How to Get Laws Changed to Allow Pet Chickens in Your City

There are many reasons why urban people want to own pet chickens, they eat bugs, lay eggs, and make great pets. The problem is that in many cities, and towns, chickens are not allowed. The livestock industry undoubtedly is against allowing people to keep their own chickens, as well most people are rather ignorant about the advantages of keeping chickens. The first step in changing any laws or bylaws is education.

Educate Yourself About Chickens

Before you become a spokesperson for lobbying for laws to be changed to allow chickens to be kept as pets, you must learn about them. You must learn how to care for chickens, about some of the more common breeds (particularly those which make better pets), so that you are able to answer any questions that may come up.

Some simple chicken facts are:

• Hens do not require a rooster to lay eggs, and as hens are quieter, and gentler, they make better city pets anyhow.
• Hens can fly, but very poorly, often not even getting more than a few feet off the ground, a four foot fence might not contain them, but a six foot fence would (as well a shorter fence will allow dogs to jump, and attack/kill the birds.
• Chickens do need a coop (a shelter for night, and for laying). If not kept in large numbers, there is no odor.
• Chickens do best in small groups, keeping 2-6 is best, 2 - 4 being enough for most families to consider keeping as pets.
• Some breeds of hens lay more eggs than others, with most breeds you can expect 5-6 eggs a week per bird, but laying does stop when they are moulting (shedding feathers), and some do not lay in the winter.
• Hens start laying at 5 months of age and lay well for their first year, as birds get older they lay less often, but can live 10 years or more.
• Chickens require laying ration, grit, oyster shell, and can be given chicken scratch every day as a treat.
• Chickens will eat weeds, as well as insects.

Spread Awareness on Changing Laws to Allow Chickens as Pets

The next step is to get people on your side by spreading awareness as to why chickens should be allowed and to alleviate their fears that the birds may be smelly or loud.

Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Include your name, phone number, and address (to verify that you are a real person – only your name will be printed. Write 200 – 350 words (follow your newspapers guidelines for a submitting a letter they will often indicate how long a letter should be).

Start the letter saying “I am writing to encourage everyone to support a movement to allow pet chickens to be kept in our city.” Then briefly mention why, something like “In this way people can raise some of their own food, as well chickens act as natural insect control, eating ticks, slugs, grasshoppers, flies, and so forth.”. Mention that you only want to allow hens, thus there will be no noise concerns from roosters, and that suggest a maximum number of birds per house.

End your letter by instructing people to contact their local city council to show support for this initiative, include the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of each council member.

You Act Too!

You must act too, ideally on the same day you submit your letter to the newspaper, send a letter to your city council members, encouraging them to approach changing the laws. If you want to start a petition have one drawn up carefully – with the help of a lawyer. If you do have a petition, mention in your letter to the editor of the newspaper where people can find it to sign it.

You may also approach city hall and ask to be heard at a meeting. This is a good time to bring up your petition with sufficient names and signatures to show support in your area.

Don't Panic

Sometimes these laws change quick, and without a lot of work on your part, other times they drag on for months before changes are seen. Just keep spreading awareness and dropping the occasional letter to the editor to remind people to talk to their city council members. You might also want to ask around to see if any neighboring communities have adopted laws allowing pet chickens, and find out more from them how they did it.

Links on Chickens

Bantam (small) Chickens

Why Won't My Chicken Eggs Hatch?

Raising Orpington Chickens