The one thing everyone seems to have forgotten is how terrible the smell is! I have a family friend who has hens in his backyard. It smells AWFUL! I would be terribly upset to live next to that. Depending on the way the wind blows--LOOK OUT!! Also, I do not want to be woken early every morning with the crowing you will be hearing. I have experienced this and my advice would be, if you want this kind of living then move to a farm. If you do not want to move to a farm but want fresh eggs, then buy organic.

George, I hate to say this but your family friend probably doesn't appropriately care for his or her chickens. Sure, chicken waste, like any animal waste, has an odor. But when coop/run areas are taken care of properly there really is no smell. I've been around dozens of backyard coops that have no odor.

I'm not even going to get into your if you don't like it, move comment, but just for clarity's sake "organic" is not even close to the same as "fresh."

Bottom line - if just a little bit of research is done, the logical conclusion is that backyard hens have no downside...and plenty of upside.

In my yard, my dogs droppings smell worse than a hens, my dogs are 100x louder, and since Palatine doesn't allow garbage recipticals to be left by the street for pickup...instead requiring garbage to be in plastic bags, my garbage attracts many more predators than a hen ever would.

That would be rabbit *hutches*.

*Coops* are for chickens and other birds.

I agree Jim sheep would keep the grass low and save gas lower the carbon footprint.
Less trucks driving around with their grass cutting equipment.

Actually the size of the yard is not an issue. Hans Humes, President and CEO of Greylock Capital Management, has chickens on the balcony of his New York City highrise. Most residential house properties in Palatine could accomadate a small flock of hens.

naw you don't need that much space. you can bring them inside in the wintertime. creates a space in spare bedroom

Just to clear my comment up. Ordinance states you have to have 5 acres of land. lucas...
I'm going under the assumption your comment is satire.

Charles part of it was. Satire sorry. The 5 acres part wasn't. People in some burbs and city of Chicago have in yards. but if that's their ordinance

When I was growing up in SW La., we had over 400 chickens along with geese, ducks, quail and guineas. I know how much space is needed. I was just referring to the way Lake County looks at it. I called some years back and best I can recall is that in order to have chickens, or any other animal classified as "farm animals", you need to have 5 acres in order to do so. For some reason they don't classify pot belly pigs as in that requirement.
Thanks for clearing part of it up lucas... wasn't sure if I wasn't being clear enough on "actual space needed" as opposed to "acres required by Lake County ordinances"

Coyotes have to eat something don't they

Actually, with the proper caging (i.e., the property in question), a coyote is considerably more likely to snag a small dog. They choose the path of least resistance...

Have you looked into cost of equipment needed?

While I agree that things bought at a farmer's market are usually superior to what you would get in the grocery store, the cost of those goods are far too high for folks on tight budgets. It's kind of like these folks saying, "Go Green and buy Green products". If it was cheaper, you bet, but it's not.
At the same time, as much as I am an advocate of backyard hen houses, I'm under no illusion that it would be cheaper than buying a dozen eggs from the grocery store. There would be limits on how many hens you could own and the fewer you have, the more cost per egg it would be. I would own a hen house in a heart beat, but it would be more of a hobby for me and the eggs would be the small benefit.

Louanne, at what farmers market are you paying $4/dozen for eggs? An egg guy in Buffalo Grove charges $5/dozen.

At the Farmers Market in Crystal Lake (during the warm months) it is $4 a dozen - love those eggs! I would love to have chickens - if I could get my husband to like the idea. He grew up with them and says they are more work then he wants to deal with :(

There is no doubt there is a start up cost when getting a coop up and running. However, the real value is knowing what's going into the food you are eating, eating a more nutritious product, having a place to recycle your scraps (even dairy and meat scraps), not having to spend money on toxic pest and weed control chemicals, and having dropings that enrich the garden. Having a small flock of hens has incredible value!

ALK

You really need to do some research. On All animals that are kept as pets and licenses and procedures before a dog or cat or nay other animal can be adopted from a shelter.

ALK

How many people with Chickens in their backyards have licenses or been inspected

ALK

I've been reading but obviously you haven't. Go feed you chickens

ALK
Best you can do is name call huh

Actually, allowing backyard hens has the potential to help our local businesses. Bloomberg T. V. reported My Pet Chicken had a 300% 3 year revenue increase in todays economy.

I think you have to look at the overall picture ALK. Is your peace of quiet and "smell" any less important the your fellow man? You want to have a dog, a hen a sheep, a cow-- no problem as long as it does not interfere with my life. Just common courtesy. The stink from those coups are unbearable and will keep you inside. I know, a friend of mine has them. For those who do not like cigar smoke, imagine your neighbor having a cigar ALL DAY right next to your property. I do not think you would be so happy.

What's with you ppl who use the fact that dogs are noisier as a reason we should allow hens? One has nothing to do with the other. If anything, your complaints about inconsiderate neighbors should show you that many animal owners are very rude and self-absorbed. They don't care if their animal is annoying you.

Ellen, the reason I brought up dogs (ha hah @ "you people") is because anyone can own a dog, or 2 or 3, without any education on how to properly care for a dog. There is no one to truly hold these people accountable for their actions if they neglect their duties as a pet owner. The people who apply for a special permit from their local government to own hens really want hens. They have researched how to keep them well-cared for, and if they cannot maintain this level of care, the local governemnt who supplied them with a permit can take that away. These people don't want to buy chickens as training on responsiblity before having kids, or because little chicks are super cute, or because their children beg and plead to own a chicken for their birthday or christmas -- they are educated, want the best nutrition for their families, and are committed. They are also respectful of their neighbors. Obviously, there are plenty of dog owners that are the same, but no one needs a permit to own a dog, even though dogs can be more intrusive than hens. Does that make more sense to you? I'm guessing that even if it did, you wouldn't admit it.

Lucas...really? All people who own cats, dogs, rabbits, etc. adopt them from shelters and get licenses? Not true at all. You can obtain and keep dogs and cats without going through the proper channels. And those animals in shelters...why do you think they are there in the first place? THINK!

Uh...Lucas, that is the whole point of this article and poll. Have you been reading it, or are you just inserting your comments at random?

Lucas, that was cute! :) Go live in your continued state of ignorance!

ALK. I don't think this poll is about a few ppl applying for special permits. I think it's about removing the ban - so, no, your arguement doesn't make sense.

But, in regard to special permits, why should some ppl be allowed to have them and others not? And, in Palatine ppl are saying that the fact that one neighbor objects shouldn't be a reason to deny a permit. Of course it should. We agree to the laws, rules and regulations where we purchase and a home. Why should those rules be changed for someone who thinks they just can't live without fresh eggs when even one neighbor is opposed?

I will always object to this because I have allergies which prevent me from moving to a cheaper home in the country. I don't want to have to breathe the chicken poop or feathers. I know there are already geese pooping all over the place - but that doesn't mean I want to add to all the crap in the air.

Ellen, I just found this and found it quite interesting. However, keep in mind we are only talking about adding a small amount of hens.
http://news.yahoo.com/video/abc-children-raised-farms-develop-080000120.html

This is not just about fresh eggs. There is a bigger picture: the ability to eliminate toxic chemicals used for pest and weed control (these same chemicals are known to cause cancer, neurological disorders, auto-immune disorders and asthma), chicken manure replenishes the depleted soil (I won't have to go to the store to buy the manure if I have my own hens), fresh and more nutritious eggs (good nutrition is at the foundation of good health and frankly, there is nothing like a fresh egg.), ethical and humane treatment of animals, decreasing the need for factory farms which are poisoning the environment and opening the door to more antibiotic resistant super bugs like MRSA and VRE.

I would also like to reflect on comments about where people purchase their homes. I've lived here all my life. Palatine did have chickens and even horse farms. So really, I'm guessing most concerned about changing Palatine moved into my neighborhood. I'm not afraid of progress and I enjoy much of what our town has to offer. However, a small amout of people who have chickens is not going to have a negative impact on your health or home values. In fact, the addition of hen friendly ordinances will probablly improve them both.

Ellen -- I am sorry to hear about your allergies. I have children with severe allergies and asthma too, so I know how difficult that can be. Are your neighbors planning on building chicken coops if Palatine approves this? If yes, that would be a valid reason for possibly denying a permit depending on location/distance from your property. If no, I doubt your neighbors ever would. It is a huge committment that many people either are not interested in or are not even aware of -- too many of us are disconnected to where our food in grocery stores comes from and how it is grown/produced. I don't really think you have anything to worry about in that case. I can't do this myself because of my own children, but I don't want to prevent others as long as they are respectful of the people living near them. Many of the other arguments I have read against backyard hens have not been about allergies, but instead have been about property values, noise, and smell.

Ellen, I have had asthma and bad allergies my whole life....an outdoor chicken coop won't be a problem. I am severely allergic to dogs and cats, being outdoors has never been an issue, even in close proximity. Your allergies should not prevent a neighbor from having dogs, cats, or chicken. Are you going to suggest cutting trees down or remove flowers/grass due to pollen? Be realistic here.

I'm getting dizzy trying to follow some of the twisted "logic" here. I'm allergic to animal poop of all kinds. I can't drive thru farm country without becoming ill. I don't deny that chemicals are potentially bad for us but the cancers that develope, if they do at all, take decades while I become very sick immediately to being around snimsl poop (which you call manuer). This includes dogs and cats but ppl are required to pick up this poop on the spot and trash it - not pur it on their lawn and call it ferilizer.

As for cutting down trees because they cause allergies, you are being ridiculous. But, I wouldn't buy a house next to a house with flowering trees and I would ask my neighbors not to plant such trees - but, from my experience, neighbors will do what they please regardless of how much pain it causes someone else. Poeple think they have the right to their own land as well as whatever goes into the air over mine.

I want sheep, pigs, cows and rabbits in my yard

No you do not.
This is America, land of taking your rights.

"We fundamentally have a right to grow and foster our own food."

If only that statement was true, but it's not in many places and especially true in Illinois.

If there are ordinances that prohibit growing veggies in your front yard, grow them in your back yard and/or get a garden plot.

Not everybody has a backyard, Ellen. And cities that prohibit front yard gardens tend not to have community garden plots available either.

Are you suggesting that we stop giving struggling families food stamps and just give them some hens and a coop instead?

Actually Craig they ARE domesticated animals, (as are sheep; goats; hogs and cattle). You probably meant that they are not house-pets. But keeping hens as house pets is not the question.

Kate, I think you misunderstand what I said. I am 100% pro owning chickens and growing our own food. I am also 100% pro gun rights as well. Illinois is fast becoming a nanny state if not already one.

There are 7, sometimes 8 people living in our house. We easily go through 2.5 to 4 dozen eggs per week. Having 6-8 hens is our ideal number of birds to keep our family fed with good, healthy eggs.

Having a view point is one thing. Using terms like "you people" and assuming everyone wants to drive themselves to a farmers market every time they want a farm fresh egg is just ridiculous. Ellen, do me a favor and just try and think from other peoples perspective before your ask a dumbass question and smack a bunch of question marks next to it like it will make it more valid! People who talk like you flat out bother me.

Rob, if they were allowed, they would likely only allow 4 per family. Any idea what it costs to keep hens fed and in good health. Or, do you just make chicken soup when they get sick?

Please enlighten us, Ellen. You seem to have done much research...

What research tells you they would likely allow only 4 per family?

Coyotes serve a purpose. I would much rather have the "yotes" around getting rid of the sick and diseased critters than "dealing" with them if that means getting rid of them. The people that own the small dogs need to just be cautious and know that coyotes will snatch them up if given the chance. If you are advocating getting rid of coyotes, then you really need to educate yourself on them. They are not "nuisance predators" and very much have a role in productive Ecosystem.

Patricia, are you sure that is why those shops went away? A friend of mine owns Capital Poultry in Detroit and you can still go get a bird for dinner there. I think it is more a case of Big Ag taking over small businesses through economies of scale (and the consequential impact of factory farming on both animals and humans). People are beginning to wake up to the economic and health implications of Big Ag and they want to be closer to their food sources. This is a good thing. It promotes healthier food, responsibility, connection with nature, compassion, etc. We are not talking about yards with 50 chickens in them. We are talking about a small number of hens to provide eggs for a family. They are quieter than dogs :)

Anything can promote a smell or disease is not taken care of properly - Dogs and Cats can be disgusting if you don't care for them. People can be as well.

Patricia, I'm not sure what made you think those types of places aren't allowed anymore (maybe they were for a while?), but many pick your animal live places are running successfully in Chicago. They also don't appear to be bothering anybody from what I've seen.

Actually Patricia there is an entire community of chicken enthusiasts out there who take very good care of their chickens. Yes, they do take these pets to the vet.

Most, if not all of the ordinances that allow chickens put limits on the amount and prohibit roosters.

Patricia, Why would one need a rooster. A hen will lay an egg without ever seeing a rooster. A rooster is only needed to fertilize a egg so a baby chick can grow.

Actually Moe, I can't answer your question. I do know, how ever that any of those things you mentioned would have to be out in rural areas. I know that around where I live that if I were to attempt to "hunt" anything including coyotes, and let's not forget the over population of deer, my neighbors would be calling the law on me in a heartbeat. I'm not saying that in some places coyotes can't become a problem, what I am saying is that in my 30 years of living where I do in unincorporated Grayslake/Lake County, I have never once had issues with a coyote. I have had my redbone coonhound have several standoffs with one in the backyard half a dozen times but all in all, my opinion is that I would rather have coyotes around thinning out the real problem animals including the cats that people tend to dump around this area that do become a problem. I'm an avid hunter and I wouldn't hunt coyotes if someone paid me.

But, here's a link for you that explains the benefits better than I can.

http://www.nps.gov/rocr/naturescience/coyotefaq.htm

Maybe coyotes wouldnt be such a problem if we would stop building strip malls and houses that no one can buy on their habitat? Why not move in to the existing houses or the existing empty store fronts?

There is an entire shopping center with 2 large Walmart type buildings and at least 15 strip mall store fronts EMPTY but for a Big Lots, Gamestop, and party store (there are probably 3 other stores I cant remember the names of) on Route 14 in Crystal Lake and yet they are building more. Why? I can remember when I moved out here and Randall Road was farm fields and wooded areas. Where exactly did the animals that lived there go now that it is like a 6-8 mile long Super Mall?

The only ones to blame for "nuisance" coyotes is people.

And for the record I have never seen or been bothered by a coyote and we have dogs and cats and I put out bird seed and peanuts and vegetables for the rabbits and squirrels.

I would hope so too. **applaud**

CJM ,yes hens should be allowed in Grayslake. I know a few people in Grayslake that are keeping then in there backyard right know. You do not need a rooster to get eggs, they are fun for the family to watch and care for. We even have a feed store that makes its own chicken feed on sight. I have started a petition on-line "Grayslake IL should allow backyard chickens (Hens for eggs)" you can Google it if you like. Grayslake is a farming community and should allow hens for your backyard.

@Moe - I couldnt tell if you were being sarcastic or not but I previously posted "Rebecca Ward

3:33 pm on Sunday, January 13, 2013

At the Farmers Market in Crystal Lake (during the warm months) it is $4 a dozen - love those eggs! I would love to have chickens - if I could get my husband to like the idea. He grew up with them and says they are more work then he wants to deal with :( "

So yes I think people should be allowed to have chickens if they care for them properly.

Moe, thanks... I know there's hunting here in Lake County. I hear the hunters getting after those geese all the time west of here and I am envious of it. As for as a bow and arrow... well that's the one thing I've never been able to master. Have tried it on and off through the years and it was never my cup of tea.

Farmers down there may have problems with the yotes and I won't say they are killing them without foundation. My brother raised cattle in OK. some years back and the coyotes would go after new born calves from time to time. Actually they were after the afterbirth but sometimes they would get in a frenzy and the calf would just be there. In that case, yes, we did pick them off.

I am referring to this area here. Being we aren't allowed to raise chickens, the coyotes here do serve a purpose. What few little dogs they get in the process is just that, few in comparison to the good they do. Different areas are going to dictate different reactions.

Do they have feral hog problems downstate yet? I go to visit family and friends in La. and Texas every year and we have a field day killing feral hogs. Those things are really the problem... big time.

If you reply, it may be later before I can respond.... about to get off this thing for a bit.

Unfortunately Rob, you can't fix stupid. If we can't have hens in our backyards, I want all bars to be removed from Palatine. Tired of the loud drunks throwing their trash in my yard. Then all cats and dogs need to go. Dog crap in my front yard, cats killing things and leaving the husks in my back yard...tired of it. Are we allowed to shoot squirrels? Those pesty little things have chewed the wires on my Christmas lights, they eat my garden veggies, and are potential disease carriers. We need to eradicate all squirrels in Palatine.

Sorry. was general information and not intended to customize for every place. Bottom line is, if you have yote issues in your area, kill them. I have no issue with them, so leave them alone. Regardless... there won't be anyone making any kind of dent in them any time soon,

I disagree on the pheasant issue. I say that land development has more to do with that than coyotes.
I use to live off of Aptakistic Rd. about a half mile from Milwaukee years ago. Where all those corporate buildings are now.. we use to hunt pheasants and there was no shortage of them. Then came the development and there went the pheasant.

I don't hunt in Illinois any longer. I was born and raised in SW La. and go back there, as well as Texas to do my hunting. Deer, duck, goose, dove and feral hogs.

We just see things a bit different Moe on the coyote issue. If killing them is your cup of tea... no problem by me... I just don't see that they are a problem.

Me too! I am confident the towns will eventually see the evidence for what it is and realize this is the right thing to do. Too much time and energy has gone into saying no. It's time each town sits down and plans out and acceptable hen friendly ordinance. This issue is not going away. I will continue to work towards a hen friendly town.

Yep. I lived in that area in the mid 70s through about 82. I use to hunt on the south side of Aptakisic as well as on the north side but west side of the quarry there on the corner. When they started filling in the quarry, I was sad. There use to be some very large bass in that quarry. I haven't been down in that area very much and the last time I saw it, I couldn't recognize much of anything anymore.

amen!!

Jim, this kind of visualization is so far from the actual practice of hen keeping these days. If it was so dirty and backwards upscale stores like Nieman Marcus and William Sonoma would not be selling chicken coops. By the way, the coops are pretty darn classy.

Jim,
Do you have a real concern here? If so, maybe we can answer it.
Don

So true. Chickens LOVE to eat Japanese beetles and Box Elder bugs.

I'm sure many ppl would prefer to have hens next door than to deal with barking dogs - but this isn't an either/or situation. Allowing hens will not get rid of the dogs and will just give the dogs one more thing to bark at.

I just want to share a bit of knowledge with you. The coyote diet is made up of 42% rodents. People have bird feeders everywhere. Every Halloween we carve out pumpkins and put up corn stalks...and yes, those attract rodents. According to the lead invesitgator of the largest coyote study ever completed, a coyote is going to seek out a meal by bird feeder long before it even attempts a chicken in the urban setting.

Apparently the point went way over your head Gina. If you want to raise farm animals; buy a farm. I'd love to know where all my food comes from, but for several reasons I choose to live in a residential area where we don't have people raising chickens, cows, pigs, etc. and I know that if I really want to source my food from somewhere other than the local Dominick's there actually are a lot of great choices around which are cheaper than raising or growing my own. I grew up in a rural area and I respect those who choose to raise some portion of their diet themselves but even in that community the farm animals were kept on the farm and not in the towns and the small residential areas around us. Of course you can cite a few cases of how good it is, but the simple fact is people buy their homes in certain areas due to a variety of factors (not just the myths you would hope to dispel) including the zoning and some restrictions on what can, and can't be done in that neighborhood and how that may affect the value of their purchase or how they perceive their quality of life. I'm sure you have a myriad of reasons or excuses how a few chickens won't really affect that but their choices on where to live, and why, are valid none the less, and if someone decides that raising any sort of farm animal is that important to them and their diet, then let them make the effort instead to move to an area where it is allowed and the decision wasn't already made to restrict it.

Although we don't live near you, we have threat from both coyote and mountain lions. They don't bother our birds, though because the amount of trash provides these opportunistic predators with more food than they could ever desire. I'm sure your setting is quite similar.

Craig, no reason to be rude to Gina. Comments like "the point went way over your head" are inappropriate and aren't helpful to a meaningful conversation.

I am also sorry you had such a bad childhood experience. If the practice of backyard hens was such a negative thing, there would not be so many towns creating backyard hen ordinances. I invite you to attend the Mad City Chickens free movie screening coming up on February 8 at 7pm 1025 N. Smith Street in Palatine. I do hope we can alleviate some of the myths and concerns.

Cost vs. benefit is a short term loss of just under a year. Once you've done the initial setup, you come out ahead in net benefits, including improved health from not eating factory farm bird eggs.

Jim, your comment re size of the yard actually isn't true.

I highly doubt a chicken will fly over the fence to visit your garden and tear out your plants. Sounds like you need a giant plastic bubble to live in.

If the chicken flies into your yard, enjoy some free chicken soup!

Ellen

if Chicken flies in my yard the raccoons get first dibs

Jim, you sound like you have some authority on this subject. How many chickens do you have? How high do they usually fly? What breed of chickens/ducks did you raise as a child?

Growing up, we butchered our own chickens. Actually it was what we did every Saturday for the upcoming week. Old hens or hens that no longer lay eggs are excellent for stewing hens and gumbo. I am by no means saying that this is everyone's cup of tea and people other than myself I wouldn't be able to say where to go.

CSA is the way to go you get the eggs you want and send a message to the large egg farms that they need to change.

Dump them at the forest preserve when they stop laying?

Why dumb them Ellen Chickens make a fine meal? Lots of reipes on internet try google for search

Really? Let them loose? Where are you from?

I have the receipts from "buying, feeding, raising" my hens and I still want to do it.

What is your next question?

Buy a coop with a heater or keep in your spare bedroom

An insulated coop kept from allowing wind to gain entry through the floor or walls will conquer 90% of the problem. Chickens have built-in insulation and fluff their feathers to create insulating air spaces. The "comb" on the head is the most vulnerable part, but the moisture on it that can lead to frostbite can be vanquished by putting a bit of Vaseline on the comb. During truly bad cold snaps, placing a couple of lights in the coop (40-75 watts), will help raise its temperature. Heating coils are generally not recommended unless you put safeguards in place to ensure the chickens don't get too warm and that there is no risk of a fire.

Hens do fine in the winter and are prevalent in Alaska. God has provided them with a coat of winter feathers. My experience in the midwest has hens hiding in the shade even on the coldest days.

http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/benefits-freerange-chicken-3109.html

Good article if you raising Chicken to Eat

It's actually because they're molting. That's why factory farms kill the hens at 18 months, when winter comes and they stop laying. It's wasteful to do so since the hens will start laying again when temperatures rise. Some folks put a light on a timer in the coop to generate a little more warmth and to simulate longer daylight hours to keep their hens laying a bit longer. It doesn't harm the hens and increases your egg inventory in the winter.

For technical information on raising backyard hens, see http://www.backyardchickens.com

Scientifically, it has to do with the amount of time their eyes are exposed to sunlight. We can influence our hens laying patterns with artificial light. Their internal clocks are set to not lay during short days.

Thanks

Just seems a lot of people posting think all you have to do is go out and pick up the eggs

Nice web sit Tim

I really appreciate the work you are doing and the quality of your product. However, I want more than just the egg. I want the natural pest control and the beneficial fertilizer, amongst other things. If I'm up in your area ever, I'll be sure to stop by.

Wondering why so many ppl who are so concerned with sustainability are talking about driving to the grocery store. I would think they would be out there biking to stores like I am. Not so sure I could bike all the way to frillmanfarms though.

Automobile with a nice heater is best way to go. Most Bikers are clueless and cause traffic problems

The educational value for children in this regard would be a great added value that needs to be considered.

Tim I can not aggree with you more. When it's -20 Deg., and 2 foot of snow on the ground how willing are you going to be about caring for you back yard hens? Same goes for when it's 100 Deg. and 90% humidity.

since the local grocery has a variety of egg type and brand I'll just get them on occasion when I need to bake

Tim,
I am not sure that I understand your position - possibly confused by your blatant use of this forum as an advertising platform. Why exactly do you think Palatine should disallow backyard chicken coops?
Don

Margie,
It seems to me that there are more posts like this than viable opposing arguments - thank you!
Don

Not everyone who is bothered by something will voice their objections. Some ppl will just put up with it but hate it.

If Cook County gets involved, expect a license fee. Biggest crooks in the nation.

Most local communities have animal licenses. Cook County doesn't have one

No, I won't. If I wanted to live around farm animals, I would have bought a place in the country. I paid more to live where I live so I don't have to deal with farm animals.

No shock there, Don.

Ellen, some courts recently, and many dictionaries, have defined dogs as livestock. So, I have news for you - you do live next to "farm animals" already. What you don't live next to is a farm. And a few backyard hens isn't remotely equivalent to a farm.

Unfortunately, it looks like a matter of irreconcilable differences here.

Ellen, I hope that whatever outcome happens does not take away from the enjoyment of your property.

Vanessa, Good luck with your efforts.

God bless you all and may he grant wisdom to the authorities. This will be my final post,
Don

Don, thanks for acknowledging that someone can have a different opinion.

If my next door neighbors had hens I would be foreced to move. I would also not move into a neighborhood where they were allowed. I don't think I'm the only one, even though I feel very lonely on this thread.

Well said Rob. A fundamental difference between people these days; stick your hand out to help each other out, or stick your hand out and expect the government to provide.

The would be a lot more peace in the world if people would ask their neighbors how they would feel about something like this BEFORE doing it.

That's the whole point of buying property Ellen, so that you don't have to ask your neighbor what you can or can't do on your own piece of land. In places where hens are legal, sure, it couldn't hurt to give your adjacent property owners a neighborly FYI. But what you don't have to do is ask how they feel about it and essentially seek permission from them. Regardless of how they feel, ultimately it's your property and if you are following the laws you don't need to ask your neighbors if it's okay.

Vanessa, precisely why I want to keep this illegal. You make my point that neighbors don't care how what they are doing effects others.

My point is not that people don't care about how what they do effects their neighbors. I don't believe owning a few hens with some proper regulations in place would effect anybody's neighbors negatively. Nobody asks their neighbor how they feel about them getting a dog or a cat. That would be ridiculous. I realize you think that hens are inherently different than cats or dogs and would effect a neighbor, and obviously you realize that I disagree with you completely. Oh well, I guess all we can say is that hopefully we never end up living next to one another.

Rob, you really don't believe that ppl on welfare could afford the initial costs of setting up chicken coops, do you? And certainly they would be able to take their sick chickens to a vet.

Eggs are such a small portion of my grocery bill - and not exaclty something I consider to be very healthy eating.

Let the welfare ppl grow all the veggies they want - oh yes, they already have that right.

They work for all of us and I say zero is a good number.

I have dogs and I am required to pick up their poop immediately. I don't think anyone is following chickens around to clean up each time they poop. So, as far as I'm concerned they are farm animals. Don't much care about your definition.

Not likely that gardening is under attack. Perhaps the places where ppl decide to garden. If the town, city or village where they live doesn't allow gardenning in their front yard then perhaps that is because most ppl don't like it.

And, as much as I hate to generlaize, ppl on welfare should be spending their time out looking for work, not staying home playing with chickens. And, I don't think welfare gives ppl enough money for them to be owning their home / property either. I think this is just being used as an excuse.

Understood, Tim.
I totally respect your livelihood. I grew up in the country and have been raising chickens off and on for almost 40 years - I remember selling them for 10 cents a dozen. I know what farming is like. Good luck with your business. I will stop by and give my support next time I am around.

I would just ask that we don't take anything away from the endeavors of these who are already raising flocks responsibly - and are simply asking to be allowed to continue legally.

Don

As pointed out once before Tim, you have a conflict of interest here. Back in August when I first pointed this out, I suggested you put together some educational classes for new time chicken keepers or for those considering the practice. Have you done that? Seems like that would be an ethical way of handling the situation rather than insulting the intelligence of others.

Not being able to have fresh eggs every day is NOT what I would consider a real problem.

The key to your point here is that responsible owners should be able to keep chickens in their yard. If the owners don't maintain a clean and healthy environment, then the appropriate health code will kick in and resolve the issue one way or another. To predetermine if someone is able to keep chicken in their yard is wrong, we should have that right to begin with. Perhaps lose that right if the code is violated.

Hard enough finding rentals that allow dogs and cars. Gonna be even harder to find rentals that allow hens - especially when some ppl are saying you can put them in a spare bedroom in the winter to keep them warm.

As far as "banking" welfare checks to save up for equipment and vet bills, how much money do you think ppl on welfare are getting? Perhaps you're confusing them with ppl on disability or unemployment?

Perhaps we should extend this further then Hens. Include some other farm animals for our food.

Now you're talking about Chicken Little???

Denise, if my town ever lets me have chickens, I will give you some fertilizer. :-)

Denise, Nice that you can allow children to run thru YOUR property. But, why judge someone who doesn't want children running thru THEIR property? Not always, but often, when you get older, things that didn't bother you can start irritating you. Maybe I don't wnat your children running thru MY yard because it makes my dogs nervous or it wakes my grandchildren from their nap. Communitites are not made up of all like-minded ppl. They are made up of a variety of individuals with different needs who should be trying to get along with each other and not proclaiming they should be able to do whatever they want on THEIR property no matter how it makes their neighbors feel.

Jeffrey, I've already stated above that I have dogs. But that doesn't mean that I like dogs that bark at everything that moves. And it doesn't mean I like ppl who encourage their dogs to bark at ppl.

Chciago Food Guy, You show how selfish and self absorbed the hen fanatics are. You can't tolerate disagreement without insulting ppl. For now, there is a ban on backyard hens where I live. I didn't put that ban into effect so I know I'm not alone in not wanting the farm to come back to my village. And you, apparently are one of those ppl who thinks you have a right to make all the noise you want on YOUR property not matter how far that sound travels. You are the selfish one, King Chicago Food Guy.

Well, when/if the sky starts falling, maybe I'll change my mind. But, at that point, I think some ppl are just going to be stealing other ppl's chickens anyway to survive.

With my privacy fence I don't see neighbors anyway

The people have NOT spoken. This is a very unscientific poll of a few ppl who bother to read The Patch. Get a grip! Patch polls don't change ordinances.

Spam spam spam - flag as inapproariate

Spam spam spam - flag as inappropriate...........

Tim, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about things. I'm not a naysayer at all, but I don't appreciate your disrespect. YOU have an opportunity to help a "cause" and it looks like your help may have been requested, but instead you use this to advance yourself. I was actually considering your business until I saw your character. I'll stick with the people I normally go through -- and they are local, care about the environment, and promote themselves the right way. I've only seen you use this forum for self-promotion through putting others down, and then turn around and ask for handouts. Boo on you!

I stopped by Tim's place this afternoon and was impressed at his operation. Tim is a very serious young man who has an 8 acre operation. My 8 year old grandson was fascinated with the Arcuna chickens. His flock of current layers were happy, active hens with bright combs, (they were not quite so happy when a hawk flew over... chickens are not stupid).

I picked up a dozen of nice, large brown-shelled eggs before I left, (I believe I got his last dozen from today).

There is a good possibility that we will be doing an instructional video on chickens later in the spring, excerpts of which will be seen at http://homespun-wisdom.com probably in March or April.

If the village approves hens, you could do a lot worse than learn from young Tim who seems willing to share his expertise while trying to make a living.

"Grandpa" Pat Craig
http://homespun-wisdom.com
Use it up; wear it out; make it do or do without

Nothing of any substance here......Who the heck are you?

Makes me want to lay and Egg