POLL: Chickens in the Backyard?

At Tuesday's Shakopee City Council meeting, two  seniors from the Environmental Ethics class brought up an idea cropping up in urban places around the country: Backyard Chickens.

On his website, Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke said he applauds the students and their teachers – Mr. Ed Loiselle and Mr. Billy Koenig – for their hard work and bringing this to council. The proposal:

• Limit to three hens (no roosters for morning wakeup calls),
• Get a permit,
• Neighbor consent,
• No egg sales and
• Keep them clean so no smell.

The benefits were listed as fresh eggs for healthy food, responsibility for kids, teaching values of agriculture and having fertilizer for your garden.

Tabke said similar policies are working well in Burnsville, Minneapolis and St Paul.

Minneapolis requires a permit, getting permission from neighbors within 100 feet and an inspection from the city. St. Paul requires an annual permit and permission of neighbors within 150 feet and no roosters. and a written plan on how you meet the city ordinance.  

In Golden Valley, said the city's environmental commission is spending up to the next year looking into it and has scheduled several speakers for and against keeping chickens in urban areas.

Tabke said Mankato killed their push because of a strict neighbor consent provision. 

With Shakopee’s history as a rural community, he thinks it would be great to explore bringing more agriculture within the city limits through community gardens, backyard chickens and other avenues. 

"I haven’t seen any real-world, logical data saying chickens would cause any more problems than dogs or cats," he said.

What do you think?

Please vote in the poll, but only one vote per person, thank you!