The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners at its Sept. 21 meeting will conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance change to allow chickens in all residential areas.
Commissioner Harry Johnston said while the issue has come up before, people are really clucking about it now.
"We debated it once before, and we did not really get anywhere," he said, adding the primary interest is allowing chickens for egg production, but added some people do see them as pets.
Chickens are only allowed in residential areas if the lot is two acres or larger. One chicken is allowed per acre beyond two acres.
Chief Marshal Ray Waters said the first violation results in a notification, but the second could result in a citation and a required appearance in Cherokee County Magistrate Court. The maximum sentence is a $1,000 fine and/or 60 days in jail, with the sentence determined by the judge.
Waters said backyard chickens are growing into a real problem.
"It seems like there have been more complaints now than there was at this time last year," he said.
During the board's meeting last week, Johnston threw out a suggestion of allowing six chickens on half an acre, 12 on one acre and 25 on two acres or larger.
The county staff since has recommended a flat rate of eight chickens in residential zoning, coinciding with the number of dogs that are allowed.
Sabine Yepes, owner of the TC Country Store in Macedonia which sells chicks and supplies for raising them, started a petition on Monday in support of allowing chickens on less than two acres in residential areas.
"It is a very hot topic," she said, noting the recent recall of more than one-half billion eggs by two Iowa farms following a national salmonella scare. "People want control over the type of food that they eat."
She said other benefits of keeping chickens include a decrease in bugs and the relaxing feeling you gain from raising animals.
Mrs. Yepes said if you sit out among chickens after a hard day of work, it is "very calming."
I don’t believe that I have ever been to a meeting about keeping backyard chickens where the noise issue has not been brought up at least once. I often hear people complaining about the potential early morning crow of a nearby rooster. This is a very valid point and I too would be complaining if a rooster were waking me up every morning at 4:30am, especially if I did not have to wake up until 7:00am or later. There are many advantages of keeping backyard chickens, but most urban chicken keepers want to keep backyard chickens for the benefits of having an endless supply of farm fresh eggs. Solution? You do not need a rooster to enjoy farm fresh eggs every morning. In fact, some people claim that hens will lay better if there is no rooster around to disturb their routine. In contrast from roosters, hens are very quiet and soundlessly sleep through the night. Roosters primarily have two jobs, which they do very well. They protect and fertilize. You really only need a rooster if you want baby chicks running around in the backyard. I personally still hate to see cities ban roosters all together because there are ways to keep roosters in an urban area quietly and responsibly. When towns do allow roosters they still have far more complaints about barking dogs, loud music, and loud mufflers, than they do roosters crowing. Maybe the town should ban dogs too if they are so concerned about unwanted noise!
Smell is another complaint that is often brought up when discussing chickens. Yes, chickens can smell just like dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, fish, and even people if not taken care of properly. We are not talking about a 500-foot long commercial chicken house with 80,000 chickens next door. We are talking about six to twelve laying hens in a backyard setting. There are many ways to reduce the smell of your chicken coop so it will never create a problem. You may have been raised on a farm, but there is a BIG difference. Try putting 100 people in your dining room for an extended amount of time and see the problems you will have vs. putting 6 people in your dining room. Most towns that allow chickens limit the number to 6 to 12.
If you don’t think that you have mice and rats outside your home right now, then you are living in a fantasy world. Many claim that keeping chickens will attract mice and rats and think they don’t exist until the chickens arrive. Chickens themselves don’t attract mice and rats. Mice and rats are attracted to a food and water source. A backyard chicken feeder is no different than a typical wild bird feeder when it comes to being a food source for mice and rats. A chicken waterer is no different than an outside potted plant when it comes to being a water source for mice and rats. Maybe the town should ban wild bird feeders and potted plants if they are so concerned about mice and rats!
About three years ago many were asking questions about the risks of avian influenza and keeping backyard chickens. I always refer them to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website where it addresses this issue. On the Q&A page the following is posted. Question: We have a small flock of chickens. Is it safe to keep them? Answer: 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. Have you researched lately how many diseases cats carry? Maybe the town should ban cats too if they are so concerned about disease!
Many people who oppose the keeping of backyard chickens often sound off during meetings about decreased property values if the city allows the keeping of backyard chickens. All I can say is show me the proof. No one has ever shown up at a backyard chicken meeting that I have ever attended with any valid proof that someone got $10,000 less for their home because one of their neighbors kept backyard chickens, or the town they lived in allowed backyard chickens. Show me the proof!
I often hear city officials ask the question, “How will we enforce the keeping of backyard chickens?” If you take a good look at the laws and ordinances that are already in place, I’m willing to bet there are more than enough laws and ordinances on the books right now to enforce any problems that would ever come about by an irresponsible backyard chicken keeper. For example, What if a rooster is crowing at 4:00am? What if a Dog was barking at 4:00am or a neighbor was playing loud music at 4:00am? What if a chicken gets loose in the neighborhood? What if a dog gets loose in the neighborhood? You would not have to worry about the chicken mauling a little girl to death like you would with a vicious dog! What if the chicken run starts to smell? What if a dog pen starts to smell? What if a compost bin starts to smell? What if a neighbor’s garbage starts to smell? You would address the chicken complaint just like any other complaint.
There are many advantages of keeping backyard chickens and they include, but are not limited too…
1. Fresh eggs - You know what's going into your chickens, so you know whats coming out of them.
2. Insect control - Chickens love to scratch around for insects in your backyard.
3. Composting - Chickens eat all kinds of table scraps which limits what goes to the landfill.
4. Fertilizer - Chickens make great fertilizer for your backyard garden.
5. Pets - Kids love to take care of chickens because they get breakfast from them everyday.
6. Education - Kids can learn that eggs don't just come in a carton from the grocery store.
In fact, chickens are environmentally friendly. They reduce the amount of green house gases depleting the ozone by reducing your food waste headed to the landfill. They replenish nutrients to our nutrient depleted soils. They reduce your need for chemical lawn fertilizers or pest controls and they create a local food source for families. In Pat Foreman’s book, City Chicks, she explains how towns can actually save taxpayer dollars by allowing their residents to keep a few laying hens in the backyard.
To put backyard chickens into perspective I often tell people the following. On any given day I have more dog poop in my front yard from other neighbor’s dogs then they have chicken poop in their front yard from my chickens. I have more cat prints on my car from other neighbor’s cats then they have chicken prints on their car from my chickens. And I’m awakened at 2:00am more from other neighbor’s dogs barking then they have ever been awakened at 2:00am from my sleeping hens.
Thank you,
Chicken Whisperer
This is the USA and citizens should be free to have whatever type of animal they want on their private property....so long as it's properly cared for and not allowed to wander.