Your source for news in Hot Springs County

Editorial: The talk of town: a flock of chickens

During a town council meeting Tuesday, a community member asked council members to consider making it legal to keep chickens in the backyards of residential homes in town.

While this proposal may seem fantastic to some, and silly to others, the town council essentially agreed that they were going to wait to hear back from the community before they make a decision one way or the other.

A petition will begin circulating soon, which will gauge the interest of people in Thermopolis to this possible new rule change.

Mayor Mike Mortimore said that if a substantial number of people in town want the ordinance to allow chickens, council members would have a very difficult time declining the proposal.

We at the Independent Record urge locals to voice their opinions and concerns about potentially allowing for backyard chickens. Among our office there is no overwhelming majority that feels the chickens would be a good idea or a bad idea.

However, there are some things to keep in mind when considering the chicken proposal.

Many towns outright deny their citizens the right to own chickens in residential areas. This is because of a variety of things, but usually because of health and nuisance concerns.

Chickens have been known to get worms, mites, lice, and more recently is known for carrying the avian flu.

Also, adding an additional animal to a residential area could have unbeknownst side effects that cost a town money. This is one of the concerns that town council members raised.

Moreover, chickens do bring some benefits to the people who keep them. This includes having fresh eggs (that in some cases are better for you than store bought eggs), having an animal that eats weeds and bugs, and having an animal that produces a natural fertilizer.

Yet, towns that do allow for backyard chickens often set stringent guidelines on what can be done with the chickens. In some towns backyard chickens aren’t allowed to be bred, eaten, or used to create profit from selling eggs. Additionally, rules for how chickens are housed will affect how big their pen can be. Rules for how fecal matter is disposed often come into play, as well.

Instead of getting mad after the fact and wondering what the cluck is happening in your neighbor’s backyard, feel free to voice your concerns to the town council during their meetings on the first and third Tuesday of every month.

 

Reader Comments(0)