“I love chickens!” remarked senior Marcella Hastings. So do a number ofEdinastudents and families, but they are currently forced to keep their poultry under the radar. Though not all Edinaresidents share Hastings’ sentiment, I’m on the side of the cock-a-doodle-doos. Here’s why.
The chicken lovers ofEdinaare compelled to fly incognito with their birds because an Edina ordinance bans chickens or other farm animals as pets. Section 300.11 of City Code states, “No person shall keep within the City: A. Any livestock.” Livestock is defined as all farm animals, including fowl.
Yes, chickens can make a lot of noise. I know two students who began raising roosters (male chickens) but eventually had to get rid of them because of the incessant and admittedly piercing call.
A second problem, according to chicken denouncers, is the “mess” that chickens create. This, too, is partly true. A student chicken owner observed, “[T]hey do require vigilant maintenance.” Since chickens are loud and messy, denouncers say, it’s unfair to have to live close to them.
In reality, though, chickens are just like any other pet and should be treated as such. For those worried about the racket, hens (female chickens) are nearly silent. “They announce when they lay an egg, but for the most part they are very quiet animals,” said a senior who is an underground chicken owner.
They may defecate quite frequently, like other birds and pets, but most mess is contained. Once in a while an owner may let them out to run around, but most chicken keepers have simply built a run for their animals or have a fenced-in yard. Scratching or pecking they do in the yard actually helps aerate the grass.
And hostile neighbors? It seems that a little coaxing can often soften even the most uneasy neighbor. Several high school chicken owners have found that a gift of eggs tends to soften that one grumbling soul. By and large,Edina’s chicken farmers describe a general feeling of acceptance and interest from their neighbors.
Disobeying the city’s “livestock” ordinance is a petty misdemeanor and fines can reach $250, but chicken-owning families continue to evade the law and hide their little flock in discreet backyard coops. Why?
The answer becomes obvious once you have experienced the joys and challenges of raising and caring for chickens: they are lovable and fun! Junior Anna Caspar makes a great point: “They’re pets, and if your neighbors are okay with it then you should be able to have them.”
