Get involved!

As we start to be more aware of where our food is coming from and attempt to reduce its carbon footprint, one of the movements sweeping the continent is the ‘Backyard Chicken’ craze. What could be more local than going outside to gather fresh eggs for breakfast? According to chicken lovers, chickens are easy to care for, and as well as providing eggs also eat some of our kitchen scraps, produce compost for our gardens, act as pest control, are educational and fun!

There are several cities in Canada and many on the US who now have municipal bylaws that allow the keeping of backyard chickens; Nelson is not one of them. Currently Page 7 Section 12 of the Animal Control By-Law 2333 it states that ‘No Animal or Poultry, except for a dog or cat, shall be kept or harboured within the Municipality.’ Some of the municipalities allowing chickens include New Westminster, Burnaby, Gibsons and Victoria, and their bylaws generally don’t allow roosters and have provisions for limiting the number of hens (often 6), the minimum distances from buildings (25 to 50 feet) and often the condition in which the coops must be kept.

Taking the bylaw literally, cats and dogs are the only animals allowable in city limits. What about hamsters, guinea pigs and parakeets? I have requested from the city the history behind the bylaw. It is quite possible that cows, pigs, horses, geese and chickens were treated as ‘livestock’ and ruled against at a time when Nelson wanted to go from being ‘rural’ to being ‘urban’. If that is the case then it was never specifically chickens that were banned, but farms in town.

If we were to look putting in place a bylaw that allows chickens in town, there are several concerns that would need to be addressed:

Noise – Chickens don’t make much noise. Roosters make noise. Although the presence of roosters is beneficial to a brood of chickens by keeping control and enhancing egg production, it seems obvious that they can’t be kept in town. Many people don’t know what 6 chickens sound like. If they had a chance to hear them would probably have their fears alleviated. In fact, many people would find the clucking of a small brood of chickens to be immensely comforting, and the sound of a chicken laying- nothing short of a joyful event.

Smell – So far of the random sampling that I have taken on this issue, smell seems to be the biggest concern. Many people have smelled large chicken enclosures and think that they can expect this from an enclosure with 6 chickens. Perhaps they have not had experience with such a thing. Generally, enclosures of hundreds of any creatures in which they live in close quarters will tend to be smelly. This would also be true of dogs, cats or humans, all of whom are actually legally allowed to live within the city limits.

Straying Chickens – When you put creatures inside fences sometimes they get out. Perhaps those that have seen the film ‘Chicken Run’ think that chickens are adventurous. In my own experience, the ones that fly the coop run around their own pen on the outside. The Victoria bylaw allows for wandering chickens to be impounded. ($6 impoundment fee)

Disease – Good care and attention to hygiene are generally what promotes health in any animal. Unlike their battery-farmed counterparts, backyard chickens would not live in cramped conditions and have their immune system compromised with antibiotics. There are many websites and newsletters now that give helpful tips on urban chickens, such as having specific chicken-tending footwear, minimizing the number of people having access to the hens, etc.

Cruelty or Neglect – We all know what it’s like to get enthusiastic about a new project only to let it gather dust in the corner after buying all the materials. This is my biggest concern in getting involved in trying to create an environment where city folk can legally keep chickens in their yards. When we keep animals in captivity we are responsible for their health and welfare. In taking on this project we will be doing our best to provide realistic information about what is involved in keeping chickens, and resources to help in chicken-handling. There are many free websites at this point help us with our burning chicken questions. It is important for everyone involved to realize that a bylaw allowing chickens in town would not supersede the provincial laws of the SPCA and that they could still be called upon in the event of suspected neglect or cruelty.

Some considerations for the prospective chicken owner:

Chickens need a house. They will go there by themselves at night so you probably need only close the door rather than round them up. The house needs to be raccoon and skunk proof, so it either needs a solid floor or the coop needs a wire fence dug down about a foot. Once again, the internet is an amazing resource, with free plans for chicken tractors and forums for follow-up questions.

Chickens needs food. Allowing them to forage can be beneficial as they eat bugs, but most of us city dwellers don’t have a big enough space to have a rotating chicken run and some folks may value their grass. Chicken food can be purchased, and they will eat some of our kitchen scraps that we would normally compost. There are websites that go into greater detail.

Chickens deserve love and attention. If people are thinking of chickens as egg factories I would hope that they would find a local farmer to buy their eggs from and leave the chicken-keeping to those who like their weird little chicken eyes and their funny walk. Owning chickens is a similar level of responsibility to owning a cat. Chickens are generally destined for the soup pot. Whereas if I find that my sentimentality is reserved for the poor creatures raised in battery farms whose massive steroid filled breasts are too much for their little chicken legs, many people are not accustomed to killing what they have looked after. So far, the bylaws that I have read from other towns have not really specifically addressed this

I can’t think of any other reasons not to have chickens in town. Can you?

Do you think it is a good idea? Are you interested in getting involved in this issue?

People are needed for assistance in making a presentation to city council on this issue, gauging public opinion before-hand and as experienced chicken owners could provide support for new urban farmers, if we do in fact bring in a bylaw in Nelson allowing us to keep chickens in our yards.

Please contact valsanderson@hotmail.com with any feedback that you have on the issue.