds: in 2004 in wild mute swans in Michigan, in 2006 in wild ducks in Pennsylvania and Maryland. It has not been found in domesticated birds in the US. Milder forms of avian influenza have and do occur in domenstic birds in the US, but pose little health risk to humans.

 

[fonemanII]

Here is our city ordinance in the wonderful city of Iowa Park, TX on keeping chickens, maybe you can suggest something like this:

Sec. 2.03.002 Permits—Required; qualifications; suspension or revocation; fees; term

(a) It shall be unlawful, except as hereinafter provided, for any person to keep certain animals, fowl or pigeons within the city who does not possess an unrevoked permit from the animal control warden or his or her authorized representative. Only persons who comply with the requirements of this article shall be entitled to receive such a permit and then only after an inspection by proper authorities to determine if terms of this article have been met.

(b) A permit may be temporarily suspended by the animal control warden or his or her authorized representative on violation by the holder of any of the terms of this article, or revoked after an opportunity for a hearing by the animal control warden upon serious or repeated violations.

(c) The annual permit fee for the keepers of animals, fowl, or pigeons shall be as set forth in the fee schedule in the appendix of this code. Money received from the issuance of permits shall be used to assist in the cost of inspection service, and the printing of forms for same.

(d) Permits shall be for all or any part of a year beginning on September 1 and ending on the following August 31.

Sec. 2.03.006 Inspections

(a) At least once a year, the health officer and/or the animal control warden, or authorized representative, may inspect every area or place for which a permit has been issued for the keeping of animals, fowl or pigeons. In case such officer discovers the violation of any item of sanitation, he or she shall make a second inspection after the lapse of such time as he or she deems necessary for the defect to be remedied, and the second inspection shall be used in determining compliance with the requirements of this article. Any violation of the same item of sanitation on such second inspection shall call for immediate suspension of the permit.

(b) The person keeping animals, fowl or pigeons within the city shall, upon the request of such officer or his authorized representative, permit access to the area or places of keeping thereof.

(1993 Code, sec. 4-65)
Sec. 2.03.007 Sanitation requirements–Poultry, fowl and rabbits

It shall be unlawful for any person to do any of the following:

(1) Keep, harbor, maintain or permit the presence on any lot or parcel of land within the city any poultry, fowl or rabbits of any kind, sex or description, closer than one hundred (100) feet to any building being occupied by humans and, then, not more than one for every ten (10) square feet of floor or ground area.

(2) Keep any poultry, fowl or rabbits within any structure in the city without scraping the floor of the room, coop, box or compartment and thoroughly cleaning the area within which such fowl are kept at least once every forty-eight (48) hours and so maintaining such structure or enclosure that no offensive odors are emitted therefrom.

(3) Keep any chickens or turkeys within any structure the interior of which is not whitewashed at least once every six (6) months and without spraying crude oil or some disinfectant on the roosting places at least once in each calendar month to discourage insects, fleas, mites and flies.

(4) Keep any pigeons, the coop, pen, structure or enclosure of which is not kept clean and free of offensive odors, or is less than a distance of fifty (50) feet measured in a straight line from the nearest point of the pen, enclosure or other structure in which such pigeons are kept to the nearest point of any residence, church, school, convalescent home or nursing home other than the residence of the keeper, possessor or owner of said pigeons; or the loft space of which is less than twelve (12) cubic feet per pigeon.

The permit schedule is $5.00 a year.

 

[highcountrychickens]

Egad... A Brentwood Psychologist wrote this? No wonder there are so many celebs who can't get past their issues There is hardly a correctly written sentence in there - or one that wasn't pulled out of his nose! (I'm not a psychologist, but I play one on TV) A chicken poops 1,000 times a day? Well now THAT would explain the toppling pyramids out in my coop this morning after having cleaned yesterday... (and this einstein called them commercial animals in one sentence, then wildlife in another) You might start a counter flyer that questions the state medical board licensing a guy who is delusional and... oh wait, then you'd be passive aggressive... never mind. Okay - back to business

It won't be difficult to counter this nutjob frenzy with educated, tactical reasonability - I can't improve upon Shared Acres' advice ( well done!!) except to say that as you put that really great information out there countering this guy's line of thinking, you may also include the enthusiastic positives and specific thoughts that will actually appeal to a Brentwood mentality.
eg.:
-having hens is green (numbers out there explaining the energy expended to get a commercial egg from the chicken to the store to you - it's staggering)
-having hens is an active good for the environment - it's actually disappointing that they poop the same or less than a large parrot, because they offer an incredible opportunity to create natural fertilizers for lawns and flowers, REPLACING the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that actually DO pollute and poison the water.
-There are incredible health benefits of eating an egg from a free ranging yard hen (lots of stats out there that show the numbers)
-It's a counter to the cruelty to animals created by a demand for commercial eggs (and meat, but I'd let this one slide without mention... might be too much for them to handle too soon)
-There is PRESTIGE in keeping endangered and heritage breeds: There is a perfect opportunity for small back yard flocks like this to preserve endangered and heritage breeds ... well, except it's tough to do because it's likely you won't be able to keep a rooster, which is reasonable - however, such a pursuit will still create the demand for heritage and endangered breeds to be perpetuated from nearby farms and hatcheries because it's not just good ethics, it will also be good money - and chic... I mean chick... see?
-There may be some further prestige in the idea that a beautiful backyard henhouse setup shows a rare LA connection with what is right and a real touch with the land. There is respect there for the person who can remain grounded amidst the goofy pseudo-ness that drives so much of life and personality in LA - this is the perfect pursuit and illustration for that.
-Perhaps you can get some press in on the matter - go to some celebrity, like Ed Begley, to help carry a flag for it... notoriety goes a long way there... so does keeping up with Joneses.

I spend a lot of time working in that neck of the woods, and have friends in the Hollywood Hills, both Producers, who raise and keep their own chickens... It is as normal to them as it is to anyone here on BYC - just very cool.

Good luck and keep us posted here !

 

[2Girlsn4Hens]

Thank you to all of you that have so thoughtfully replied, especially those that took the time to refute the actual flier. You have helped arm us with great points and suggestions to write a letter/make a presentation to our City Council. We cannot stoop to the level of using Neighborhood Watch to circulate "factual" information on behalf of chicken owners and those who asked our city permission to keep chickens. We are not privy to the list of email addresses used to circulate the original flier; they are blocked in the transmission of group emails. So, we will do the best we can to approach this from several different angles.

We are in Brentwood near the SF Bay Area, not SoCal. That removes any association with celebrity psychologists ;-) We are a suburban bedroom community, still growing, but once a rural and agricultural hub. Political issues always split between those that want to preserve the rural lifestyle and city roots, and those who want to build the area into "boutique" luxury living surrounded by retail opportunity.

Many Thanks!!!

 

[Quillgirl]

Here are some letters written to our local county about this issue. Use/modify as you wish:

I am a DeKalb County resident, and wanted to bring your attention to current zoning and classification of poultry in Unincorporated DeKalb. I live near the Dekalb communities of Decatur/Oakhurst where this is a "non-issue" in that chickens are allowed to be kept in backyards as pets and as an extension of the concept of self-sustainable gardening, local food movement, and organic food movement. Combination garden and coop tours proved very popular this year in Oakhurst and spurred a great deal of interest in keeping poultry for eggs, insect control, and organic fertilizer and weed control, as well as the entertainment value and beauty of heritage birds.

Current laws that relate to chickens in unincorporated DeKalb require a 2 acre lot with setbacks of 100 ft, for the coop which is a good idea if the facility is commercial and houses hundreds of birds. It's a little bit of overkill when it relates to a dozen or fewer birds that can be comfortably, and reasonably kept in a house and run no larger than that required for a Golden Retriever.

Below is a copy of the body of my letter to the Roswell City council during the recent hearings that related to pet chicken ownership--the same applies to the rest of DeKalb County. I think it would be wise to be more proactive in relaxing the chicken rule for the rest of DeKalb as this is something the county will very likely run into very soon given that the City of Atlanta and City of Decatur both allow pet chickens, and it is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the country. The Metro Atlanta chapter of Backyard Chickens boasts a membership of nearly 800 members. Addressing the issue upfront will save tax money in the long run in not having to address each individual "chicken outlaw" on a case-by-case basis. I'd be happy to speak to you, or put you in touch with an urban chicken expert who can provide guidance.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Letter to Roswell Council

I am writing to express my interest in the zoning hearings regarding chickens in Roswell. While chickens in large commercial numbers (egg production facilities, hatcheries, broiler factories, etc.) would not be a welcome addition to any neighborhood, chickens in small backyard flocks rarely create problems for their neighbors. Most objections to them are unfounded when one looks at factual information:

1. Noise - only roosters create loud and sustained vocalizations, and certain breeds are more vocal than others. Objectionable noise can be addressed through current noise ordinances on the books. Barking dogs and leaf blowers create more noise than chickens and those are not entirely banned in Roswell or any city/county of which I'm aware. They are allowed, but subject to restrictions when they impinge negatively on neighbors. While some municipalities specifically ban roosters outright, others simply require that chicken owners comply with the noise ordinances as specified for their zoning.

2. Smell - Given a minimum of 10 sqare feet per bird and a relatively clean environment, chickens are NOT smelly. They preen and groom often. They produce far less fecal matter per day than a dog of similar size. In fact, 6 hens produce less than one medium sized dog in a day. And, chicken manure is considered an excellent compost-able fertilizer, whereas dog/cat waste is an environmental and bio hazard. This issue boils down to responsible pet ownership for which there are already laws. A large rabbit hutch outside will smell pungent if the owner does not clean it periodically, and keeps too many animals penned together. Certainly the number of chickens allowed on a property could be restricted based on the size of the lot and the housing available to the birds. Most pet chicken owners have no desire to maintain a large flock, with the average backyard flock consisting of 6-10 birds on medium sized residential lots. The city of Atlanta allows up to 25 hens on a regular city lot. Other cities in the county allow from 6-15 hens, some with crowing birds and some without. Larger suburban lots might have room for additional birds, within reason.

3. Property Values - In my area (Decatur/Emory), property values have not been affected by our ability to own chickens and in fact are some of the highest in the metro Atlanta area, with value stability even during the recession. The freedom to keep chickens and gardens is considered an asset to our properties, and another attractive feature to living here.

4. Roaming - A free-range chicken is not a long lived chicken, in my experience. Coyotes, hawks, dogs, fox, raccoons, opossums, and snakes quickly dispatch them. Even so, chickens can easily be contained in a proper run and coop and fenced yard so that they cannot roam freely off-property. Coop designs can be very attractive and no more an eyesore than a backyard play structure, play house, garden shed, or dog house. Again, there are current zoning regulations that could and would address any problems with the aesthetic appearance of coops and the responsibility of owners not to allow their animals to roam at large in the community.

6. Pests - Chicken feed properly given and stored attracts no greater number of unwanted pests, such as mice or rats, than outdoor feeding stations for wild birds, which are not regulated. Chickens are attractive to larger predators, but those predators are usually already in an area hunting chipmunk, mice, voles, cats, wild rabbits and other small animals. While larger animals would likely prey on roaming chickens, chickens alone would not be the single factor that attracts them to a territory, but the abundance of available food overall.

Ownership of any pet comes with great responsibilities for the owner: cats should not be allowed to hunt the songbirds in a neighbor's yard or use their sandbox for a litter-box, dogs should not bark all day or be allowed to roam into neighborhood yards and destroy property or threaten others. Chickens kept as pets are no different in the responsibility required of their owners, and to ban them entirely based on an outdated classification of "livestock" is shortsighted and unfair. They are a charming extension of the desire of some homeowners to grow backyard vegetable gardens. Most owners are just as attached to their birds as they are to the family cat/dog/parrot/rabbit/lizard/ferret.

There was a time not long ago when chicks and ducklings were sold at pet stores during easter, and many children received them as pets. (Not a practice I endorse.) Like cats and dogs, chickens have a very long history of being domesticated animals that live in close proximity to their owners, and can be tamed much as any family pet that is hand-fed and handled. In the late 60's and 70's, municipalities sought to distance themselves from anything that smacked of "rural" in their quest to brand their areas as sophisticated "suburbia." As a sad consequence, chicken ownership fell out of favor.

I urge you to reconsider your position in this matter and look closely at other cities and areas that currently allow pet chicken ownership. Small flocks for personal enjoyment are an asset, and denote an area that is both progressive and sensitive to preserving the rights of property owners. Rather than creating a municipal culture that reflects the outdated mindset of the 70's, Roswell should seek to join those that are looking to the future in a responsible and informed way.

 

[highcountrychickens]

Quote:
HA HA! It actually sounds like a great place - viva la rural lifestyle, and hats off to you for championing a great thing! Good luck to you, and keep us posted here on your progress!

I forgot...