Chickens Not Belittled

Check out this post from Salem, Oregon.

Be part of the coolest thing going in Salem: Chickens in the Yard (CITY)

Water Quality Issues

A 4-pound laying hen produces 0.0035 cu ft of manure per day whereas a 100-lb pig (the size currently allowed in the City of Salem) produces 0.109 cu ft per day. According to the FDA, an average dog generates 3/4 of a pound of manure a day that cannot be composted because of the harmful bacteria and parasites (hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms) that can infect humans. This waste is considered a major source of bacterial pollution in urban watersheds.

Dog waste contains higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than cows, chickens, or pigs and is a major contributor of excessive nutrients that flow into ground and surface waters through runoff from city sidewalks and lawns.Not only do chickens produce less waste, most people who keep chickens in the city also have a garden and therefore compost their chicken manure. If composted and added to the garden, the water quality impact would be virtually nothing. Chickens also reduce the need for pesticides because they eat bugs and weeds, further reducing the potential for water pollution.

Backyard Coops Are Attractive & Clean

Unlike commercial poultry operations or rural farms, people in the city who keep chickens as pets tend to keep them in very attractive enclosures (appendix G). In fact, they treat them like pets and tend to spoil them. They take such great pride in their pampered pets and backyard coops that they often hold annual tours to show them off. In cities like Portland, Seattle, and Madison, chicken enthusiasts participate in tours, classes, and clubs, adding fabric and educational opportunities to their communities.

Attractive and inexpensive chicken coop kits are also available on Craig's List for those who are not able to build their own.

Restrictions in our proposed ordinance amendment used wording similar to Madison’s, which requires chicken coops be attractive and well maintained.

Nuisance Issues

Odor - Chickens themselves do not smell. Any possible odor would come from feces, but 5 small hens generate less manure than one medium-sized dog. The feces are not likely to accumulate because it’s a source of free fertilizer that can be used in the garden.

According to OSU Extension Poultry Specialist, small flocks do not present an odor problem and once tilled into the soil, chicken feces no longer cause objectionable odors (appendix H). Whereas, dog and cat feces cannot be used as fertilizer or composted because of pathogens they contain that can infect humans. Therefore, dog and cat waste is more likely to accumulate and smell. Unsanitary conditions can result in a buildup of ammonia in large operations, which is why commercial poultry facilities often smell bad. This is not the case for small backyard flocks.

Noise - Hens are quiet; it's only roosters that are known for their loud crowing. Fortunately, you do not need roosters to get eggs and our proposed ordinance amendment permits up to 5 hens and absolutely no roosters. This is typical of what others cities have done. Jim Hermes, OSU Poultry Extension Specialist, states in his letter (appendix H), "As urban pets go, a barking dog is far more annoying than cackling hens."

According to the Marion County Dog Control, to lodge a valid noise complaint a dog must bark for at least 15 minutes non-stop and this must occur on three separate days within a 10-day period. A few hens are extremely unlikely to create enough noise to qualify as a valid noise nuisance using the city’s criteria.

Hens remain inside their coop, perching at night in complete silence. During the day they venture out into their enclosed pen to scratch at the ground, hunt for bugs and munch on weeds. They occasionally cluck to announce the arrival of an egg but this noise is short-lived and much quieter than barking dogs, lawn mowers, wild crows, children playing, and other common neighborhood sounds.

Pests - Chickens do not attract insects; they eat them! They love to eat all types of bugs, including those that can carry human diseases like mosquitoes and ticks. They also eat slugs that would otherwise harm garden crops, especially here in the northwest. They do not attract flies. In fact, they eat fly larvae (maggots) before they can grow up to become adult flies (appendix H).

Rodents and other animals - A chicken pen is not likely to attract rodents or wildlife unless chicken feed is spilled or not stored properly. This same thing holds true for dog or cat food (appendix H).

Code Enforcement & The City Budget

We know the city is experiencing a budget deficit, but so are its citizens! Our proposed ordinance amendment will not only save your constituents money, but it will result in fewer complaints and less cost to the city.

Eugene, a city comparable in size to Salem and where hens are allowed, received just 11 chicken-related complaints in 2008 (appendix I).

The City of Madison receives just 10 complaints a year and describes the enforcement burden as minimal (appendix I). According to our code compliance office, Salem received 29 chicken-related complaints in 2008. We believe Salem receives nearly three times as many complaints as Eugene and Madison because our current ordinance is ambiguous.