Longmont residents snapping up urban chicken permits

Today marks the first day that residents of Longmont, Colorado, have been able to apply to have urban chickens legally.

Back on Feb. 24, the Longmont City Council voted to allow chickens in residential areas, limiting the number of households that can keep them to just 50 so as not to overwhelm the animal control officers.

The Longmont Times-Call reports a dozen people were waiting for the doors to open to get their $30 permit this morning and by 11am, half the 50 permits were gone.

This trial run ends Dec 31, 2010, and lets hope our friends in Longmont can keep their urban chickens above ground after that!

What's the matter, Colonel Sanders? Chicken?

Yes, I know it is ridiculous to start my first blog with a quote from a Mel Brooks movie. But it actually does speak to my situation rather well.

As a brief introduction - my name is Shannon Barrett. I am in my early 30's and live in Plano, Texas with my wife, Lara. We own a small house in the older part of the city and very recently have become interested in raising 3-5 hens for eggs.

Plano is a northern suburb of Dallas and unfortunately does not allow citizen's to own chickens. This is fairly ridiculous considering that Dallas and several other local suburbs do allow chickens. I am hoping that this blog will provide the motivation and support for me to work towards making this change in my community.

Any feedback or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

References:

http://plano.gov/Departments/Animal/Local%20Animal%20Information/Pages/ordinances.aspx

Under section - Sec. 4-22. Livestock.
(d) It shall be unlawful to own or keep chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, peacocks, or guineas within the corporate limits of the city, except in agricultural zoned districts, lakes, and public park lands.

Money Where Your Mouth Is

Today my mother called. She is planning to order 100 or more chicks soon. The idea is that she'll get folks to invest in her chickens and then we'll all help slaughter in the spring. Each person will come away with a whole bird, according to how much he or she invested. It is a good idea, but I shuttered at the thought of slaughtering chickens. She told me that she'll have the men deal with the actual killing, but I'd have to boil and pluck somewhere along the way. I'm ordinarily kind of a feminist, but in this instance viva la difference!

My viceral reaction made me think long and hard about my position on Eat Local. It doesn't get any more local than raising, slaughtering and preparing your own birds. But to actually do it?!? I don't know if I can. Eat Local Sarah was disgusted with Squeamish Sarah. "How can you talk about real food if you aren't willing to put forth the effort to actually do it?" If I cannot pluck my own chicken, then I need to be a vegetarian.

Looks Like a Garbage Can

Hen Condo from McMurray hatchery. This is a great way to be incognito with your chickens!

Join the Urban Chicken Underground

Hi, dear readers! I would really like for this blog to be a group blog. If you are interested in participating, send an e-mail to "food (at) eatlocalfrederick (dot) com!"

NPR Chickens

Foul Economy Has City Residents Raising Chickens

The recession has some city residents campaigning to raise chickens in their backyard тАФ basically to save a little cash by growing their own food. So more and more cities are passing laws allowing them to do that. In Maine, Portland's City Council voted to allow residents to keep up to six hens тАФ but no roosters.

City Folk Flock To Raise Small Livestock At Home
by Megan Verlee

City dwellers are accustomed to being awakened at night by the occasional siren or the roar of a low-flying jet. But the nocturnal disturbances in a Denver neighborhood have a slightly more agrarian feel.

Moving...

The keeper of this blog has moved to Pennsylvania, perhaps one of the most farm-friendly states in America. This is a state where farmers aren't escorted off their farms in handcuffs like common criminals for selling raw milk. If you'd like to be a regular contributer to this blog, drop a line!

Urban Chicken Undergroud in Frederick County

From the Frederick News Post:

BRUNSWICK -- Chickens are allowed in New York City, Baltimore and Chicago. But Brunswick will not be joining that list of cities in allowing a limited number of chickens kept in residential areas.

A group of residents hoped that Brunswick would consider adopting an ordinance to allow each household a limited number of chickens. The City Council voted against drafting an ordinance at its Tuesday night meeting.

Chickens were once common in Brunswick, as in most areas of America, as a source of meat and eggs. But as cities modernized, farming and food sources became a mainstay of rural areas.

With the rise of organic farming and the local food movement, many people are looking to raise their own chickens. Thecitychicken.com is a resource for chicken owners in urban and suburban settings. READ MORE...

It is a load that raising chickens will cause noise and disease to break out in the rural town of Brunswick. Chickens have been raised in urban areas for centuries! Fight for Chickens!