Advice on Village Hen Keeping
A village near me is considering an ordinance to allow hen keeping. I've been struck by the limited information on both sides of the debate about the pros and cons of keeping chickens in small spaces. I'm not a resident of that village, but I think the community should be making an informed decision, and that requires better facts on both sides. Key concerns relate to noise, smell, space and predators. Here are some thoughts:
Noise: The “con” side is worried about constant clucking and crowing. The “pro” side says noise won’t be an issue because roosters will be prohibited. There will, in fact, be some noise, and residents should be clear about how much and when to expect it. Some of my girls like to sing a nice egg song when they’re proud of their work—sometimes that happens rather early in the morning, and it can be as loud as a rooster call. Sometimes they wake up in a bad mood and want to tell the world (this usually only happens when introducing new birds to the flock, or when they’re pissed about the weather—first snowfall, first frost, etc.). I don't see that noise as particularly disruptive, but others may disagree. Perhaps this can be addressed with provisions for the removal of an especially noisy or troublesome bird. The “pro” side should be specific about tolerable decibel ranges, and with what frequency the noise can be expected. Is it equivalent to a garbage truck coming through in the morning, or a dog barking occasionally throughout the day?
Smell: My chicken palace is about 20 feet from my bedroom window, and I have no problems with smell. I think this issue is really about waste disposal. I throw the ladies’ poo in my compost pile, which is much further from my bedroom window. How will village residents without a composter get rid of their chicken waste? A compost pile could end up raising more problems with predators and smell than hens! This is really key to achieving one of the stated goals of hen keeping—rich compost. Is there a compost service in the village? If not, there should be! They’re cropping up in places all over the country. It would be a great way to recycle food waste as well, which might be attractive to a village that wants to promote a “green” image.
Space: The proposed ordinance limits the number of hens to five, and the minimum lot size to one-quarter acre. That seems reasonable, but the “con” side is concerned that one quarter acre is not enough. Of course, in the poultry industry one square foot per bird is considered generous, but the point is to exceed those standards. In fact, in some cases a one-quarter acre lot might not afford enough space to humanely and safely keep five hens, depending on what else is on the property. Recommended guidelines for hens are generally four square feet of indoor space and ten square feet of outdoor space per bird. Consider the space required for a fifteen-foot setback. That could amount to no more than .002 acres, which is not much, provided the lot is not pretty much already covered.
Predators: The “con” side is worried about domestic fowl attracting fox, coyote and rodents into the village. The proposed ordinance requires hens to be kept “enclosed,” but what does that mean? I would set minimum standards for the hens' protection and health. Require hardware cloth for the sides, and an apron around the bottom to discourage digging. Poultry netting on top would be a good idea, though an electrified wire as I have around my chicken run might be undesirable if children are around. Of course, as most folks already do with garbage and pet food, chicken feed should be managed to keep rats, squirrels, chipmunks and other pests at bay.
Setting minimum requirements for enclosure size and materials will keep the hens and humans safe, but it will also raise the start-up expenses for hen keeping. That will unfortunately keep some folks from trying it, but that might not be a bad thing. Stringent requirements will prove to the “con” side that the “pro” side is thinking through all the concerns, and it will also be a disincentive for people to get hens on a whim. People are unlikely to make the investment if they're not serious about doing it right.