BACKYARD CHICKENS
by
Maryann Miller

In cities across America more and more people are starting to raise chickens in backyards. The keeping of chickens and livestock in urban settings has long been unlawful, but more and more cities are waiving the ordinance. Cities in Michigan, Colorado, Maine, and even Texas have all voted in recent years to allow residents to raise backyard poultry.

Raising backyard chickens is an extension of an urban farming movement that has gained a lot of popularity along with the "greening" of America. Home-raised livestock or agriculture avoids the energy usage and carbon emissions typically associated with corporate farming and transporting food.

Here in Winnsboro, Janice Porter and her husband Arnie, have eight chickens that she has raised in the past year. Now that they are grown and laying, Janice hoped to be able to sell some of the eggs. "We can't use them all," she says. "We are getting at least 6 a day."

That plan ran into a snag recently when Janice received a notice from the city that she had to get the chickens out of her yard because she was in violation of a city ordinance against having chickens within city limits. "I didn't realize there would be a problem," Janice says. "I knew that cities like Dallas and San Antonio allow chickens, and I never dreamed that Winnsboro wouldn't."

A police officer delivered a notice to Janice that informed her she had a week to get rid of the chickens. She could take them to the animal shelter.

Janice went to the animal shelter where she was told she could take more time to deal with the situation than just a week. She was also advised to go talk to Nina Browning, the City Administrator. "Everybody was very nice about the issue," Janice says. "I asked Ms. Browning if there was some kind of inspection that could be done for a waiver, but then we talked about a possibility of getting the ordinance changed since more and more people are interested in raising their own chickens."

To that end, Janice's request is on the agenda for the next City Council meeting.

Janice made it clear that this is not just a whim or a hobby for her. It is part of an overall healthy-eating lifestyle that she and her husband have adopted. They don't eat any processed food. She grinds her own grains and they buy fresh, unprocessed dairy products locally from Jersey Girls Dairy. Long before Janice decided to raise chickens, she bought eggs from free-range chicken farms. This was after a woman schooled in naturopathy introduced her to the benefits of healthy eating. "Americans get way too many chemicals and additives in the foods they eat," Janice said. "And that causes significant health issues. Once Arnie and I started eating this way, we no longer got sick. I can't even remember the last time either of us even had a cold."

(Naturopathy -- also known as naturopathic medicine or natural medicine --is an alternative medical system that focuses on natural remedies and the body's ability to heal and maintain itself.)

The Porters, who moved to Winnsboro a little over a year ago from Georgia, have lived in many places across the country. Janice grew up in Alaska, so they have spent time there and in the Pacific Northwest. They both come from families that had farms, so when Arnie was ready to retire from his work with the government, they decided to move to the country. They had purchased and were ready to move into a place with a few acres just outside of Winnsboro when the realtor called to say a problem had come up with the title on the property. "She said it might take months to clear this up," Janice says. "And here we were with all our furnishings on a truck and no place to go. Our realtor helped us find this house, and since it was empty we could move in within a couple of weeks."

The couple plan to relocate to the country as soon as they can. They are fixing up the house they bought so they can sell it, but in the meantime Janice wanted to get started raising the chickens. Arnie built a large coop for the chickens in the backyard. There are three nesting boxes, feeders, and roosts, and the birds are put up there for the night.

During the day, the door is open so the chickens can go in and out of the coop. They also have a roosting place in the yard. The chickens keep the insect population under control and their manure is a good natural fertilizer. "If people have chickens, they don't have to use chemicals," Janice says.

Unlike some backyard chicken growers, Janice has not named her chickens, but she has tamed them all. They come running when she comes out the back door and they all allow her to pick them up. "Some of the Web sites I have visited encourage us to handle the chickens a lot," she says. "One even asks if you hugged your chicken today, but that might be going a little too far."

Janice explained that she and Arnie have done everything they can to make sure the chickens are not a nuisance to their neighbors. They don't have a rooster - for obvious reasons - and they keep the chickens confined to the yard. The coop is cleaned regularly, so there is no odor. "I just don't see what the objections could be," Janice says, contemplating her upcoming appointment with the City Council. "And I'm sure there are other people who are tying to move toward more healthy eating who would like to have their own fresh eggs."

The Porters came to Winnsboro because Janice has extended family in the area. Her folks were both from Texas, and her dad was born and raised in Mt. Vernon, so the couple was well acquainted with East Texas. Arnie, who is a jack of all trades, started a business Community Handyman Service and does light carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and other home repair jobs. He jokes that he does the work and Janice runs the business.

They hope this issue of the chickens can be resolved in a win-win outcome for everyone. "Maybe this will help more people realize the benefits of having the birds in their backyards," Janice says.

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More information about backyard chickens can be found at this Web site