chickens and city hall

[mattj]

Well, the push is on to make backyard chickens officially legal in my town. They aren't officially illegal but there are enough of us making noise that the papers are picking up the story. I even managed to get a mention in one of the articles. Go chickens!

[Float On]

Great! How big is your town? even Springfield, MO (population 157,000) got on the bandwagon and now allows up to 3 chickens (no roos) per household inside the city limit.

[mattj]

We're at 32,000+. I've had chickens before w/ no problems but held off on starting a club or selling chicken tractors at the farmer's market because the code isn't clear. This would help a great deal. I mentioned this at the city council meeting and the member for my ward thought it was great and was suggesting I do something like the club through the parks and rec dept. Many of the other towns nearby have recently taken measures to allow them so I expect my town to jump on the bandwagon.

[pinkytoe]

Lots of chickens here. I think our code says they are fine as long as their coop is so many feet away from a property line. The city is actually hiring a person to promote backyard farming and help citizens with any obstacles.

[mattj]

So, I've managed to get my name in the paper a few times now. And, there's a big debate this Monday. And, I have a stack of petition papers I intend to get people to sign.

[jania]

Good luck with your chicken effort mattj. Chickens are allowed in my city and there is a great permaculture group here that gives classes on raising them. I've attended a class, I have such chicken envy but I'm afraid to leave them when I might be out of town.

[mattj]

We have so many pets that it's easier for us to hire a pet sitter then board them. They only charge an extra $2 or $3 a day to tend to the chickens.

[mattj]

Drat. A setback. Some council members are too caught up in the history as a farming town and how "we're a city now" to realize the cachet that the growing hobby of backyard chickens has. Heck, the old money town down the road recently started a permit system to allow them.

[jania]

Double drat! Sounds like you now have to convince these folk that raising chickens in the "city" is the latest and greatest of cosmopolitan movements. Best wishes.