Lots of votes but no one is talking. If you're against it, why? If you're for it, how do you convince your neighbors who hate the idea?

From my experience and research, I estimate that approximately 85 % of the cities and towns across America that approach changing their laws to allow the keeping of backyard chickens, do so after they research the facts and that is what I would like to share with you today.

First, you do not need a rooster to have fresh eggs from your backyard. Hens will lay eggs without a rooster; in fact, many experts agree that hens actually lay better without a rooster around to disrupt their daily routine. The cackle that the hens make after laying an egg once a day is no louder than a human conversation. Not all, but most ordinances that allow backyard chickens do not allow roosters, so the noise argument is a moot point.

Second, chickens themselves don’t smell. Yes, chicken waste can smell, just like dog waste, cat waste, gerbil waste, hamster waste, guinea pig waste, lizard waste goldfish waste, and human waste if not properly taken care of. So regarding smell, chickens are just like any other animal. In fact, you can do nothing beneficial with dog or cat waste, but chicken waste can be put to good use around the home! Six chickens produce less waste than one medium size dog. The issue of smell is a moot point when it comes to six to eight backyard chickens because it’s just that, six to eight backyard chickens, not sixty to eighty, six hundred to eight hundred, or six thousand to eight thousand, just six to eight. Again, producing less waste than one medium size dog.

Third, chickens do not attract rodents. Rodents are however attracted to a food and water source. Yes, a small chicken feeder can be a food source for rodents, just like that dog dish or cat dish left on the back patio, not to mention all the wild bird feeders that people have that litter the ground with bird seed which is a special treat for rodents. Potted plants are not banned, but potted plants are a water source for rodents. The issue of attracting rodents is a moot point because far more people have wild bird feeders, potted plants, cats, and dogs than will ever have backyard chickens.

Fourth, keeping a few backyard chickens does not decrease property values. If so, then show me the proof. I have been asking for this proof nationally for over five years, and no one has come forward with any proof. Show me the proof where a home owner received $10,000 less for his home because a neighbor kept a small backyard flock of chickens, or the county he lived in allowed backyard chickens. It does not exist; therefore it’s a moot point.

Fifth, there is no reason to ban, or not allow backyard chickens regarding the concerns of bird flu. If I can’t convince you of this as the National Spokesperson for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Bio-Security for Birds program, then maybe the CDC can. On the official CDC.gov website, there is a complete questions and answers page regarding bird flu. One of the questions is, We have a small flock of chickens. Is it safe to keep them? The official CDC answer is, Yes. In the United States there is no need at present to remove a flock of chickens because of concerns regarding avian influenza. The U.S. Department of Agriculture monitors potential infection of poultry and poultry products by avian influenza viruses and other infectious disease agents.

Sixth, keeping a few backyard chickens will not create a predator problem. I can assure you that predators are already there. They are here because there is already a food source here for them. You will not be inviting predators from neighboring counties by allowing backyard chickens in Brevard County. It just does not happen.

Seventh, allowing backyard chickens will not increase the work load of animal control. There have been several cities across the country that have changed their laws to allow the keeping of backyard chickens which have one, or two years later confessed that all the myths, rumors, and stereotypes mentioned during the debates about keeping backyard chickens never happened, including the myth that they will increase the work load of animal control. Yes, the city officials themselves have admitted that allowing chickens has not increased the workload of animal control.

And finally, to put backyard chickens into perspective, I have more dog waste in my front yard from other neighbor’s dogs than they have chicken waste in their front yard from my chickens. I have more cat prints on my car from other neighbor’s cats than they have chicken prints on their car from my chickens, and I’m awakened at 2:00am far more times from neighbor’s barking dogs than they have ever been awakened by my backyard chickens.

Follow the cty of Portland and Beaverton, Oregon...they know how to implement chicken rights for all.

Read:

Free-Range Chicken Gardens-How to Ctreate a Beautiful, Chicken -Friendly Yard

No one wants to eat unhealthy CAFO mass produced chemically laden inferior nutirent depleted eggs.

Everyone wants to eat fresh, healthy, chemical free, nutrient dense foods to prevent future sickness and disease.

I think anyone should be able to have chickens. People make too big of a fuss about these wonderful pets that give back to us. They do less harm to property than most dogs and they don't really smell if taken care of properly. I say they should get to keep hens.

85% Andy? Not even close. Heck, just in Georgia the majority of the time folks wanting to keep chickens are told "no" by their municipal entities . . .probably about 85% of the time. On your Atlanta backyard chicken forum, over the last few years there have been at least five efforts to get chickens legalized in Gwinnett county, Cobb County, and a few small cities, none of which have been successful . . .not one. There is simply no way that 85% is even close to an accurate number.

The problem is, that most of these municipal entities simply aren't interested in "the facts" . . .and this is a fact. The few successes, more often than not are successes NOT because of "education" but because the officials involved fear for their seat for whatever reason, be it negative press, or maybe a nationally recognized celebrity taking up their cause, and the officials don't want to look like goats. This is the reality, and the reality is NOT an 85% success rate.

The village of La Grange currently has one of the most special, treasured events in any town...the annual PET PARADE. This Pet Parade was one of the reasons my husband and I chose La Grange to live as we happened to be house hunting on the day of the parade and were amazed and heartened at the support the community gives towards pets and the difference they can make to people of ages. I'm disappointed that the village does not currently have an ordinance allowing backyard chickens. This is incongruent coming from a village who supports the Pets and Pals Charity with such a vibrant PET PARADE. We are current owners of three chickens. They've lived in a coop in our backyard for over 3 years. We have them properly fenced in and lock them up at night so we have had no issues with any rodents. They are a wonderful learning experience for our three children who have learned respect for the food they provide and responsibility in caring for them...they are more than just the food they provide, they are pets to our kids. All of our neighbors have enjoyed the eggs that they provide and none of them have complained. In fact, they smile when they see them and say they are relaxing to listen to and see. They are not loud (we do not own a rooster) and are not messy or harbor diseases when cared for properly. With a proper ordinance in place, it would allow the few people who want to eat local to do so and it would allow La Grange to continue to be a supportive pet community.

All you need to do is make sure you build a $10,000 designer coop (with the associated $1,000 building permit), color coordinate your chickens with the house paint and sell your eggs for three times what the supermarket charges and La Grange will embrace your chickens with open arms.

Seriously, I am so glad La Grange has nothing worse to worry about than a few chickens in people's fenced backyards. I can guarantee you that they smell better, make less noise and are far less dangerous than the yapping, neglected dogs you hear in backyards everywhere.

Also gotta keep in mind that what is considered a "win" is relative. Frankly, most of the "wins" we're talking about . . .aren't. WAY too many of them are almost absurdly restrictive, kinda like what "Mouse" just mentioned in his/her post (good post Mouse!)

That is NOT a win in my book. I don't want a city telling me I can only have 4 birds. I don't want a city telling me I can't have a rooster, while other folks can have yappy dogs, etc. These are NOT wins, any more than letting a trustee out of jail to mow roadside grass is "freedom." If we factor this in, the "win ratio" even by your standard Andy, falls probably to single digits.

We actually agree on most things, even many things relative to the political aspects of backyard chickenkeeping. The problem is, the few things we DON'T agree on leave a lot of folks without their liberty to keep birds . . .even when it doesn't get media attention or get reported on the AP or UPI newsire services . . .and most aren't.

And Andy,
If you would stop dismissing my views and tactics "out-of-hand" and give them the valid consideration they deserve, your success rate might actually rise to like 145% or something, heheh.

http://billingsbackyardhens.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/major-us-cities-and-nearby-states-allowing-urban-hens/

Comparing Apples to oranges Andy, and ya know it. You are successful because of your celebrity status. You bring media attention to the causes you show up to. The problem, and I don't fault ya for it . . .is that you can't be there for all the individual causes folks take before their councils, commissions, etc.

You are "The Chicken Whisperer" with a huge following on the radio, talk shows, etc. . . . . and THAT is what gets things moving in a positive direction for the individual causes you can actively participate in. Folks like . . .well . . .me, who aren't celebrities, can spout the same facts and figures you do . . . .and get nowhere. Happens all the time, actually.

CONTINUED:
As for your "My record versus yours" silliness, I assure you Andy, I was dealing with City Councils, Zoning boards, County Commissions, etc, long before you were. And I had to do it with sheer tenacity, gumption, and a bulldog-like attitude, as I did NOT have celebrity status to fall back on.

And my ways work for pretty much ANY issue, including backyard chickens. Your way works . . .if you're a celebrity. For those of us who aren't celebrities, and aren't garnering positive media attention . . . . "your way" leads mostly to . . .well . . .failure, particularly when the governing entity is already predisposed to NOT let us have chickens.

As you well know . . .or SHOULD well know anyway, Chicken kepping isn't rocket science. It takes all of 15 minutes to educate folks as to the realities of urban and suburban chickenkeeping, maybe another 15 minutes to dispel the myths and unsubstantiated fears of the "anti-chicken" contingent.

Again, for the VAST majority of communities that have anti chicken ordinances, the officials involved are NOT particularly interested in the facts. They are FAR more concerned with the perceptions, and simply ignore the facts.

Also Andy . . . the misdirective debatorial parlor tricks are not actually addressing the issues. My mother had been driving since before Jeff Gordon was even born, but Jeff . . .can likely drive rings around my dear mother.

Actually there are probably a number of chicken-related ordinances that were changed by folks who didn't grovel, and knew how to play hardball. When it's done right, it tends to happen quickly, and there really isn't much fanfare more often than not.

So . . . . I DON'T CARE how many times your celebrity status helped bring about change, particularly relative to the most effective way for us non-celebrities to deal with our local governments . . .on ANY issue.

In politics, it's rarely about "the truth" . . . .it's about power. The sooner you stop fighting me on the realities and accept that sometimes, often actually, NON-Celebrities end up presenting the facts, dispelling the myths, and still lose. There IS a time to STOP saying "please", to STOP groveling, and START making demands and even threats to their seats that WILL be backed up.

If ya doubt that . . .just ask FORMER West Point City Councilman Donald Gilliam about my distaste for his actions and how publicly attacking me went for him, heheh. Not so good. And the other officials still in office . . . well, they take me quite seriously . . . almost like a celebrity
!

Although I appreciate the comments from Ron and the Chicken Whisperer, I don't think the bickering is going to help my cause. Thanks.

Hey Jeff,
Actually, it can help your cause. What is your "gut feeling" on it? One thing I see is you appear to have two trustees who have already made up their minds against the idea. 3 trustees who seem to be sitting on the fence . . . which more often than not means they really don't want to see it your way, they just don't want to come out and say it yet, and want to "appear" fair . . . .which often has little to do with being "actually fair"

It appears you might have one guy who is 'kinda' okay with it, and might be convinced further. I assume you have already politely asked them to change it, demonstrated the good things about it, dispelled some/all of the myths and fears, stuff like that. Again, the entire case for chicken can be made in less than half an hour, generally. I wouldn't be too surprised if they end up falling back on one or more of the myths as rationalization to 'rule' against ya. Again, "reality" is about 8th on most officials priority lists in things they need to vote for a positive outcome from your position.

Like I pointed out earlier, it's generally about perception, not the realities. So what ya need to do, if "educating them" didn't work, is get yourself some perception of power. If Andy takes your cause, that would be great. His Celebrity status DOES carry power. Barring that . . .YOU will need to be perceived as a force to be reckoned with . . .as having "power." This IS the language of politicians. What is coming out of their mouths often has no bearing whatsoever to what is going on inside their heads.

I'd suggest identifying the single official who you feel is most detrimental to your cause, and start looking at his record, even non-chicken related issues . . .actually, PARTICULARLY non chicken related actions on his part. And be ready to talk about those, to write about those. Essentially . . .go on the offencive. Make them PROVE they have any valid reason to deny you the liberty of owning chickens. You already tried defending your right. Unless things show more promise soon, you very well could "lose." But you only lose if stop. At the very meeting they deny you (if they do, hope not) Ask to be put on the very next agenda, since you aren't even remotely done yet. If they tell you something along the lines of they're done with it, it's been decided . . . . say something like "Wanna Bet?"

And don't be afraid to name names, and go after the officials who disregarded your right to do on your property something perfectly legit and reasonable. It works, be a force.

I'll also say that to an extent, I'm "on board" with some of the views Chicken Whisperer has on gaining a right back. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that the success rate for endeavors like this isn't even CLOSE to 85%, and asking politely is often as not just an opening hand. MANY folks would have been successful, who weren't, if they actually tried fighting instead of groveling.

Ron and Chicken Whisperer, I've got to agree with Jeff here. We're really trying to get a gauge of the way La Grange residents feel about it. These debates are really better served on a Backyard Chicken Forum. With all due respect, if you're not from La Grange, please take it easy on this one. Thanks.

Fair enough Matthew, your story . . . . Rant though, Andy? Nope.

"Trustees Mark Langan and Jeff Nowak said they didn't feel like La Grange was that kind of town. Langan said he would be interested in learning more, while Nowak said he didn't feel it would be a good use of staff time to investigate it."

Does anyone else want to know "what kind of town" they think La Grange is and why "that kind of town" doesn't have chickens? And if using staff time to consider a proper request through proper channels from a resident is wasteful then I would suggest new staff.

People against having backyard chickens don't have the correct information. There should be proper rules regarding chicken keeping that respect the neighborhood for people to follow just like any other ordinance.

Freyja, this is exactly the kind of nonsense I was referring to above. La Grange isn't interested in anything that doesn't gild their lily. To heck with the people who actually live here, own property and pay taxes. Lots and lots of taxes. Now, if you were proposing a cute store which sells $1,000 prams, you'd have them kissing your feet. Failing that, you need to be a bankrupt teardown specialist who kicks back spiff to the town coffers. Like I said, promise them $1/egg and they'll trip over themselves signing your permit.

Yes to backyard hens!

Thanks everyone for the support. I'm not sure if the trustees or village president read these, so please email them you comments, also. President Asberger asked for that. Their email addresses are: Jpalermo@villageoflagrange.com; mhorvath@villageoflagrange.com; mkuchler@villageoflagrange.com; bholder@villageoflagrange.com; mlangan@villageoflagrange.com; jnowak@villageoflagrange.com; easperger@villageoflagrange.com; rpilipiszyn@villageoflagrange.com

I'm a lagrange park resident, but will comment anyway. I have a hoarder living down the street from me that the village can do nothing about. I'd trade that anyday for a neighbor with a few chickens. Yes to chickens!

http://backyardchickensinlagrange.blogspot.com/ check this out!

No to chickens in la grange. As a former chicken farmer, nothing against chickens or egg eaters. No one bought or rented a housing unit thinking they could raise chickens. Chickens are not pets, expert opinion. 50 or 65 foot wide lots are not conducive to chickens. If I find a chicken in my neighborhood he will be free range. He will be free and he will be cooked on my range. I still know how to catch them.

Going back to the roots is the best thing we can do in this time. Having chickens in the backyard to eat organic eggs for free everyday, will definitely SAVE BIG bucks that we'll appreciate. Also, chickens are low maintenance convenient pets. And the best, when we all become farmers with our chickens and vegetable gardens in the backyard, we'll be the most healthy community in the USA!

Turning kitchen scraps into fresh eggs makes perfect sense to me. Not sure I want to live in a town that thinks they're "Not that kind of town" that allows chickens. How ridiculous. Not sure about La Grange...but La Grange Park's ordinance banning chickens goes back to 1979. Maybe it's time time to rethink these things. Not sure what right they have to tell you that you can't have chickens in your own backyard anyways.

I have chickens, come and find me. Fresh eggs everyday keep me from having to eat at one of the 50 restaurants downtown.