City Should Welcome Urban Chickens

In light of this fascinating table of chicken regulations (compiled in 2003), it's no wonder that the urban chicken (hen) movement is spreading. Like Salem, Columbus, Ohio, and its surrounding towns form a state capital region in the midst of prime ag land.

Seems that the sins of the 70s were more than just disco -- cities like Salem decided to push out chickens, not realizing that even really, really big cities (like Chicago and New York City) allow unlimited numbers of chickens.

Columbus, Ohio, columnist: City should welcome urban chickens

. . . Last summer, she bought five baby chickens.

She coos about how they recognize her when she enters the pen, how one in particular likes to jump into her arms. They don't smell, she said, or make much noise.

She can't say the same about her two dogs.

I won't identify my friend, however, because she might be breaking a Worthington law that restricts where chickens, horses and cattle may roam.

ThisWeek reporter Candy Brooks wrote about the urban-chicken dispute last week.

A family of Florida transplants regards the chickens they brought with them as pets. A neighbor says the chickens bother his dog.

In Worthington, the neighbor with the beef has the law on his side, Brooks wrote.

A 1973 ordinance prohibits chickens, horses and cattle "anywhere within the city within 150 feet of any residence" other than that of the owner of the livestock.

I'm not sure about the magic of 150 feet, but that's a chicken ban, for all intents and purposes.

The fowl owner has asked the city to remove chickens from the ordinance. Worthington already has a law that bans any animals that "create offensive odors, excessive noise or unsanitary conditions which are a menace to the health, comfort or safety of the public."

The benefits of urban chickens are obvious. If they are old enough to lay eggs, they produce a protein-rich food. And nitrogen-rich chicken poop is great for the compost pile (which I will start this summer).

As usual, too much of a good thing can be bad, but a couple of chickens' worth is manageable.

Chickens eat bugs and vermin, including cockroaches, tomato hornworms, aphids and grubs, according to the Urban Chickens Web site, which was started -- you guessed it -- to promote chickens in cities.

The movement is growing. And there's no better place to accommodate it than Worthington, a regional leader in sustainable living.

Surely, there's a way to accommodate these chicken-lovers.

Let's not turn them into outlaws.