Becoming self-sufficient and eating healthy, higher nutritional foods are some reasons people are turning to their yards for their own food production. For city dwellers, urban farming has become a way to meet these goals even in a limited space. Most of us can grow a garden without causing a stir from a city’s code enforcement officer, but what if you want farm fresh eggs from your own backyard chickens and the city tells you no?
This is what happened to St. George City resident Julie Breckenridge. Her small house on a 6,969.5-square-foot lot provides ample room for chickens, but she received a letter stating if she didn’t remove her six hens within two weeks, she would be assessed fines. So, to save the farm, she wants to bring awareness about the city’s ordinance [10-7B-2] and encourage the city council to change it. “It just isn’t right to discriminate against a property owner because of their lot size,” Julie said. “For the most part, enforcement of codes only comes when a complaint is received. So, if any ordinance should be written for any pet, it should only require that the pet be kept humanely and without being a nuisance to others.”
A Facebook page, Operation Chicken Code, was hatched to unite others who have chickens or want chickens within the city limits. The page is to advocate the changing of the ordinance, show the city council that residents support the change and, ultimately, be a vehicle to rally the troops. When the city council addresses the ordinance, Operation Chicken Code will post the date/time and encourage the community to attend, show support and be heard. Councilman Jimmie Hughes has started working with the city attorney to change the language on the ordinance. However, large numbers to show support of this amendment will help persuade the vote and complete the change.
In order for a St. George City resident to have hens (a limit of six), the resident must have a minimum 10,000-square-foot lot. Yet there is no minimum lot requirement for two (any size) dogs. The city also regulates the size and height of the chicken coop, but a dog run isn’t regulated at all. It only takes a 2-square-foot area to raise a chicken, but the city requires still another 1,000 square feet of area per additional hen kept.
So just why all the hoopla about chickens? A backyard chicken farmer can receive so many benefits from raising hens, yet care of chickens requires minimal time. Here are the “Top Eight Reasons to Keep Hens”:
8. They are entertaining as heck, and many life lessons can be learned from observing them like: a) getting henpecked; b) pecking order; c) rule the roost; d) come home to roost; e) flew the coop; f) don’t ruffle your feathers; (okay, I’ll stop now).
7. Aerates soil and accelerates decomposing of organic matter by its scratching activity.
6. Enriches soil from its droppings.
5. Consumes kitchen scraps.
4. Children learn responsibility. Janie Hawley, a mother of six children, commented on Operation Chicken Code’s page, “[Raising chickens] has taught [my children] self-reliance, responsibility, consistency, empathy, discipline, problem-solving, sacrifice, money management, “plain ol’ hard work,” and about the processes of nature.”
3. Reduces bug populations.
2. Healthier, tastier eggs.
And the number one reason to be a backyard chicken farmer:
1. Self-sufficiency. Chickens are live food storage, producing about an egg a day per hen.
To help champion the cause of local chickens, visit www.facebook.com/OperationChickenCode today.
Thankfully, I have enough space, one acre, and don’t live in St. George. Our 16 happy hens provide us with entertainment and eggs – enough for ourselves and a few neighbors. I’d recommend raising hens to anyone with a few minutes time per day and a desire for the best tasting, bright orange yolked eggs you can get.