Trying to get backyard chickens allowed in town.

Shawn · October 17, 2012, 09:24:00 PM

Recently someone approached city council and asked if the ordiance against fowl could be revised to allow laying hens only. The code enforcement officers stood up and talked for quite a time. The lady never got a chance to talk and the council voted to keep the fowl out. I approached a council member after and asked why the lady did not get a chance to talk or argue. I brought up so many facts and reasons why. I was told to do my homework and go to a council meeting myself and present my case. I already got a list of cities in Colorado that now allow backyard chickens along with their ordiances. I have a list of why they should allow chickens to include chances for kids to join 4-H for poultry where they might not due to they dont have a place in the country or its unreasonable for them to travel. Any suggestions.

Kathyp · October 17, 2012, 10:42:55 PM

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/portland-oregon-chicken-ordinance

you might collect ordinances from different cities and see what they have done. the above is from portland oregon. chickens were legal for a long time, then they weren't, now they are again with restrictions.

Shawn · October 17, 2012, 11:09:47 PM

Thanks kathyp. I did copy a lot of town ordiances in Colorado. There is a big push right now for people to keep chickens. I tried to go through all the post here about chickens because I think this came up before. I found a lot of good links on chickens so those that posted those, THANKS!

Sunnyboy2 · April 16, 2013, 07:28:12 AM

Any update on your code change? Hope it went well.

Shawn · April 16, 2013, 07:24:06 PM

Not there yet. Code enforcement still fighting it. Hope some day it will pass

Better.to.Bee.than.not · June 03, 2013, 02:24:59 AM

wish we allowed them here also, frankly. I say allow the laying hens, but not the bleep myself. do not need roosters crowing all over, but laying hens are quite and fine, do not know any reason not to allow them really, is there?

Carol · June 03, 2013, 01:13:15 PM

In Oviedo FL chickens run loose downtown....very small town at one time...became Orlando's bedroom community....new residents decided they had to go...probably got tired of waiting for them to cross the road...so they were caught up....old residents thru a fit and they had to release them again....guess you need to get a lot of people to show up or sign a petition. You'll probably find the people selling the most eggs etc are the ones against it.

Better.to.Bee.than.not · June 03, 2013, 01:43:30 PM

ya, funny how peoples views on things change when they 'happen' to be making a profit off it huh? suddenly it is ok if they do it....but for some reason or another, it shouldn't be allowed for others or everyone to do it. amazing...

Michael Bush · June 04, 2013, 11:07:14 AM

I've traveled the world a bit. Almost everywhere people have chickens in town. Most places they run loose all over town. No excuse for going hungry...

Lucky we live in a free country where we aren't allowed to do what the rest of the world takes for granted...

Better.to.Bee.than.not · June 04, 2013, 06:10:53 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on June 04, 2013, 11:07:14 AM

Lucky we live in a free country where we aren't allowed to do what the rest of the world takes for granted...

I know right?..lol.

Oblio13 · June 04, 2013, 08:23:58 PM

The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, where you need government permission to own a chicken.

Sunnyboy2 · June 05, 2013, 06:51:48 PM

Mr. Bush,

So true it hurts.

Carol · June 09, 2013, 09:07:57 PM

when they control all the food...they control you....and they are working hard at doing that.

Michael Bush · June 10, 2013, 10:38:48 AM

So my neighbors can (and always have) spray poisons on the ground and in the air that I can smell from my house. That I am obviously breathing, that pollute the water. Systemic poisons to control such dangerous things as dandelions. This is considered their right, their freedom. But I can't have chickens in my backyard, because they are deemed to be a health hazard? Only in the US.

stella · June 13, 2013, 02:44:21 AM

Im a law abiding citizen. To a point. When my 82 year old mother wanted to raise a few hens, inner small city, against ordinances, cross it off her bucket list, I told her to "just go for it". What are they going to do? Cuff ya? Nope. In fact the neighbors loved them. No one enforced it. She had her glory and eventually sent them over to my place, the chicken nursing home, where an old hen can live out her days basking in the sun and bathing in the dirt.
Some rules are ridiculous. Chickens are therapeutic. Chickens are a part of our heritage. YOU!, have a RIGHT to raise your own food.
Sometimes you just have to grab a hold of your pitchfork and declare "enough"!
If enough of us grabbed our pitch forks, well, we wouldnt be in this predicament.

ronledford · June 13, 2013, 08:17:45 AM

Keep up the push for backyard chickens. I worked with Urban Chicken Advocates of Nashville (UCAN) to have our Metro ordinances changed in 2012. Now we are coming up on the sunset and I think the council will make the change permanent. The push for urban chickens has been a huge success for Nashville and its citizens. The only change I am am pushing for now is flock size per lot size. My size lot is restricted to one chicken and as anyone who knows chickens a recommended minimum flock size is three. I think I got this from the Chicken Whisperer Radio on Blog Talk Radio.

My participation really opened my eyes to how local politics work.

Best of luck

Michael Bush · June 13, 2013, 09:03:08 AM

A "flock" of one chicken is cruel to the chicken. Chickens are gregarious and need other chickens. Besides, what would be the point?

Carol · June 13, 2013, 09:31:52 AM

Stella is right....grab the pitch fork and get everyone else to do the same. (literally speaking of course). Too many of us just sit back and let things happen. As long as they can grab our rights...they will. Even if you don't care to have chickens you should still support those who do..