You want what?

I think I may just give up on getting chickens made legal.
Lately, I've been thinking of getting another animal as a pet...

• This animal can get big, over one hundred pounds, and sometimes over two hundred.
• It can produce feces that weigh upwards of two pounds each.
• It can produce up to 110 decibels of noise at all hours (an air conditioner makes 80 decibels).
• Usually friendly, in certain situations, and especially without proper training, it can be violent and aggressive. One thousand people got to the E.R. every day becasue of attacks from this animal-in 2010, 34 people died from these attacks.
• The Centers for Disease Control list 16 diseases and parasites that this animal can transmit to humans, one of which is so severe that preventative medical treatment is leaglly required.

Can you guess what animals we are talking about?

That's right, the good old dog. They can be loud, smelly and down right dangerous, but

there are 77.5 million dogs in the U.S., so some how the problems with sounds, noises and other circumstances are manageable in some way.

In many ways, what we think of as acceptable is based on what we have known.  Having complete, accurate information can change perceptions.

A word about property values

Folks who object to chickens in city enviroments are concerned about odor, noise, and what the whole deal will look like. All these factors can add up to one thought in a person's mind-"if there are chickens in my neighbor's backyard, what does that do to the value of my backyard?"

Because so many factors affect property value, and make a prospective buyer decide on one property over another, it is hard to say yes or no. A buyer looking over a backyard fence and seeing a small flock of hens may have a negative reaction, but is equally as likely to have a positive or neutral reaction too. Looking over the fence and seeing a large dog house, a skate board ramp or a swimming pool could all provoke a negative reaction from a buyer.

Chicken owners being good neighbors, and keeping a small flock using the best management practices in an establishment that looks good, will always convey the type of message that a well tended lawn or flower bed will: good people live here.

Pictures often speak louder than words, here's a photo tour of what is possible-examples bad and good!

Now who wouldn't want to look over the fence and see this in their

neighbor's yard? Well I for one would not!! When our friends, neighbors and and city council members think about chickens in a backyard, this is the image that pops into their head. Let's make it clear-W.A.C.K.S. agrees with them-this sort of fast and dirty set up for chickens is not acceptable in our community.

 Now this is better-looks like Uptown Westerville, right?

 I forget the name of that little enclave around the lake on Schrock Road, the one that looks like it was planted in a grove of California Redwoods, but this is the chicken set up for them.

 To the casual observer, a backyard chicken set-up will look like a large dog house, or a kid's playhouse. Look closer and you will find that these structures often get re-purposed to house hens.

 This one looks a bit functional, but still proves that a hen owner who cares about their birds and their neighbors can have a backyard that almost no one will object to.

 Here's what I am aiming for in my backyard, and the sort of set up that most Westerville neighborhoods can accomodate with no trouble. By my guesstimate, that hen house is about 4'X4' (16 square feet) about right for 3 maybe 4 birds, with enclosed run that's maybe 4'X8'.

 Another well tended set up.

 This looks snug and cozy, like a house for a garden gnome-or three hens.

 Very cute, right?

 When time and money are no object, the sky is the limit. This model looks right for the upscale golf course communities.

 Gazebos have become a popular backyard feature. This one is shared by people and birds.



Another fan letter

A nice note from the opposition

And they think I'm nuts...This arrived today, unsigned of course. I am ready to engage in a dialogue with anyone, providing they have they guts to adress me face to face, or at least sign their names. But some one like this, who is so uninformed to think that "here" is what a fox does with his ears, really does not deserve that courtesy. 

Proposed Legislation

Our proposed addition to the Westerville City code:

A) A group of 5 of fewer female chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) will for the purposes of these ordinances be considered pets and not a violation of other existing prohibitions against agricultural use, as specified  either in city code or in any supplemental agreements.
B) Only female chickens (hens ) may be kept within city limits. Male chickens (roosters) are not permitted.
C) Pet chickens may be kept in any zoning district where other pets or companion animals are allowed.
D) The selling of eggs or the sale of chickens for the purpose of meat is prohibited.
E) Chickens must be kept in a properly constructed enclosure located in the back or side yard of the keepers property, with reasonable set back from property lines and structures located on adjacent properties. Such enclosure can not be permanently placed in the front yard of any property. Chickens must remain enclosed with in the coop/run unless under the direct control of the owner and must remain on the owner’s property at all times.
F) All usual and standard practices for the care of chickens must be observed, to ensure a safe, sanitary and humane condition free from pests, insects, vermin and other possible annoyances. Keepers of chickens will be bound by all other Westerville City ordinances regarding animals running at large (531.01a), noise and odor (531.09a).

W.A.C.K.S. believes that these proposed regulations offer the City an adequate framework for enforcement, gives chicken owners clear guidelines for what will legally tolerated and also protects the rights of citizens by providing them with means to address grievances if a legitimate cause is identified.


W.A.C.K.S. believes that the most simple and direct way to avoid the possibility of problem connected to noise, odor, appearance and other factors is to limit the size of the flock that can be legally kept. W.A.C.K.S. feels strongly that legislating minimum lot sizes, or required set backs will not be a fair and effective way to guarantee a wholesome environment. A clean, no-odor, low noise flock depends on the care that will be given by the flock keeper, and can be achieved on a very large lot or a very small one.


Permits, applications and required permissions from neighbors take up time and effort of city officials and create an even greater regulatory burden on government.  W.A.C.K.S. feels these processes serve no useful purpose and is not in favor of them.


Owners of dogs, cats, rabbits and similar companions animals that dwell out of doors all or part of the time do not require permission from neighbors.  In the interest of simplicity and equality. W.A.C.K.S. discourages any requirement for permission from neighbors.


The proposed ordinances assure that home owner’s associations can not raise unfounded objections to the mere presence of chickens.  Properties were other types of pets were banned, such as multifamily units, would not be affected by this ordinance, their regulations would be unchanged.

Is the excitment building?

So far I have spoken to 3 newspapers (Dispatch, This Week, and SNP) and two differentTV stations have called. Either chickens are hot or it is a slow news cycle!

What Would The Neighbors Say??

What Would The Neighbors Say?
　
Aren’t Chickens Noisy?Only sometimes, and not very much. Let’s be clear we are talking about small groups of female chickens. Roosters are indeed very loud and not suitable for a suburban environment. A small flock of 3 to 6 hens will produce about 40 to 70 decibels of sound. Exact number, distance to the hearer and obstructions in the path will all affect just how loud the sound seems. To put 70 decibels into perspective, average conversation is about 60 decibels, an air conditioner is about 80, a power lawnmower around 90, and a beagle around 110! And chickens are not constantly making noise, and they have firm rule about sleeping through the night.
Don’t Chickens Smell?Chickens themselves don’t smell, but like any pet their enclosure can develop an odor problem if not given proper care. Chickens, like all birds, excrete only solid waste, they do not urinate. This means their manure has a high moisture content, and the potential to become smelly very quickly. Backyard chicken keepers avoid this situation by using an absorbent bedding like wood shavings to line the floor of the hen house. The bedding wicks away moisture and makes the possibility of obnoxious odors almost zero. The method, called ’the deep litter system’ is so effective that some keepers allow a layer of bedding up to a foot thick to accumulate, which may be changed only once or twice a year, with no odor problems.
Don’t They Attract Flies And Other Pests?If properly cared for, no they don’t! Hens themselves are the best prevention for insect problems, because quite simply, they eat bugs. A hen house with clean dry bedding will draw few flies, and those that do show up will be targets for the hungry birds, who are always eager to snap up any fly larvae that mange to hatch.
Commercial poultry operations have odor and insect problems that are well documented in the news media. The size of these operations and they way they handle chicken waste is almost a perfect recipe to create smell and insect trouble. In form and function it is totally different from the way that small flocks of backyard chickens are managed, which means that smell and odor are not part of the conscientious pet chicken keeper’s plan.
Don’t They Draw Vermin and Varmints?Rats and mice are not really interested in chickens, but are very interested in the food that chickens might have around. These observant rodents are always alert for a food source-if any of your neighbors feed wild birds, they are also providing meals to a variety of rodents, rats and mice included. The key to minimizing rodent trouble around a back yard flock is storing food in tightly sealed containers and making sure no uneaten food is left around-chickens need to clean their plates!
Human beings are not the only creatures that enjoy chicken dinners, other animals are indeed drawn to chickens. The key fact to remember is that these animals are already here, they didn’t come just for the chickens. Suburbanites often forget how close they are to “wild” animals, and how attractive our neighborhoods can be to them. Open trash cans, pets fed outside, and feeding stations for wild birds or squirrels can all lure raccoons, possums and skunks into civilization, were they may very well try to add chicken to their menu. They key again is good care, in the form of a secure enclosure that keeps the chickens and the varmints separate.
Aren’t Chickens Disease Magnets?No! Are there diseases that can be transmitted from chicken to human? There are. Many of these same diseases can also be transmitted to humans by other companion animals such as dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, other kinds of pet birds and small animals. Reasonable sanitary precautions like hand washing, and good care to keep both chickens and humans healthy, make s the possibility of disease transmission only a remote possibility-the Centers for Disease Control makes that clear on their web site pages dealing with pets & human health.
Wont Chickens Next Door Lower My Property Values?Because so many factors affect property value, and make a prospective buyer decide on one property over another, it is hard to say yes or no. A buyer looking over a backyard fence and seeing a small flock of hens may have a negative reaction, but is equally as likely to have a positive or neutral reaction too. Looking over the fence and seeing a large dog house, a skate board ramp or a swimming pool could all provoke a negative reaction from a buyer.
Chicken owners being good neighbors, and keeping a small flock using the best management practices in an establishment that looks good, will always convey the type of message that a well tended lawn or flower bed will: good people live here.

Another newspaper shows interest!

I spoke to a reporter from Wesetrville This Week today for about 45 minutes. She's putting together a story about W.A.C.K.S. that should run next Thursday.

Interest from the Dispatch!

I sent out the press release last night, and was amazed to get an email back from a Dispatch reporter, asking to be kept up to date on what's going on! I hope that the meeting announcement will run in all three papers!

What do we want?

We want to bring pressure on the Westerville City Council, to get new city regulations put in place that:
* Give official recognition that keeping small groups of chickens (1-6) is not an agricultural pursuit but is essentially pet keeping.
* Does not seek to change existing agricultural restrictions, but emphasize that chicken keeping on such a small scale is not agriculture.
*Makes clear chickens can be great neighbors! Like any domestic animal/pet it is the care given by humans that determines if animals are a nuisance to those around them.
*Makes keeping pet chickens legal in all areas where the keeping of other pets is legal. 
*Flock owners would still be bound by alll current noise/smell/nuisance regulations now in force. To be clear, verified noise or smell would be citable, the mere presence of birds is not grounds for citation.
* Chicken owners would be treated on par with other pet owners-no inspections, minimal paper work.

For Immeadiate Release:

Newly forming group wants to spread the message: Chickens are great neighbors!

Seeks to make pet chickens legal in Westerville

　

Keeping small flocks of pet chickens in backyards has become a full-fledged phenomena. Mainstream media like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and personalities such as Martha Stewart have chronicled the trend. A group is now forming to make sure the Westerville area knows that chickens make fascinating pets, can be great neighbors and that keeping them should be legal.
Those interested in getting chickens, or those who have been keeping them ‘secretly’ and who want to get their hobby made legal, are invited to an organizational meeting of the Westerville Area Chicken Keepers Society (WACKS) on Thursday, May 5^th at 7:30 PM. The meeting will be held at Tim Horton’s,772 South State Street, Westerville Ohio.
The purpose of the meeting is to gauge support for an effort to change the regulations in Westerville to specifically class small flocks of chickens as pets and make them legal in all areas of the city where the keeping of other kinds of pets are currently legal.
Inquiries can be directed to the group’s Email address:
The group has also established a Facebook page westervilleacks@rocketmail.com .https://www.facebook.com/pages/Westerville-Area-Chicken-Keepers-Society/163820710340409