SALEM, OREGON – The urban chicken movement reflects a growing uneasiness among city dwellers who have come to rely, perhaps too heavily, on outside resources. As we become increasingly troubled by the economy, the environment, food safety, animal welfare and emergency preparedness, many of us strive to become more self-reliant. Now learning what our grandparents understood, we are gardening, canning food and raising chickens for eggs – activities that provide a sense of security and relaxation in an urban setting. There can be obstacles to living a more sustainable life, however.
SIDEBAR:
Changing the Chicken Laws in the City
My husband and I spent three years turning our backyard into a permaculture system where everything works in harmony and little is wasted. It began with a vegetable garden. Soon, we were digging up lawn to make room for a second garden, then some fruit trees and berry bushes. Next, we installed a small greenhouse and a composter. Things were coming together, but there was one thing missing – chickens.
When we looked into the legality of keeping chickens, we discovered they are not specifically mentioned in the city code. Instead, there’s a list of “approved land uses,” which include raising a 100-pound potbelly pig. A different section of the code prohibits “livestock” in the city. Later, we discovered the city’s definition of livestock includes poultry, but we weren’t worried because it also includes “all species of swine,” yet pigs are permitted. We reasoned that if you can have a pig, then certainly it would be OK to have a few harmless little hens. Because Salem’s ordinance was vague, confusing and contradictory, we gave ourselves permission to build the chicken coop.
Soon, half the yard remained traditional lawn and flower beds, and the rest had been converted into a productive ecosystem that would sustain us, while saving money and resources. My girls had just begun to lay beautiful eggs when the unthinkable happened.
Illegal?
In August 2008, I was shocked to discover a code compliance officer at my door. A neighbor had seen my chickens while working on his roof. It wasn’t about noise or smell. He just saw them. I refused to give up my pets without a fight.
Surely, I could reason with the people who make the rules. After all, the government should work for the people, and we were in line with what the city was promoting – community gardens, sustainability, recycling and natural pest control.
With my four hens in foster care, I devoted the next six months to researching the subject of urban chicken keeping and formed a group called Chickens In The Yard (C.I.T.Y.). We discovered cities like Portland, Seattle, Denver and New York already allow a limited number of egg-laying hens, and many more were joining the urban chicken movement weekly.
We prepared a 60-page informational packet for our city council that addressed every possible concern and included written testimony from officials in chicken-friendly cities describing how hens have benefited their communities.
The nine months of grueling deliberations that followed were unexpected. Others must have been surprised, too, because the Salem chicken issue landed on the cover of The Wall Street Journal. Despite the national spotlight, a positive recommendation by city staff, overwhelming community support, and the endorsement of 12 of Salem’s 19 neighborhood associations, the majority of our elected officials voted against the proposed ordinance in October 2009.
In the national spotlight
As word of our plight spread, more people began to contact us for advice, largely due to the media attention we received and the thorough research packet for which we have become known. With so many inquiries, we produced a documentary about our struggle to join the urban chicken movement so that others can learn from our experiences. The film’s primary purpose is to educate, raise awareness and dispel some of the chicken-keeping myths. We also created a website, Chicken Revolution (www.Chicken-Revolution.com), dedicated to helping people who want to change their city ordinances.
We may have lost the battle here in Salem, but we are winning the war nationwide by helping others convince their public officials to do what we have not (yet) accomplished. While awaiting the results of this year’s election, and hoping for more pro-chicken council members, we have turned our attention elsewhere. Most recently, two other Oregon cities, Forest Grove and Gresham, passed chicken ordinances using our research. It’s a good feeling to know we’ve helped families in Oregon, North Carolina, New Jersey, Minnesota and Kansas enjoy chickens in their yards.
Today, there is a thriving community of what we call the chicken underground. These otherwise law-abiding citizens keep hens because they believe the benefits of fresh, homegrown eggs outweigh the risks. Chickens are delightful pets with hilarious antics and personalities that many people enjoy. They will continue to raise urban hens illegally and look forward to the day they are no longer considered outlaws.
What began as a humble attempt to regain custody of my pet hens grew into something I never could have imagined. In the beginning, I was known as “the Chicken Lady,” but after months of struggling for the right to raise backyard chickens and with no end in sight, my husband began to call me “the Che Guevara of the Chicken Liberation Front.” Eventually, friend and fellow C.I.T.Y. member Nannette Duryea Martin brought that image to life by creating our new logo, “Che Chicken,” and the Chicken Revolution was hatched. Living a more sustainable life shouldn’t require a revolution, but in cities where elected representatives are more reluctant, that’s what happens.
I never dreamed when I picked up my baby peeps at the feed store that it would lead me to become a political activist, public speaker and, now, a documentary filmmaker. In spite of the difficulty of having to temporarily give up my own chickens, I find solace in knowing I have made a difference in other communities around our nation. Along the way I’ve made a lot of good friends and discovered that “chicken people” are some of the most down-to-earth, genuine people I’ve ever met. I’m honored to be among them.
Originally Published: May/June 2010
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Thanks for the article. I, too, can not get my City Council to agree to allow us to have chickens...in a small rural city in NE Wisconsin. I used to live in NE Portland, where we enjoyed our 4 funny and valuable pest controllers and egg developers. Archer.
Hi from Joplin Missouri and I have lots of chickens. I live outside the city but we still have trouble. People just let thier dogs run free. Therefore I had to fence in my chicken run. I really wanted free range on my 3 acres but the neighbors dogs will kill them. I think no matter where you are people should be able to keep at least some hens. They are great to have and fun pets. Plus the eggs are delicious. We are in a world that is trying to be more humane. What great way by not supporting the egg industry. It's horrific how they are kept. That's what got me to get chickens. I could not stand the idea that my eggs come from chickens that are kept like prisoners. Hurting and not cared for. We need to allow anyone with a yard to have chickens. It should be our right to have healthy eggs for a healthy lifestyle.
Our small town just passed an ordinance ALLOWING up to 18 chickens - hens only - in the backyard. I'm happy - because I already had five girls roaming my fenced yard. When one of our girls was suddenly a rooster, we found a farm for him so we would not harass our neighbors. I'm happy to live in a chicken-loving town, where people wear their "Mother Hen" t-shirts proudly.
Hello from Topeka, Kansas. I also ran afoul of the law (no pun intended) with chickens in the backyard. In the Topeka City Ordinance, it is called 'chicken at large'. My neighbor and I both had chickens, maintained them in a quiet, peaceful neighborhood and minded our own business. UNTIL, new people moved in down the street with pit bulls. Their dog ran wild and killed two of my neighbor's chickens and one of mine. THEN the dog catcher shows up. My neighbor was given a hefty fine ($400.00); I was not fined but given strict instructions as to how close in feet the 'girls' had to be from an occupied dwelling. They could not free range, even in my own backyard. The reason, I believe, that I was not ticketed was I spoke with the dog officer and explained that the girl's 'mission' in life was to provide eggs for the Homeless Shelter here. I do this through my Catholic Church outreach. The neighbors helped me convert my garage into their new home. I am hoping to be able to construct a coop and pen this spring/summer. I love my peaceful, loving 'girls'. You are correct, folks do not appreciate that each hen has her own personality and traits. They are one of God's blessings for me. I laugh when I see my St Bernard lie down with Orla, a black Australorp!
In our state very few cities, towns or villages disallow chickens.Even the largest city, Albuquerque allows a limited amount. In our Northern New Mexican village when they redid the zoning laws they allowed cottage industry throughout the town, and this allowed small livestock businesses. I remember My Uncle lived in a suburb of Chicago in the 50's and 60's that wouldn't even allow fences, flower gardens or vegetable gardens--just lawns. What a waste of good midwestern soil!
I don't have a problem with hens; it's the roosters that drive me crazy crowing. I live in suburbia, and the rooster owned by the neighbors directly behind me crows from 3 a.m. until dark. For those of us who cherish peace and quiet, this is not a good thing. I'm sure these neighbors enjoy their fresh eggs, but it sure seems they don't care much about others' enjoyment of a no-crow living environment. I'd speak to them about it, except they do not speak English, and I don't speak Spanish.
because chickens are outlawed, only outlaws have chickens! (OK, so it's cheesy but true!) I can't have them here but since my neighbors seem to be OK with the honey & veggies I give them, somehow I'm hoping they won't rat me out once the eggs start flowing. :) I would LOVE to be able to get the tides turned here, a suburb of Denver where Chickens are NOT allowed.
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I got two ladies for free and have had them all summer. They are fun to watch over a cup of coffee in the morning when I let them out. You go girl and I hope someone in your city gets their head out of their rear ends and lets you get you ladies back. ROCK ON
that is why I do not likd HOA's. I am going to pick up two young ladies that are already laying and a free chicken house for that reason.
As impressed as I am and as much praise as I have for your work towards freedom of/to raise chickens, I don't know that I would be as pleased as you clearly are at being compared to Che - to the point of using him as inspiration for your logo. And I really don't think that labeling it that way will win those in power to your side, especially if they know the true history of Che, which based on your use and reference, clearly don't. Again, this isn't put out there as a criticism of your work, as I am having to get a special variance for my chickens on my land in Kansas of all places. But, I do think that if you are going to use someone as inspiration for your logo,etc that you should have all the information on that person/movement. http://tinyurl.com/34hr8dg (some information on Che, I encourage everyone to do the research and find original sources)
I live in michigan and got chickens fOr the first time this easter. I just meet a lady that was thinking of sellin her hen house because her city tols her she had to get rid of them,she found out that Michigan has a state law called A RIGHT TO FARM ACT,it says that no city can pass any laws forbiding you from farming[having chickens]as long as you sell some or all of what you raise. isn`t it great