Kingston Backyard Hens:An Eggcellent Idea

Whose Time Has Come

Prepared by

Urban Agriculture Kingston

April 2010

Table of Contents

About Urban Agriculture Kingston....................................................................................2

Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 3

Hens and the History of Suburban Development.........................................................4

A Proposed Backyard Hens By-Law for Kingston.........................................................5

Backyard Hens Are Not Farm Animals.............................................................................X

Backyard Coops are Attractive and Clean.......................................................................X

Hens Are Not a Nuisance....................................................................................................... XHens Are Not Smelly......................................................................................................................... XHens are Not Messy........................................................................................................................... XHens Are Not Noisy........................................................................................................................... XHens Do Not Annoy the Neighbours............................................................................................XHes Do Not Attract Pests………………………………………………………………………………………...XHens Do Not Attract Predators to the Area...............................................................................XMany Residential Communities Allow Hens Without Causing A Nuisance....................X

Hens Do Not Pose a Public Health Risk............................................................................X

Hens and the Environment.................................................................................................. XWater Quality and Runoff...............................................................................................................XLiving Sustainably............................................................................................................................. X

Lot Size Doesn’t Matter.......................................................................................................... X

Hens Are Educational............................................................................................................. X

Hens and Emergency Preparedness.................................................................................X

Hens and the Economic Crisis............................................................................................. X

Code Enforcement and Burdens on Government.........................................................X

The Urban/Suburban Hen Movement..............................................................................X

Appendices................................................................................................................................ XAppendix A: Backyard Coop Designs.........................................................................................XAppendix B: Hen Owner Lays Low (Kingston Whig-Standard, April 1, 2010)...............XAppendix C: A Hen in Every Yard; An Egg in Every Bowl (March 26, 2010)....................XAppendix D: Is City Council Chicken? (Kingston Whig-Standard, March 19, 2010).....XAppendix E: Backyard Chickens (Niagara Magazine, St. Catharines, Jan. 2010)..........XAppendix F: The New Coop de Ville (Newsweek, Nov. 17, 2008)........................................XAppendix G: Letters to the Editor, Kingston Publications 2010........................................X

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About Urban Agriculture Kingston 

Who We AreUrban Agriculture Kingston (UAK) is a working group of the Kingston branch of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG). We are a not-for-profit organization composed of concerned citizens who are striving to see our city become more environmentally and agriculturally sustainable. We will soon be incorporated an independent not-for-profit group.

Our Objectives Working to provide food sovereignty for all people in Kingston and region; Developing and disseminating programs which inform on food issues and

sustainable food production in the urban environment, and which build food-growing and food-preparation skills in our community;

Facilitating the initiation and ongoing function of Community Gardens, Allotment Gardens, and other forms of Urban Agriculture;

Supporting gardeners, food entrepreneurs, community gardens and the region's farmers by improving communication, networking, and skill-sharing opportunities;

Engaging youth through developing school garden programs, summer job programs, and internship opportunities;

Advocating and lobbying for policy changes in government and institutions that will support increased food sovereignty for all people in Kingston and region;

Celebrating the productive capacity of our urban environment to nourish us.

How To Contact UsUAK can be reached at UrbanAgKingston@gmail.com. More information about us can be found on our website at www.uakingston.webs.com.

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Introduction to the Kingston Backyard Hen Campaign

In the decades after World War II, many urban and suburban communities across Canada and the U.S. instituted laws to distance people from their then-unfashionable rural roots.

It was a time when neighbourhoods were built without sidewalks, DDT was a fashionable pesticide, and backyard hens were a quaint, uncomfortable reminder that Grandma used to slaughter a chicken on her back porch for Sunday dinner each week. According to author Andrea Gaynor in her book Harvest of the Suburbs (2006), “In the 1960s… the increasing restriction on the keeping of productive animals was based as much on the abandonment of a perceived outdated rural era in favor of a progressive urban ideology as it was on concerns for health or the obviation of nuisances. This ‘urban ideology’ – part of the ‘modern outlook’ – included an element which lauded consumption and disparaged at least some types of production.”

In this brave new post-war world, cities passed thousands of bylaws banning hens and other livestock from backyards. According to Gaynor, “Resulting city by-laws [had the effect of] supporting consumerist trends in domestic life by regulating the amount of non-horticultural food production which could be undertaken on suburban blocks, but they can also be seen as participating in the creation of those trends. In other words, the exclusion of productive animals from residential areas was one way in which governments – generally operated by middle-class technocrats – sought to produce clean, modern communities with cosmopolitan commuters and consumers. Although vegetable gardening and fruit production remained acceptable suburban pastimes, in the ideal modern suburb, the whine of the lawnmower would no longer have to compete with cuckling and cackling.”

Indeed, the birth of the modern suburb was a time when many of us were seeking to define ourselves as sophisticated and more like those in the cosmopolitan city than like those in unfashionable rural small towns and farming communities. The car was a symbol of that cosmopolitan lifestyle, so we eliminated sidewalks – why, after all, would anyone walk who could afford to drive? The sidewalk became a symbol of poverty and backwardness. Later generations regretted that decision and many have retrofitted sidewalks and streetlights in their neighbourhoods.

The keeping of hens and other food-producing animals became similarly unfashionable in the decades following World War II, and for similar reasons. The problem wasn’t one of hens creating a nuisance; it was one of wanting to seem modern, cosmopolitan, and sophisticated.

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The Times Are Changing:A Proposed Backyard Hens By-Law for Kingston

In recent years, millions of people in Canada and the U.S. alike have begun to realize that maintaining a close connection to our food supply is a positive choice – a way to a healthier and more ecologically sustainable lifestyle. Farmers’ markets, including the weekly one in downtown Kingston, have since experienced a huge revival, people are gardening more, and communities across Canada are changing decades-old laws forbidding the keeping of hens.

Urban Agriculture Kingston therefore propose that hens be removed from the City of Kingston’s Animal Regulation By-law (No. 2004-144). If the city feels that hen-keeping needs to be controlled more than is already adequately addressed by current noise and property maintenance by-laws, we propose that a by-law pertaining only to hens be created.

After consultations with each of the dozen Canadian cities that allow backyard hens, Urban Agriculture Kingston proposes the following by-law guidelines. UAK believes that the following regulations will succeed in smoothly re-integrating hens into community backyards:

* Maximum of 8 hens per property; * Coops must be 4.5 metres from any dwelling; * Coops must not be built onto a shared fence; * Hens must be confined to coop between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.; * Roosters are prohibited; * Home slaughter is prohibited; * Feed must be stored securely; * Manure must be composted in enclosed bin; chicken run must be kept clean. * All other animal control bylaws will apply: noise, odour, animals-at-large; * Sale of eggs or manure is prohibited.

Backyard Hens Are Not Farm AnimalsFor thousands of years, hens, like dogs and cats, have lived alongside people in backyards large and small in cities and small towns. Unlike a half-ton bull or 400-pound hog, a four-pound hen is not inherently a farm animal.

The typical laying hen starts to produce at four to six months, lays nearly daily until she is 5 or 6, and then lays less often over her remaining two years. A crucial point is that for backyard hens (unlike their counterparts on farms), the end of productivity does not bring on the end of life. Commercial hens are bred to produce large numbers of eggs very quickly and then to be culled and used for such things as animal food and fertilizer. Suburban hens, however, are treated as individuals.

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They are typically named, and when they stop producing eggs, they are ‘retired’ and treated as pets for the remaining year or two of their lives.

Veterinarians in Kingston report that they would treat ill hens, and would dispose of their bodies after death as for any household pet. In circumstances where it was deemed necessary, vets would also eutbanize.

Hens are friendly, social, intelligent, affectionate, entertaining, low-maintenance, small, quiet, and inexpensive to keep. They are quieter and cleaner than most dogs. They uniquely offer suburban and city-dwelling children the opportunity to understand a little more clearly where their food comes from. And they offer all of us the opportunity to produce a little of our own food – healthy, fresh, nutritious food that will contribute to the well-being of local families.

Backyard Coops are Attractive and CleanUnlike large commercial poultry operations or rural farms, people in cities and suburbs who keep hens in their backyards tend to keep them in attractive, well-maintained enclosures and treat their hens as pets. Backyard coops are no more of an inherent eyesore than a trampoline, play structure, or hot tub, and in fact many are portable so that the hens are never in one place long. Appendix A contains examples of backyard coops on suburban and city lots.

Hens Are Not a NuisanceHens Are Not SmellyMyth: Hens are messy and smelly.Facts: Hens themselves do not smell: It is only their feces that have the potential to smell which is also true of feces from dogs, cats, rabbits or any other animal that is outside. A 4-pound laying hen produces one-fifth to one-quarter of a pound of manure per day. An average dog generates three-quarters of a pound of manure a day that cannot be composted because of the harmful bacteria and parasites (hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms) that can infect humans. This waste is considered a major source of bacterial pollution in urban watersheds.Source: http://www.pacshell.org/projects/petwasteinfo.htm#facts.

Dog waste contains higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus than cows, hens or pigs and is a major contributor of excessive nutrients that flow into ground and surface waters through runoff from city sidewalks and lawns.Source: www.csld.edu/Downloads/Sussman_2008_DogParks.pdf

The reason people fear an odour problem is because their only experience with hens, if they have any at all, is on a farm or commercial poultry operation. Under these circumstances, hundreds if not thousands of hens are sometimes kept in crowded conditions with poor ventilation infrequent manure removal. As a result,

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ammonia can build up and these facilities can smell. There is a huge difference between these environments and a small backyard flock.

UAK’s proposed by-law specifies that the maximum number of hens allowed per residential lot be limited to 8, and that the run be kept clean.

Hens are Not MessyHen enclosures used in urban settings tend to be attractive and are easily maintained. Small flocks are managed with a minimum of time and energy on the part of their owners. Their care regime can be compared to that of any other household pet.

Hens Are Not NoisyMyth: Hens are noisy.Facts: The main rule for keeping urban hens is “No roosters allowed.” Hens do not make a ruckus in the morning like their male counterparts and they are fast asleep in their coop by the time the sun goes down. Hens do lay eggs without the aid of a rooster; roosters are only needed if you want to have fertilized eggs for baby chicks. Hens make a soft clucking noise.

UAK’s proposed by-law requires that hens be maintained in a manner free from excessive noise and that hens and enclosures be kept a minimum of 4.5 meters from habitable dwellings, a distance at which most normal hen noises are barely audible. UAK’s proposed by-law also requires that roosters be prohibited.

Hens Do Not Annoy the NeighboursOntario municipalities including Niagara Falls, Guelph and Brampton, and eight other Canadian Cities report very few problems with their hen-keeping residents. See Appendix XX.

Hens Do Not Attract PestsIt’s ironic that backyard hens are thought to attract flies. In fact, hens love to eat insects of all kinds including worms, beetles, grasshoppers, earwigs, mosquitoes and their larvae, fly larvae, ticks and more and are one of the best methods of insect control. Chickens have even been known from time to time to eat small mice. Rodents such as mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons and skunks exist in Kingston and thrive on garbage and unprotected animal feeds. As long as their feed is properly stored just as dog, cat, or bird food should be, it will not attract added rodent pests.

Hens Do Not Increase Predator PopulationsIt is another myth that hens will lead to more coyotes, raccoons, skunks, and other predator species. These these predators already exist in Kingston and are attracted to any vulnerable prey: cats, small dogs, rabbits, and most certainly hens.

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Backyard hens should never be outside their secure coop/run or hen tractor unless under direct supervision. Hens, if left unprotected, are vulnerable to predators. But as the predators of hens are the same as those of the wild rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, small birds, and other local wild prey animals already present in our community, they do not themselves attract predators to the area. Because hens are penned up in the backyard (unlike wild rabbits, for instance, which hide from predators in tall grass, brush and shrubbery), the predators may be seen more often. Coyotes, for instance, are seen more often when they take a cat or small dog than when they take a rabbit. But the presence of hens does not attract predators to the area; predators are already here.

UAK’s proposed by-law specifies that animal feed and any other food sources provided to the hens shall be stored in predator-proof containers. Coops shall be designed and maintained in such a way as to be impermeable to rodents, wild birds, and predators, including, but not limited to, cats coyotes, dogs, raccoons and skunks.

Many Communities Allow Hens Without Causing A NuisanceUAK’s proposed by-law offers Kingston residents protection in the unlikely case a neighbour would raise hens in an irresponsible manner, but still allows the greatest possible freedom for members of our community.

Hens Do Not Pose a Public Health RiskMyth: Hens will create a health hazard.Facts: In Canada, there is no need at present to remove a flock of hens because of concerns regarding avian influenza. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada monitors potential infection of poultry and poultry products by avian influenza viruses and other infectious disease agents.

H5N1 virus (Avian Flu) does not usually infect people, but since November 2003, nearly 400 cases of human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses have been reported by more than a dozen countries in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe and the Near East. Highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses have never been detected among wild birds, domestic poultry, or the Canadian people.

Research shows that there are actually more diseases that can be spread from dogs and cats than from hens. Dogs and cats can spread parasites, bacteria, fungi and viruses to humans. Rabies is an example of a viral infection that can be transmitted to people from the saliva or bite of a dog. Cat Scratch Fever is a bacterial infection passed to people by cats. Each year, 3000 cases are diagnosed across Canada. Ringworm, a highly contagious fungal infection, can be transmitted to humans by touching an infected animal’s fur or skin and is common in cats that roam freely. Roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm are intestinal parasites that can be passed

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to humans from pet waste. There are also a number of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme Disease, that can be brought home by dogs and cats. Hens can actually keep your yard healthier because they eat ticks and insects.

The type of Avian Influenza that is contagious to humans has not been found in North America. Bird Flu is spread by contact with the contaminated feces of wild migratory waterfowl. So the key issues are sanitation and contact with wild birds. Unlike rural farm birds which might co-mingle with migratory birds or drink from a shared pond, backyard hens are contained in an enclosure and watered inside this enclosure.

As reported in Newsweek Magazine (see Appendix D), “the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute (an environmental research group) pointed out in a report last month, experts including the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production have said that if we do see it, it'll be more likely to be found in factory-farmed poultry than backyard hens. As GRAIN, an international sustainable agriculture group, concluded in a 2006 report: “When it comes to bird flu, diverse small-scale poultry farming is the solution, not the problem.”

Unlike cats and dogs which are prime vectors for rabies, parasites, and tick-borne diseases, backyard hens actually keep yards healthier for humans by eating ticks and other insects.

Salmonella, which has been associated with raw eggs, is a problem with factory-farmed eggs, not with backyard hens.

Hens and the EnvironmentWater Quality and RunoffOn average, domestic laying hens produce one-fifth to one-quarter of a pound of droppings per day, as compared to the average dog which produces three-quarters of a pound. Unlike dog and cat waste, hen droppings can be composted for use on gardens and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Hens reduce the need for pesticides and herbicides by eating bugs and weeds. By their very presence, hens discourage the use of chemical lawn and garden sprays by their owners. Hen keeping is likely to represent a net improvement in water and runoff issues rather than the opposite.

Issues of manure runoff from egg-producing hens are associated with huge factory-style egg farms that generate tons of manure each day in a very concentrated area. For those of us who wish to continue to eat eggs in a sustainable fashion, low-density backyard hen keeping is the solution to runoff issues, not the problem. Gardeners using commercial organic fertilizers are very likely to be using hen-manure based products, and those keeping hens will have less need for even these. So keeping hens won’t increase even the net amount of organic fertilizers used; hen-keeping gardeners will simply be producing it themselves rather than purchasing it.

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Living SustainablySustainability, even though a broad concept, can best be thought of for our purposes as an effort to minimize our impact on the resources of the earth. As regards the new urban backyard hen movement, several outcomes are desired:

1. Better food source for eggs. While the nutritional superiority of organic and homegrown eggs vs. conventional store-bought eggs may be debatable, it is certainly true that any harmful effects of antibiotics, hormones, or other chemical additives would be avoided with homegrown eggs. Anecdotally, those who keep hens may boast about happier hens yielding happier eggs, but the growing sustainable and humane food movement in Canada has exploded – organic grocery sales have increased from under $2 billion in 2005 to an estimated $5 billion in 2010.

2. Compost/fertilizer. Hen manure is a sought after fertilizer, and hen litter (the wood shavings on the bottom of a hen coop to absorb droppings) provide a weekly addition of about 4 pounds of organic material from the average backyard flock of 6 hens. Even if there is no compost pile, hen droppings or hen litter may be place directly around trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, or other plants as a general organic fertilizer. When hens are allowed to visit a compost pile, they will perform needed labor: toss the compost pile, shred leaves, and remove unwanted grubs or maggots.

3. Food waste consumption. Backyard hens delight in eating vegetable scraps from the kitchen. All types of fruit and vegetable discards such as apple cores, peelings, stalks, etc., can be diverted to the hens instead of to the trashcan or garbage disposal. In many cases, it may be preferable to feed such veggie discards to hens rather than composting them (where they may attract rodents).

4. Insect and weed control. If hens are allowed to roam a small backyard lawn even for a short period, they can perform the useful tasks of weed and insect removal. Weeds with seeds are a prime target for hen grazing. In the spring hens will feast especially on dandelions, chick weed, and other low seed-bearing weeds to help the lawn. During the winter, warm-season grass lawns can benefit from hen grazing since the birds will select out the green weeds in an otherwise brown winter lawn. Similarly, hens spending a short time in the yard will help rid it of many unwanted insects and grubs. Mosquitoes have reduced chance in shallow water exposed to hens since the birds will feast on the insects in addition to disturbing the larvae. This “animal” solution to weed and insects would be seen as more sustainable in that pesticides and herbicides could be (and indeed should be) avoided, if the birds have access to a lawn area.

5. Low impact pets. Contrary to their commercially raised counterparts, backyard hens are a decidedly easy to care for “low impact” pet. An 8-litre water supply will last almost a week in average weather (for a flock of six), and hen feed is, well, as

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cheap as hen feed. Typically these are the only resources required once an adequate coop is built. Backyard hens should not require soaps, chemicals, medicines or other intrusive products. Their nesting material is hay (wheat straw), and a single bale will supply more than enough for the season. In terms of the commercial feed used, it is generally made from leftover animal, soy, and corn meal, commonly mixed without hormone or antibiotic additives.

6. Potential energy product. Although not commonly part of the backyard hen cycle of sustainable events, hen litter can be used as a fuel source in some types of woodburning stoves. Commercially, hen litter is pelletized for fertilizer or pellet burning stoves. Should a homeowner have a more advanced “green” heating system, hen litter could be used in some heating stoves as a supplement.

7. Flock role in a backyard ecosystem. Backyard hens can be part of a larger backyard ecosystem not only in their feeding, grazing, and waste recycling roles, but also by being a component in a symbiotic relationship with other pets, namely dogs. All herding dogs and many other mixed breed dogs gain great pleasure and purpose in watching over backyard hens, whether they are in the coop or out on the occasional graze. “Guarding” the flock can be perceived as a job and for the herding dog and can distract those hyperactive herding dog from other annoying behaviours. In return, the dogs will definitely deter crows, hawks or other predators from lighting in the yard. In summary, the raising of backyard hens yields several bona fide and scientifically demonstrable ways to open the eyes of the average citizen to the world of sustainable behaviours as it provides for a safe source of eating.

People are increasingly are interested in living more sustainably, and many communities, Kingston included, are encouraging citizens to reduce waste and consumption of resources. Backyard hens allow us to reduce our carbon footprint by producing some of our own food. Every food item we can produce organically and on our own property – just outside our back door – is one less item that must be shipped to us and shopped for. Every item of food we raise ourselves represents a step in living a greener, more sustainable, lifestyle.

People who have backyard hens are less likely to use chemicals and pesticides in their yards and gardens because it’s healthier for their hens. In return the hens eat weeds and bugs that normally plague unsprayed yards.

Composted hen manure is one of the most efficient natural fertilizers and is provided for free with no need for transport. Backyard hens eat grass clippings which might otherwise end up in the landfills and food scraps which might end up in the garbage and sewage.

Hens and Property Values

Myth: Backyard hens will decrease property value.

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Facts: There is absolutely no evidence that keeping pet hens within the by-law guidelines would have any effect on property values. This is property rights issue and while it is necessary to protect neighbours from any potential nuisance, homeowners should have as much freedom as possible with minimal government interference.

If property values decreased with backyard hen keeping, why would major cities like Guelph, Brampton, Vancouver, Victoria, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles support backyard hen keeping? Urban hen keepers, like all good pet owners, are concerned about how their hens might be affecting their neighbourhood. They want their hens to be a positive experience for everyone and they make an effort to keep an open dialog with their immediate neighbours to ensure any concerns or issues are addressed.

Clearly, the rights of neighbours must be considered when raising hens in the city, and that structures and materials used should blend into the neighbourhood’s existing structures. Actually, hens can be kept in a yard so inconspicuously, that it may not be apparent that hens are even around. There are eggs to share, and a hen coop in the neighbourhood can actually be a conversation starter, and thus it can enhance a neighbourhood community.

In fact, the presence of an attractive, well-maintained backyard hen coop is no more likely to affect values for neighbouring properties than the presence of an attractive, well-maintained backyard rabbit hutch.

In addition, some prospective home owners may be attracted to a community with a progressive stance on green issues such as hen keeping. It’s impossible to know which stance is more likely to attract rather than repel the greater number of prospective home buyers – the one that encourages conformity, or the one that encourages sustainability.

Hens and Long-term User CommitmentMyth: Backyard Hen Keeping is a passing fad.Facts: Hens have been domesticated since 10,000 BC and have played an important part of life ever since. Many of our grandparents had victory gardens and knew how to grow vegetables, can food, and raised their own hens. But this valuable knowledge seems to have skipped a generation (or two) and we are anxious to bring it back on a smaller scale so that our children will not be so far removed from these basic skills that they think food comes only from the grocery store.

Raising 2-6 hens in the backyard is a tremendous opportunity for parents to teach their children about the responsibility that comes with caring for a pet and because of their small size and friendly demeanor, young children can easily handle hens without the fear of being bitten. Backyard hen keeping requires extensive planning and preparation. You can’t just go to the pet store to get hens like a dog or cat or any other pet. It takes a great deal of time to conduct all the research, build a coop,

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acquire all the necessary feeding and watering supplies and then to finally get the hens themselves.

Hens and Neighbourhood AestheticsMyth: A hen coop is an eyesore.Facts: City coops are typically small, clean and attractive because people love their pets and live in close proximately to them. Attractive and inexpensive coop designs are available on various websites for those who are not able to build their own. There are many books and websites available on coop construction. Currently in Kingston, rabbit hutches, dog houses, play sets and workshops are all considered accessory structures and are legal. Hen coops are very similar to rabbit hutches in size, design and function and should also be considered accessory structures.

Lot Size Does Not MatterHens require very little space. Shelter for four or five hens does not require any more space than that represented by many kitchen tables, and a run of 4 square feet per hen is sufficient to keep them happy and healthy. Households all over the country are keeping hens on city and suburban lots. Whether a backyard hen-keeper has a quarter of an acre or three hundred, he is likely to keep his hens in an enclosure with the same small footprint.

In order to assure the smallest of lots or unusual lot configuration doesn’t mean hens can be near enough to neighbouring properties to cause an annoyance, UAK’s Proposed by-law requires that hens and enclosures be a minimum of 4.5 metres from inhabited dwellings, which is the distance at which most normal hen noises are barely audible.

Hens Are EducationalHen keeping offers suburban children the opportunity to learn where their food really comes from and about healthy, sustainable, nutritious food. They will see firsthand how kitchen scraps become garden fertilizer which in turn produces beautiful vegetables. Instead of simply hearing, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” they will actually experience it.

Hens and Emergency PreparednessMany governments are asking community members to prepare for emergencies, whatever the cause. Many members of our community recently experienced firsthand the effects of an area-wide emergency on food supplies. Backyard hens provide a constant stream of fresh eggs without regard to the availability of electricity or refrigeration. Backyard hens will help our community be more food self-sufficient under any circumstances.

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Hens and the Economic CrisisThe cost of food has risen dramatically lately, including the cost of high-quality protein-rich nutrient-dense food such as pastured eggs. Pastured organic eggs cost up to $4 a dozen at local organic food stores. In comparison, four or five backyard hens will require a total of about $60 in feed each year and lay about 120 dozen eggs between them, depending on breed and age. That’s a savings of more than $400 a year. In addition, an egg provides about 7 grams of protein, which means those 120 dozen eggs – obtained at a cost of $60 per year – will supply the complete protein needs of the average woman. The ability to raise some of your own food can help provide a greater sense of security in insecure times.

Code Enforcement and Burdens on GovernmentAccording to the Kingston Police Service, the city has not received a hen-related complaint since the 1970s. We know that there are several families in Kingston who currently keep hens illegally; the police have received no complaints.

UAK’s proposed by-law forbids roosters and doesn’t require inspections or permits. Such an by-law will generate no significant burden on government. In the absence of complaints – an experience proven to be the likeliest outcome in comparable Ontario communities such as Guelph, Brampton and Niagara Falls – will generate little or no additional administrative, regulatory or enforcement burdens on Kingston’s municipal government.

The Urban/Suburban Hen MovementHen keeping is very popular among those who are concerned about the environment, among those concerned about food safety and security, and among those interested in self-sufficiency and preparedness. Dozens of newspaper and magazine accounts of communities which have changed their laws to allow hens have been written. Several environmental and educational organizations in Canadian and U.S. cities offer courses in Beginning Hen-Keeping, which have proven very popular with the general public.

Conclusions

According to The Wall Street Journal, “Hens suffer from a PR problem. People think they are dirty, noisy and smelly. The truth, a few cared for hens are cleaner and quieter than one big dog or the three neighbourhood cats that poop in the flower bed. Plus you get eggs……”

The bottom line is that the proposed by-law allowing backyard hens in Kingston succeeds in addressing all of the major concerns that are often brought up by opponents. We want a by-law that is restrictive but not prohibitive, one that protects our neighbours from potential nuisance but allows freedom and minimize

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governmental interference. Our pet hens enrich our lives, teach responsibility, entertain us and provide us with healthy, nutritious and delicious eggs.

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Appendix A: Backyard Coops

This is a portable hen coop, designed to be moved from one spot to the next and light enough to be moved by two people (one on each end) or by one if wheels are attached on one end to allow it to be tipped up and rolled along. Each day the hens get a fresh patch of grass, weeds, and bugs to eat and leave behind a small amount of natural organic fertilizer to feed the lawn. At night they go up into the top where they roost, completely protected from nocturnal predators. The sides come off to allow for cleaning, and the ends open up to allow eggs to be collected and nesting boxes to be cleaned out. It’s 42” high and has a footprint on the lawn of 4’ x 8’, which is enough room to keep 4 or 5 hens very happy and healthy. You build this yourself from plans. http://www.catawbacoops.com/

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Appendix B: Hen owner lays low: Urban Chickens (Kingston Whig-Standard, April 1, 2010)

In the backyard of a midtown Kingston home, three illegals huddle together beneath a small wood and wire structure.

They are egg-laying chickens; poultry kept in contravention of the city's animal licensing bylaw.

"This is proof you can contra-v ene the bylaw and get away with it," said their owner, who asked that his name not be published.

"You get away with it because it proves the bylaw is mislaid."

The chicken owner insists he is not an activist trying to bring down the bylaw, though he was aware it existed when he purchased his three new hens two days ago.

He simply likes the taste of the fresh eggs that are organically produced in his backyard and is willing to take some risk.

He certainly doesn't want a run-in with city bylaw enforcement officers.

The man did sign a 500-name petition circulated by Urban Agriculture Kingston calling on the city to alter its bylaw to accommodate the growing movement to allow backyard chickens that is spreading across Canada.

"There's a high level of support," says the group's co-ordinator, Mike Payne. "We plan to present another 500 names."

Why take on the issue? It has everything to do with the group's motto: "Promoting food sustain-ability in an urban centre."

The organization also promotes backyard and community gardening and buying food from local farmers and growers.

Payne said backyard hens fit nicely into Kingston's goal to become a sustainable city because the eggs are homegrown, free of pesticides and antibiotics, and the birds can be fed on table scraps.

Then there's the matter of taste.

"Have you ever had a real egg?" asked Payne. "It's like comparing Velveeta to five-year-old cheddar.

"We don't know eggs any more. I'm going to do it for those reasons."

Bylaw 4:13 stipulates that livestock and poultry can only be kept at a veterinary hospital

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or clinic or as part of a cultural, recreational or educational event, including a public or agricultural fair.

The bylaw does not, however, apply to properties zoned agricultural or of two hectares or more in size.

As Payne noted, who has two hectares of property in the city limits?

Kingston's licensing and enforcement manager, Kim Leonard, said people in contravention of the bylaw could be fined up to $5,000.

She said a few cases have been investigated over the last five years and the chicken owners got off with warnings.

"They were removed," said Leonard. "There was compliance. They were advised they couldn't keep them, so they didn't."

Leonard said the current bylaw came into effect in 2004 as part of post-amalgamation harmonization between the old city and two townships. She's sure the city had restrictions on poultry prior to that time.

Leonard said noise and the odour from droppings would likely pose the biggest problems with keeping chickens in built-up neighbourhoods, but Payne said chickens are quiet. It's roosters that like to crow and Urban Agriculture Kingston is proposing that the male birds, not necessary for egg production, would remain banned.

As for odour, he said that properly cleaned chicken coops don't smell and that there is no additional threat of disease.

The anonymous chicken owner built what's called a hen tractor. It has no floor, allowing the chickens to directly fertilize the land, and is moved around the yard so there is no build-up of droppings in one area.

Payne has been crunching some numbers to see how disruptive henhouses would be to city life.

He said he was told by a Kingston bylaw officer that they receive about 447 dog complaints a year.

In a call to Niagara Falls, where backyard chicken coops have been legalized, he learned that about one to four complaints a year come in.

"What can we expect here?" he said. "I think we can expect about six complaints a year. Six is a drop in the bucket."

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The group also proposes a restriction on the number of hens allowed on a property.

"We're talking about a limited number. We're saying six to eight. A reasonable limit is one per family member. They lay an egg a day. The idea is to give people a chance to feed themselves using their eggs," said Payne.

Urban Agriculture Kingston will host a public meeting about keeping backyard hens next Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library's central branch at 130 Johnston St.

pschliesmann@thewhig.com

Copyright © 2010 The Whig Standard

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Appendix C: A hen in every yard; an egg in every bowl (Kingston this Week)

March 26, 2010

The buck, hopefully, stops here.

More than 800 people have signed a petition calling for council to amend bylaws to allow for the responsible keeping of a small number of backyard hens.

The group behind the back to the backyard movement, Urban Agriculture Kingston, will host a series of public meetings at Kingston Frontenac Public Library branches.

"Vancouver, New York, Seattle, Victoria and Chicago are just a few of the North American cities that have recently allowed responsible backyard hen raising — now it's Kingston's turn," says Nathan Putnam, Queen's student and owner of the Living Cities Company, a small community business working to help make Kingston more sustainable, and a partner in the backyard hen campaign.

"A council vote to allow hens is a concrete action on their commitment to environmental sustainability and to food security," says Putnam.

The first 500 petition signatures were to be presented to council at Tuesday's meeting, urging council to amend city bylaws and allow for the keeping backyard hens.

Urban Agriculture Kingston is a working group of OPIRG-Kingston that promotes sustainable food production for the Greater Kingston area. UAK works to make policy changes in governments and institutions that will support increased food sovereignty across the region.

UAK has been holding events and gathering petition signatures since June 2009 to build support for and awareness of its campaign. Over 200 people have attended events which have included two speakers and a film screening of Mad City Chickens.

Mike Payne, co-co-ordinator of UAK, explains that the events are a chance for the public to ask questions, to voice concerns, and to hear about the experiences of other jurisdictions.

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"We have consulted with each of the dozen Canadian cities that allow backyard hens, as well as with six others in the USA", says Payne. "We look forward to presenting the overall picture that hens have been incorporated smoothly into the urban environment across North America, often with no nuisance complaints at all."

Urban Agriculture Kingston will host a series of public meetings at Kingston Frontenac Public Library Branches: Thursday, March 25, 7-8:30 p.m., at the Pittsburgh Library, 80 Gore Rd., upstairs (non-accessible); Saturday, March 27, 1-2:30 p.m., Isabel Turner Library, 935 Gardiners Rd., Room A (accessible) and Thursday, April 8, 7-8:30 p.m., Central Library, 130 Johnson Street, Delahaye Room, 3rd floor (accessible).

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Appendix D: Is City Council Chicken? (Kingston Whig-Standard)

Is City Council Chicken?By Mike Payne and Derek ZeismanMarch 19, 2010http://beta.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2498513&auth=MIKE%20PAYNE%20AND%20DEREK%20ZEISMAN

The City of Kingston's web-site boasts, "We are strongly committed to the goal of making Kingston Canada's most sustainable city."

If our community is truly dedicated to the idea of environmental sustainability, then the time has come for city council to allow citizens to keep small numbers of backyard hens for the purpose of household egg consumption.

Many major North American cities, including Vancouver, Victoria, New York, Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles, together with Ontario communities such as Niagara Falls, Brampton and Guelph, allow the small-scale raising of hens. Now it's Kingston's turn to join this positive and growing trend.

In the decades after the Second World War, many urban and suburban communities across Canada and the U.S. instituted laws to distance people from their then-unfashionable rural roots.

In recent years, many of us have begun to realize that maintaining a close connection to our food supply is a positive choice -- a way to a healthier and more ecologically sustainable lifestyle.

Farmers' markets, including the weekly one in downtown Kingston, have since experienced a huge revival, people are gardening more, and communities across Canada are changing decades-old laws forbidding the keeping of hens.

In fact, hens have existed in cities since the dawn of time and continue to thrive in communities around the world to this day. The benefits of raising them include:

Fresh, healthy and delicious home-grown eggs, free of pesticides and antibiotics;

Reduced municipal solid waste as hens consume table scraps and other organic waste;

Reduced backyard pest populations as hens consume weeds and bugs; Opportunities to teach children about food sources and responsible animal

care; and The addition of great "poultry pets" to families -- hens are people-friendly,

nonaggressive and always entertaining to watch.

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People tend to fear the unknown, and hens are no exception. Most Kingstonians have no prior experience in raising or even living near backyard hens. This has set alarm bells ringing.

Concerns about noise, odours, disease, and the attraction of predators and vermin to backyards have all been effectively addressed by the hundreds of cities and towns that have already allowed backyard hens.

From a noise perspective, hens are quiet and docile creatures, certainly much quieter than the barking dogs many of us have in our neighbourhoods. (Roosters on the other hand are much louder, but are not needed for hens to be egg layers, and do not belong in cities.)

Potential predators such as coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks are a non-issue if coops and runs are properly constructed, and hens are "confined to quarters" during nighttime hours.

In terms of animal pollution, hens are more sanitary than most pets. Unlike dog and cat waste, hen waste can be transformed into rich garden fertilizer that is high in nitrogen – eliminating the need for expensive and potentially harmful commercial fertilizers.

Four hens might weigh nine kilograms, compared to a Labrador Retriever's 30 kilograms, so the waste that hens produce is easily managed. Coops need to be cleaned on a regular basis (every other week), and the manure needs to be put into a closed composter to mature and to limit odours.

Health concerns over the spread of animal diseases such as avian flu are also largely unfounded. In small numbers, hens are clean creatures, unlikely to generate disease. A few hens with a good home and a bit of yard space can be expected to live happy, healthy and productive lives.

As is the case with any domestic animal, the success of backyard hens largely depends on the quality and dedication of their owners. A bad pet is usually the result of a bad owner. But research shows the vast majority of hen owners are responsible: pro-hen Canadian cities report very low rates of nuisance complaints. If council allows hens, bylaw officers can expect six new nuisance complaints next year, not many when compared to the 447 it received last year regarding dogs.

Concerns about hen-related sanitation and noise can be addressed through municipal regulations, just as they are for pets, motorcycles, and neighbourhood parties.

After consultations with each of the dozen Canadian cities that allow backyard hens, we believe that the following regulations will smoothly reintegrate hens into backyards:

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One bird per 100 square metres of property; Coops must be 4.5 metres from any dwelling; Coops must not be built onto a shared fence; Hens must be confined to coop between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.; Roosters are prohibited; Home slaughter is prohibited; Feed must be stored securely; Manure must be composted in enclosed bin; chicken run must be kept clean. All other animal control bylaws will apply: noise, odour, animals-at-large; Sale of eggs or manure is prohibited.

The urban hen movement is a part of a growing effort in Canadian cities to solve some very serious problems with our food system. Solutions to these problems exist in the form of local farms, farmers' markets, community gardens and, in a small way, in backyard hens.

Council can help bring these concepts to fruition by embracing the idea of "local food" in its goal to transform Kingston into Canada's most sustainable city.

By allowing for small numbers of responsibly raised urban hens, council will follow the successful example of other progressive Canadian cities by strengthening our region's food security while ensuring a new source of healthy food for Kingston families.

Concerns about hen-related sanitation and noise can be addressed through municipal regulations, just as they are for dogs, cats and neighbourhood parties.

Together, we can send a message to city council that we want to create a truly sustainable, nutritious and delicious future for the people of Kingston.

Mike Payne is Co-coordinator of Urban Agriculture Kingston, a working group of OPIRG Kingston, which promotes sustainable food production in the Kingston area. Derek Zeisman is a UAK volunteer and graduate student at Queen's University. They can be reached at UrbanAgKingston@gmail.com, and more information can be found at uakingston.webs.com.

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Appendix E: Urban Chickens (Niagara Magazine, St. Catharines)

Urban Chickens: It’s Time to Take StockBy Meredyth CowlingJanuary 2010http://www.niagaramag.ca/sitepages/?aid=1264&cn=Green%20Column&an=COWLING%20ON%20GREEN

In the last several years, growing numbers of people in cities and towns across Canada and the U.S. (including Niagara) have quietly and sometimes covertly, returned to a practice that was common until the end of the Second World War: that of keeping a few chickens in the backyard. Numerous cities already allow this but in places without a chicken-friendly bylaw, grassroots campaigns, inspired by the expanding "eat local" movement, are encouraging municipalities to reconsider their position and allow a limited numbers of hens. Although there are no firm statistics on the number of "urban chickens" in 2009, they're becoming so popular that Backyard Poultry Magazine, which ceased publication back in the 1980s, was relaunched a few years ago.

In Niagara, only the City of Niagara Falls allows chickens in areas other than those specifically zoned for agriculture. The city's animal control bylaw, updated in July 2005, allows residents to keep up to 10 hens as long as the property is a minimum 40 feet wide by 100 feet deep with a single detached dwelling. The coop or chicken house must be at least 25 feet from the rear boundary and 15 feet from the side. They must be properly cared for, cannot run at large and roosters are prohibited.

"We've had no problems and this bylaw seems to be serving the community very well," says Bill Matson, manager of clerks for the City of Niagara Falls. Another official notes that although the city does receive a handful of complaints a year about chickens, almost all have to do with the presence of roosters (prohibited under the bylaw) or for the coops not being the required number of feet from the property line.

While it's not known how many Niagara Falls residents keep chickens, the idea of keeping backyard chickens is gaining popularity. For some it's a commitment to local food security and to minimize the environmental costs of the food we eat. Others appreciate knowing their food is produced in a way that is as healthy and humane as possible. The goal for others is simply the deep yellow yolks, tender whites and garden fresh flavour of the eggs – a taste all but forgotten in the standard factory farmed egg of today. And there are those who simply enjoy raising chickens.

"You start vegetable gardening, and pretty soon you're thinking about how you can stimulate growth without chemical fertilizers, and before you know it, you're researching chickens, manure composting and chicken- coop building plans," says one Niagara Falls resident.

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"I've had my chickens almost a year now. Originally I got them for the eggs and for the natural, nitrogen-rich manure to apply to my vegetable garden, but I've discovered that they are amusing, lovable pets as well."

Given the emphasis on sustainability and the current economic conditions, it's no wonder backyard chickens are gaining popularity. Rose and Ken Bartel, of the thriving Bartel Organics on Lakeshore Road, in Niagara- on-the-Lake, have joined the ranks of supporters and recently built a fine chicken coop amidst their lovely gardens.

"We had chickens years ago and really just enjoy having them around," explains Rose. "They complete the picture of what we're doing out here. We have 20 Red sex-link hens this time, a small variety, just for laying eggs. It's a partnership. We receive the delicious eggs and natural fertilizer for the garden and in return we give them a good life."

Another happy group of Niagara chickens has a dwelling that could grace the front of Architectural Digest. Jodi Godwin's small flock on Lakeshore Road has a chicken house many would envy. Designed by architect husband David Parker, she is often kidded by friends and neighbours as having the "gold plated chicken coop."

"I grew up in Calgary, in the city, removed from this sort of experience. This is not about cheaper eggs; it is about living closer to our food sources and as a family, being part of the process, gaining understanding and respect for what goes into providing our food. We have developed a community of friends and neighbours who share our delight in this project. They stop by to visit, often with their children, sharing ‘putting the chickens' to bed, enjoying the process as much as we do. Raising chickens is so rewarding for us, the eggs have become just the bonus. When these chickens are finished laying eggs, we have discussed that they will be food. I don't know how that will turn out yet. If we just had one or two they would remain pets but with 16 chickens that is not possible and I feel I need to be able to see it through. It's part of using our resources wisely."

Godwin says they're not pretending to be farmers nor do they have any illusions about being equipped to live off the land, but they are reaping the huge rewards of being closer to the land, connected to it, appreciating their ability to produce their own food. "We think about the coming of peak oil and peak water and what the future may be like in 25 or 30 years. Society is changing and this experience, this knowledge, is important, especially for our children. You know, 10 years ago, if you had asked me what I hoped my children would do in the future, the answer would have included university and professional careers of some kind. While I would still support this, I find I would be pleased and proud if one of them chose a career in farming."

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Growing numbers of people, in cities and towns from Vancouver to New York, from Los Angeles to Toronto, in hundreds of cities and towns along the way and right here in Niagara, are making conscious decisions about how they live, like planting a garden and keeping a few chickens in the backyard. Certainly they seek food safety and security and support the evolution of the local food movement, but something deeper seems to be at work here, a desire for independence, for the satisfaction of self reliance, for relearning and recovering wisdom about the natural world that we left somewhere along the way . . . and for passing the hope and contentment that comes with it on to our children.

NOTE: Most hens lay eggs from about six or seven months of age and continue until they are four or five years old though they can live for several years longer. They are friendly creatures with unique personalities, many different breeds with their own characteristics, producing eggs in a wonderful range of colours, providing insect control and rich manure. For your daily commitment, they will provide a tremendous amount of enjoyment and satisfaction and open a new window into the world of nature and your part in it, for you and your family. There are a startling number or articles and websites on every topic relating to keeping backyard chickens, from ‘Getting Started' to 'Heirloom Varieties,' to organizations and products (www.backyardchickens.com; www.eglu.us; www.citychickens.com) If you're tempted to consider chickens for yourself, first check out your local rules and bylaws. NM

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Appendix F: The New Coop de Ville (Newsweek)

The New Coop de Ville: The Craze for Urban Poultry FarmingBy Jessica BennettNov. 17, 2008http://www.newsweek.com/id/168740

For Brooklyn real-estate agent Maria Mackin, the obsession started five years ago, on a trip to Pennsylvania Amish country. She, her husband and three children – now 17, 13 and 11 – sat down for brunch at a local bed-and-breakfast, and suddenly the chef realized she'd run out of eggs. "She said, 'Oh goodness! I'll have to go out to the garden and get some more'," Mackin recalls. "She cooked them up and they were delicious." Mackin and her husband, Declan Walsh, looked at each other, and it didn't take long for the idea to register: Could we have hens too? They finished their brunch and convinced the bed-and-breakfast owner, a Mennonite celery farmer, to sell them four hens. They packed them in a little nest in the back of their Plymouth Voyager minivan and headed back to Brooklyn.

The family has been raising hens ever since, in the backyard of their brick townhouse in an urban waterfront neighbourhood called Red Hook. Every Easter, Mackin orders a new round of chicks, now from a catalog that ships the newborns in a ventilated box while they are still feeding from their yolks. When they are grown, she offers up their eggs—and occasionally extra hens, when she decides she's got too many—to friends and neighbours, and sells a portion to a local bistro, which touts the neighbourhood poultry on its Web site. She gives the hen manure—a high-quality fertilizer—to a local community garden in exchange for hay, which she uses to pad the hens' wire-fenced coop.

As it turns out, Mackin is hardly an anomaly, in New York or any other urban center. Over the past few years, urban dwellers driven by the local-food movement, in cities from Seattle to Albuquerque, have flocked to the idea of small-scale backyard hen farming—mostly for eggs, not meat—as a way of taking part in home-grown agriculture. This past year alone, grass-roots organizations in Missoula, Mont.; South Portland, Maine; Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Ft. Collins, Colo., have successfully lobbied to overturn city by-laws outlawing backyard poultry farming, defined in these cities as egg farming, not slaughter. Ann Arbor now allows residents to own up to four hens (with neighbours' consent), while the other three cities have six-hen limits, subject to various spacing and nuisance regulations.

That quick growth in popularity has some people worried about noise, odor and public health, particularly in regard to avian flu. A few years back in Salt Lake City—which does not allow for backyard poultry farming—authorities had to impound 47 hens, 34 chicks and 10 eggs from a residential home after neighbours complained about incessant clucking and a wretched stench, along with wandering hens and feathers scattered throughout the neighbourhood.

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"The smell got to be unbelievable," one neighbour told the local news. Meanwhile, in countries from Thailand to Australia, where bird flu has spread in the past, government officials have threatened to ban free-range hens for fear they are contributing to outbreaks. (In British Columbia, where officials estimated earlier this year that there are as many as 8,000 hen flocks, an avian flu outbreak four years forced the slaughter of more than 17 million birds.)

But avian flu has not shown up in wild birds, domestic poultry or people in the United States. And, as the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute (an environmental research group) pointed out in a report last month, experts including the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production have said that if we do see it, it'll be more likely to be found in factory-farmed poultry than backyard hens. As GRAIN, an international sustainable agriculture group, concluded in a 2006 report: "When it comes to bird flu, diverse small-scale poultry farming is the solution, not the problem."

Many urban farmers are taking that motto to heart. In New York, where hens (but not roosters, whose loud crowing can disturb neighbours) are allowed in limitless quantities, there are at least 30 community gardens raising them for eggs, and a City Hen Project run by a local nonprofit that aims to educate the community about their benefits. In Madison, Wis., where members of a grass-roots hen movement, the Hen Underground, successfully overturned a residential hen ban four years ago, there are now 81 registered hen owners, according to the city's animal-services department. "There's definitely a growing movement," says 33-year-old Rob Ludlow, the Bay Area operator of BackyardHens.com and the owner of five hens of his own. "A lot of people really do call it an addiction. Hens are fun, they have a lot of personality. I think people are starting to see that they're really easy pets—and they actually produce something in return."

Because hens can be considered both livestock and pet, farming them for eggs—or keeping them as pets—is unregulated in major cities like New York and Los Angeles. But it isn't legal everywhere. According to one recent examination by urban-agriculture expert Jennifer Blecha, just 65 percent of major cities allow henkeeping, while 40 percent allow for one or more roosters. (Hens don't need roosters to lay unfertilized eggs.)

Hen slaughter, meanwhile, tends to fall under a separate (and generally stricter) set of regulations, though they're not always enforced. Most cities that allow hen farming limit the number to four or six per household, so many urban farmers aren't raising enough hens to slaughter and sell anyway—though they may cook up a meal or two at home. If they want to slaughter more, there are mobile slaughterhouses in places like Washington state that will do the dirty work for you: USDA-approved refrigerated trucks will pull right up to your doorstep.

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Hen farmers are finding each other on sites like TheCityHen.com, UrbanHens.org and MadCityHens.com. BackyardHens.com logs some 6 million page views each month and has some 18,000 members in its forum, where community members share colorful stories (giving a hen CPR), photos (from a California hen show), even look to each other for comfort. "I am worried that non-BYC people won't understand why a 34-year-old woman would cry over a $7 hen," writes a Stockton, N.J., woman, whose hen was killed by a hawk.

Over at UrbanHens.org, which launched this year, founder K. T. LaBadie, a master's student in community planning, provides updates on city by-laws, info about local hen-farming classes and coop tours and has been contacted by activists hoping to overturn hen bans around the nation. In Albuquerque, where she lives with her husband and four hens—Gloria, Switters, Buffy and Omelet—residents can keep 15 hens and one rooster, subject to noise by-laws, as well as slaughter the hens for food. In July, LaBadie wrote in detail of her first killing: she and her husband hung the bird by its legs, slit its throat, plucked its feathers and put it on ice. Then they slow-cooked it for 20 hours. "It's not pretty, it's kinda messy, and it's a little smelly," she writes. "But it's quite real."

Meanwhile, at MadCityHens.com, the Web site created by the Madison Hen Underground, chat-line operator Dennis Harrison-Noonan has turned his hen love into a mini-business: he's sold 2,000 design kits for his custom-made playhouse hen coop, which retails for $35. "It's really not that crazy to think that people are doing this," says Owen Taylor, the urban livestock coordinator at Just Food, which operates the New York Hen Project. "Most of the world keeps hens, and they've been doing so for thousands of years."

Historically, he's right. During the first and second world wars, the government even encouraged urban farming by way of backyard "Victory Gardens" in an effort to lessen the pressure on the public food supply. (Until 1859, there were 50,000 hogs living in Manhattan, according to Blecha.) "It's really only been over the last 50 years or so that we've gotten the idea that modernity and success and urban spaces don't involve these productive animals," Blecha says.

There are a host of reasons for the growing trend. "Locavores" hope to avoid the carbon emissions and energy consumption that come with transporting food. Hen owners and poultry experts say eggs from backyard hens are tastier and can be more nutritious, with higher levels of supplements like omega-3 fatty acids. Their production cost is cheap: you can buy hens for as little as a couple of dollars, and three hens will likely average about two eggs a day. You can also use their waste to help revitalize a garden.

"There've been recalls on everything from beef to spinach, and I think people want to have peace of mind knowing their food is coming from a very trusted source," says LaBadie. "As gas prices go up, and people realize how food is connected to oil and transportation, they are bound to realize they can get a higher quality product cheaper if they get it locally."

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Keeping a hen is relatively easy, too—assuming you don't get too attached. (That's a talk Mackin says she had with her kids early: these hens aren't pets.) They'll eat virtually anything—"pork products, string cheese, even Chinese takeout," she laughs—and they feed on bugs and pests that can ruin a garden. They can withstand harsh weather conditions. (In one oft-told tale, a Maine woman lost her hen in a blizzard and found it, a day later, frozen solid with its feet stuck straight in the air. She thawed it and administered CPR. The hen made a full recovery.)

And much like New Yorkers, not much bothers hens grown in urban environments. "[Those] raised in a really controlled environment like factory farms are very fragile, both physically and emotionally," says Blecha, who lives in St. Paul, Minn., with her partner and six hens. "My hens, I mow the lawn a foot away from them and they don't even look up from their pecking."

But even urban hens, who can live more than five years, can die easily: from predators like dogs or possums, catching a cold or sometimes for no apparent reason at all. Once, one of Mackin's chicks got stuck in a glue trap. She drowned it, to put it out of its misery. "That was really sad," she says. (Mackin doesn't name her hens, for that very reason.)

But the overall experience seems to be positive for everyone. "We have people calling weekly to say, 'This is really cool'," says Patrick Comfert, a spokesman for Madison's animal-services department, where the hen ban was reversed in 2004. "Hen people love it, the neighbours don't care, we have no complaints." Minneapolis enthusiast Albert Bourgeois sums up the appeal. "Hens are really fun pets," he says. His flock is named Cheney, Condi, Dragon, Fannie and Freddie. The next one, he says, will be Obama.

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Appendix F: Letters to the Editor, Kingston Whig Standard, March 2010

March 25thBackyard chickens a good idea

I fully support the cause for backyard chickens. I hope that city council will pass a bylaw that will allow Kingston residents to raise and keep egg-laying hens.The benefits are many if such a bylaw is passed: waste reduction, food security and wholesome food.

Theresa Martin Kingston

March 26th*Urban hens an egg-cellent idea

I moved here from Atlantic Canada, where the hen debate was held in Halifax last year. From my perspective, the issue was debated on emotion, not on reason, resulting in the prohibition of backyard hens. Just because hens live in many a barnyard does not mean they will turn your neighbour's backyard into one. Hens need to be looked after like any pet and will cause no more nuisance than a typical pet. Progressive cities across North America have proven that hens can become a valuable part of a household's life as a pet, a food source, and a waste recycler without disturbing anyone. City council should give hens a chance.Josh Kurek Kingston

March 27th

Chickens welcome in my neigbourhood

I would support a bylaw change, even if I'm not sure that I'm up for the work of raising hens myself. Why shouldn't my neighbours be allowed to keep hens? Countless other cities in North America have hens in backyards, and as it says in the article "Is council chicken?" (March 20), they are just like any other pet, only causing problems when owners are negligent. I'd be fine with hens in the yard next door.Besides, I've tasted a real egg before and would look forward to the occasional neighbourly omlette.

Eric Galarneau Kingston

March 30th

Chickens don't belong in the city

After reading a number of letters encouraging the raising of hens in Kingston backyards, I certainly can not support a bylaw change allowing the raising of hens in residential neighborhoods.Should we be encouraging predators such a fox, coyote, raccoon, fisher, skunk and the like to frequent our backyards looking for supper?Are we sure that the keeper of the flock knows how to have and maintain a safe environment and keep bird flu at bay?Should we ignore the possibly of tough, feral chickens roosting along our roadways and in our parks giving the Humane Society more work to do?Do we really believe where there are chickens, a rooster won't be waking us up a dawn?Would it be prudent to turn a blind eye to the Ministry of Natural Resources suggestion not to feed wily animals? (Page 9, theWhig-Standard, March 27.)"Is council chicken?" well, on this issue I'm thinking many species like chicken and a good egg.Wendy Erickson-Gray Kingston

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Appendix G: Expected Hen-Related Bylaw Complaints in Kingston

City Population # of Complaints/yr Complaints/100,000 Projected Yearly Hen-Related Complaints in KingstonNiagara Falls, ON 82,181 2 2 3Guelph, ON 114,943 "just a few"Brampton, ON 433,806 6 1 2Victoria 300,000 12 4 5Surrey, BC 400,000 "very few" 0Saanich, BC 108,000 15 14 16New Westminster, BC 58,549 4.5 8 9Rossland, BC 3,278 0 0 0Esquimault, BC 16,840 0Burnaby, BC 216,336 12 6

Median 6 5Average 6 6

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   1.      Potential for spread of diseases including avian flu2.      Cleanliness and smell concerns3.      The need for municipal policy guidelines regarding backyard chickens in the event of an avian flu outbreak4.      Humane concerns – possibility of cruelty to/mistreatment of chickens by irresponsible owners5.      Noise concerns (particularly from roosters, though we do not propose allowing these in Kingston)6.      Concerns about how to deal with chicken feces (treatment and/or disposal)7.      Concerns that chickens might attract predators and vermin (ie. coyotes, raccoons, skunks, foxes, rats)8.      Concerns about how to safely/cleanly dispose of dead chickens9.      Opposition from commercial chicken farmers10.   Concerns about the impact of backyard chickens on neighbourhood property values11.   Concerns about potential “overload impact” of urban chickens on municipal animal control bylaw officers and their limited resources12.   How to determine minimum lot sizes (if any) for home owners wishing to raise chickens13.   How to determine the maximum number of backyard chickens feasible for a city lot14.   Concerns about unsightliness of yards with a chicken presence15.   Potential adverse impacts of cold Canadian winters on backyard chickens16.   How to prevent wandering chickens (the need to confine them to yards using proper infrastructure)17.   Concerns that chickens may be raised not only for eggs but for meat/slaughter (the latter is not being proposed)18.   Concerns that unregulated home-produced eggs may be sold to consumers (we propose home egg production only for personal consumption)19.   Availability and cost of nutritionally correct chicken feed20.   Medical options available for treatment of sick chickens (can typical veterinarians treat them?)

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Comparative Overview of Select Urban Chicken Bylaws in Canada and the USAJanurary/February 2010

Municipality and Bylaw(s)

Bylaw Details Lot Requirements Number of Chickens Allowed

Refuse/Other Local Contact

Brampton, ONPop. 433,806 (2006)

Bylaws 261-93 and78-2009:http://brampton.ca/en/City-Hall/Bylaws/ Documents/animal-control.pdf

See Section 11 “A building structure, coop, pen or run”

No specification for size

8m from other building, 2m from property boundary

1 maximum

Roosters prohibited

Buried or in air-tight containers until removed

Feed must be kept in rodent-proof containers

Chickens may not roam at large

www.brampton.caCity Clerk’s Office(905) 874-2101Bylaw Enforcement Office(905) 458-3424Animal Services - Tamara (905) 458-5200 x203

Brampton Animal Shelter(905) 458-5800

According to Dora in Brampton’s Bylaw Office, approximately half a dozen chicken-related complaints are received annually. Most complaints relate to chickens that have escaped the confines of their yards and are running loose. A few rare complaints may pertain to smell. “There’s really no issue at all with noise or even smell – certainly far less than we encounter with dog-related complaints.” No permits are required.

Guelph, ONPop. 114,943 (2006)

Bylaw (1985)-11952:http://www.guelph.ca/ uploads/PDF/By-laws/exotic_animals.pdf

“No person shall keep ducks, geese, poultry or pigeons within the city limits unless kept in pens, with floors kept free from standing water, and regularly cleaned and disinfected, and that such pens be a distance of at least 50’ from any school, church or dwelling house not incl. the owner’s dwelling.”

At least 50 feet from any school, church or dwelling house of others

Unspecified “Kept in pens, with floors kept free from standing water”

Regularly cleaned and disinfected

www.guelph.caCity Clerk’s Office(519) 837-5603Bylaw Enforcement Office(519) 836-7275

Guelph Humane Society(519) 824-3091

The Guelph Humane Society is charged with responding to animal-related bylaw infractions in the Guelph area. “Just a few” chicken-related complaints are received each year, focusing mainly on chickens that are running at large. No permits are required.

Municipality and Bylaw(s)

Bylaw Details Lot Requirements Number of Chickens Allowed

Refuse/Other Local Contact

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Kingston, ONPop. 117,207 (2006)

Bylaw 2004-144:www.cityofkingston.ca/ pdf/bylaws/bl_2004-144.pdf

Section 4.13:“No person shall keep livestock or poultry on any property except in a veterinary hospital or clinic or as part of a cultural, recreational or educational event, including a public or agricultural fair.”

Section 4.14:“The regulation set out in section 4.13 does not apply to an agricultural property [or] to a property of five (5) or more acres.”

None, unless property is 5 or more acres

Unspecified www.cityofkingston.caCity Clerk’s Office(613) 546-0000Bylaw Enforcement Office(613) 546-0000

Kingston Humane Society(613) 546-1291

Urban Agriculture Kingston

Niagara Falls, ONPop. 82,181 (2006)

Bylaw 2002-129:www.niagarafalls.ca/ city_hall/departments/ clerks/bylaws/pdf/ Animal_control.pdf

See Bylaw 2002-129, Schedule “C”(Note: This might be an excellent legislative model for Kingston)

Chickens cannot be at large

Coops must be in the rear yard

Yards must be minimum 30m x 12m (40 ft. x 100 ft.)

10 maximum

Roosters prohibited

Fully enclosed structures, with proper ventilation, adequate space and effective containment

Dead chickens must be properly disposed of within 24 hours

Proper disposal of feces

www.niagarafalls.caCAO’s Office(905) 356-7521 x5100Bylaw Enforcement Office(905) 356-7521Franco Piscitelli (sup.), x4262Anna Morocco, x4341

Niagara Falls Humane Society(905) 356-4404

According to Bill Matson, manager of clerks for the City of Niagara Falls, “We’ve had no problems and this bylaw seems to be serving the community very well.Although the city does receive a handful of complaints a year about chickens, almost all have to do with the presence of roosters (prohibited under the bylaw) or for the coops not being the required number of feet from the property line.”

According to Anna Morocco in the City’s Bylaw Enforcement Office, on average Niagara Falls receives only 1 or 2 complaints per year regarding chickens. No permits are required.

Municipality and Bylaw(s)

Bylaw Details Lot Requirements Number of Chickens Allowed

Refuse/Other Local Contact

Burnaby, BCPop. 216,336 (2006)

Section 8:“No owner of an animal or poultry shall permit

Unspecified Unspecified www.burnaby.caCity Clerk’s Office(604) 294-7290

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Animal Control Bylaw 9609 (1991):www.burnaby.ca

the animal or poultry, other than a cat, to be at large in the city.”

Bylaw Enforcement Office(604) 294-7130Burnaby SPCA(604) 291-7201

According to Sandra at the Burnaby SPCA, very few complaints are received about chickens – no more than half a dozen annually. These complaints pertain almost exclusively to local immigrant families that slaughter poultry on their properties during traditional Asian holiday celebrations, in contravention of city bylaws. “We get almost no complaints about problems with smell, noise, or chickens running loose.” No permits are required.

Esquimalt, BCPop. 16,840 (2006)

Bylaw 2002-2495:http://www.esquimalt.ca/files/PDF/Bylaws/Bylaw_2495_-_Animal_Bylaw_-_Consolidation_-_2009-02.pdf

See Part 6 – Poultry(Sections 56, 57, 57.1)

Allowed on any property zoned for single family dwellings (min. 530 sq. m/ 5700 sq. ft. lot); minimum 1.5m setbacks; structures kept in front yards must be hidden from sight; min. enclosed area of 0.4m2 per hen

4 maximum

No roosters

Structures must be kept clean, rodent free and odour free

No slaughter on property

Any diseased animal killed and destroyed

www.esquimalt.caCAO’s Office(250) 414-7101Office of Development Services 250-414-7146

Victoria SPCA(250) 388-7722

According to Barbara Snyder, Director of Development Services, the bylaw was passed about 1.5 years ago, with very little community opposition. Since then, there has been no explosion in demand for chickens, with about 4 people keeping them at the time of the bylaw’s passage, and only 3 now (though more may exist). No permits are necessary, and there have been no complaints since passage of the bylaw. “Chickens are certainly a lot quieter than most family dogs, and they reflect the community’s interest in embracing concepts like environmental sustainability, green thinking, food security and healthier eating.” No permits are required.

Kamloops, BCPop. 86,376 (2006)

Bylaw 34-11:https://kamloops.civicweb.net/content/pdfstorage/2B6560DAD326465ABC831D07931443DE-34-11.pdf

See Section 3(“Farm Animals”)

At least 1 acre

Minimum 6m setback of coop from property line (or 46m if coop houses more than 3 chickens)

Minimum 7.5m setback from any residence

2 maximum per acre of land (ie. 6 maximum on a 3 acre property)

www.kamloops.caCAO’s Office(250) 828-3498Bylaw Enforcement Office(250)

Kamloops SPCA(250) 376-7722

Municipality and Bylaw(s)

Bylaw Details Lot Requirements Number of Chickens Allowed

Refuse/Other Local Contact

New Westminster, BC

See Part IV, Section 600/601: “Prohibition

Unspecified Unspecified See Part IV, Section 600/601: “Prohibition

www.newwestcity.caCAO’s Office

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Pop. 58,549 (2006)

Bylaw 7037, 2005:http://www.newwestcity.ca/database/rte/7037animalcontrol.pdf

of cruelty and performances involving animals”

of cruelty and performances involving animals”

(604) 521-3711Office of Development Services (604) 521-3711Burnaby SPCA(604) 291-7201

According to Keith Coffin, Assistant Director of Development Services, chicken-related complaints in New West average only 3-6 per year. No permits are required.

Rossland, BCPop. 3,278 (2006)

Bylaw 2357:http://rossland.ca/files/%7BA9393ACB-0927-4636-823A-552FD1F4B9A0%7D2357%20-%20Animal%20Control%20Bylaw,%202006.pdf

Section 9.1:“The owner of any poultry shall not allow it to: (a) stray, trespass or be at large on a highway or other public place; (b) stray or trespass on private property; or (c) graze on unfenced land unless securely tethered or contained.”

Unspecified Unspecified www.rossland.caCAO’s Office(250) 362-7396 x2324Bylaw Enforcement Office(250)

Trail SPCA(250) 368-5910

According to Victor Kumar, Rossland’s Chief Administrative Officer, no complaints have been received of chicken problems. No permits are required.

Saanich, BCPop. 108,265 (2006)

Bylaw 8556:http://www.saanich.ca/municipal/clerks/bylaws/pdfs/animals8556.pdf

See Sections 4, 38, 39 and 40

12,000 sq. ft. lot minimum

Research/consultations are currently underway aimed at allowing hens on lots smaller than 12,000 sq. ft.

10 maximum, for lots 12,000 to 20,000 sq. ft.; 30 maximum, for lots 20,001 to 43,056 sq. ft.;unlimited number, for lots over 43,056 sq. ft.

Roosters prohibited in residential areas; in rural areas, up to 5 roosters for lots up to 43,056 sq. ft.; unlimited for larger lots

www.saanich.caClerk’s Office(250) 475-5494 x3507Strategic Planning Unit(250) 475-5494 x3401Animal Control OfficerSue Ryan, x4360

According to Jane Evans, a research planner with Saanich’s Strategic Planning Unit, 10 to 20 chicken-related complaints are received annually (4 in the first 2 months of 2010). Chickens escaping and running at large is the number one complaint. No permits are currently required, though some would like to see registration of chickens to provide animal control officers with a means to return escaped chickens to their owners.

Municipality and Bylaw(s)

Bylaw Details Lot Requirements Number of Chickens Allowed

Refuse/Other Local Contact

Surrey, BCPop. 394,976 (2006)

See General Provisions Section

1 acre minimum 12 chickens maximum per acre of

No slaughter; chickens can be kept for egg

www.surrey.caCity Clerk’s Office

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Zoning Bylaw 12000:http://www.surrey.ca/NR/rdonlyres/A31F972A-C365-4A4A-AF8F-FB0384128E77/0/Zoning.pdf

land

Roosters prohibited

production only (604) 591-4132Bylaw Enforcement and Licensing Department(604) 591-4370

Surrey SPCA(604) 597-5655

According to Barb, Supervisor of Surrey’s Bylaw Enforcement Department, very few chicken-related complaints are received annually. Those that are received are mostly noise-related; of these, almost all pertain to people who are illegally keeping rooster(s) on their property (these are illegal in Surrey). No permits are required.Vancouver, BCPop. 578,041 (2006)

Bylaws 9150 and 9433(pre-amendment):http://vancouver.ca/blStorage/9433.PDF

Section 7.2 (Prohibition against keeping certain domestic animals): “A person must not keep in any area, temporarily or permanently, any ducks, geese, turkeys, chickens, pheasants, quail or other poultry or fowl.”

Currently prohibited, subject to bylaw amendments (see below)

Currently prohibited, subject to bylaw amendments (see below)

Currently prohibited, subject to bylaw amendments (see below)

www.vancouver.caCity Clerk’s Office(604) 873-7000Bylaw Enforcement Office(604)

Vancouver SPCA(604) 879-7721

In March 2009, Vancouver Council asked city staff to develop policy guidelines on allowing backyard hens in Vancouver. The policy will focus on protecting the health and welfare of citizens and ensuring the humane treatment of backyard hens. In preparing the policy, staff have been working with the City’s Food Policy Council and other stakeholders, including local health authorities, the SPCA and other municipalities. A set of draft guidelines for the keeping of hens was released for public comment in fall 2009. These draft guidelines are now in the process of being revised based on public comment. A set of final guidelines will be presented to Council in early 2010, along with a series of recommendations that will allow Council to examine the potential for repealing the various bylaws that currently prohibit backyard hens.Victoria, BCPop. 78,057 (2006)

No bylaw exists; urban agriculture resolution in place

No bylaw pertaining to chickens

Unspecified Unspecified Unspecified www.victoria.caCity Manager’s Office(250) 361-0202Planning DepartmentVictoria Animal Control (250) 414-0233 vacs.caVictoria SPCA(250) 388-7722

Victoria Animal Control is contracted to respond to animal-related bylaw infractions. “Only a handful” of chicken-related complaints are received each year, focusing mainly on chickens that have escaped their properties and are running loose. No permits are required.Municipality and Bylaw(s)

Bylaw Details Lot Requirements Number of Chickens Allowed

Refuse/Other Local Contact

Gatineau, QCPop. 242,124 (2006)

See Chapter 6:“Animal agricole”

2 acres minimum, with enclosed yard

Unspecified www.ville.gatineau.qc.caCAO’s Office(819) 595-2002

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Bylaw 183-2005:http://www.ville.gatineau.qc.ca/servicesenligne/doc-web/masson/documents/pdf/183-2005.pdf

Bylaw Enforcement Office1-866-299-2002

SPCA de l’Outaouais(819) 243-2004

No permits are required.

Chicago, USAPop. 2,853,114 (2009)

(Ch 7-12)

“keep restraint”

“sanitary shelter” (under “Cruelty to animals”)

Unspecified Dead animals can be buried if less than 150lbs.

Los Angeles, USAPop. 3,833,995 (2008)

New York City, USAPop. 8,363,710 (2008)

(Title 24, Article 161)

“In coops and runaways”

Coops shall be kept clean

“Maintained so as not to become a nuisance”

Unspecified Roosters prohibited

Permit required for keeping poultry for sale

No “escape of offensive odors”

No slaughter

Seattle, USAPop. 602,000 (2009)

(Title 23, Subtitle III, Div.2, Ch 42-052)

Standard lot size (5000 sq. ft.), 1 extra chicken per 1000 sq. ft.

“sanitary condition” (under “offenses relating to cruelty”

3 maximum(but more allowed on larger lots)

Feces must not be accumulated more than 24 hours. (under “offenses relating to safety and sanitation”)

No slaughter

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Ann Arbor, MI 114,000 24 21 25Denver, CO 3,000,000 35 1 1Nampa, ID 84000 3 4 4Missoula, MT 70000 85 121 142Coos Bay, WA 100,000 1 1 1

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