Well, not really a fight, per se… a battle, perhaps. Or simply an informed discussion. The local news reported last night on the recent creation of a Change.org petition to allow Springdale citizens to keep chickens in their backyard, and it’s going to be interesting to watch this play out.

As you may know, I had a small flock of chickens for about 18 months here in Springdale because, even though I searched the city ordinances online, I never saw any restriction on chickens. There was language about not keeping animals such as elephants and giraffes (seriously), but I never found the part about chickens. So much for due diligence. Then about a month ago someone drove down my street and, upon seeing four chickens happily scratching around next to my driveway on a sunny afternoon, decided they needed to contact animal control. The busybody-ness of this town never ceases to amaze me.

I gave my sweet chickens (who NEVER garnered any complaints from my neighbors next to or behind my house) to some friends who live in Winslow, and am now buying eggs from the grocery store again. No more sweet warm eggs straight from the nest. My coop sits in my backyard all empty and sad-looking.

Meanwhile, this is allowed in the city limits:

Now, as I’ve said – I did try to find out if chickens were not allowed before I got my flock, but apparently my research skills aren’t very thorough. I am happy to comply with ordinances. I am happy to live with reasonable restrictions that are in the best interest of neighbor equanimity and community health. But what annoys me about last night’s report is that I can practically hear the voices that are whispering in the ear of the mayor of my town. Here’s the thing – I live in a city that is home to the largest producer of poultry products in the United States. Number three also has a presence here, as does George’s, Inc., which didn’t make the top ten list I’ve referenced.

Do the folks who own and run these companies have some pull around here? Well. The city council apparently discussed the subject in 2012, but it was allowed to die in committee. Time to bring it up again.

Mayor Sprouse was quoted in the report as saying he had “…biosecurity concerns with [chicken] production that goes on within our city limits.” So let me address this comment:

Bio-security would, indeed, be a problem if there were commercial flocks living in the city that could potentially be contaminated by small, unregulated flocks in residents’ backyards – but there are none. And what about airborne contaminants? As the trucks drive chickens with only hours to live to their final destination, a processing plant that is within the city limits, couldn’t those chickens be infected by something? Well, according to the USDA, that is not the concern when one is talking about “biosecurity” of commercial poultry. Here’s the definition, from the USDA’s website:

Biosecurity is the protection of agricultural animals from any type of infectious agent — viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic. People can spread diseases as they move within a facility and from one facility to another. Animals or equipment introduced into a facility can bring pathogens with them. Among the many biosecurity procedures that can prevent these types of disease transmission are such measures as use of protective clothing, waiting periods for new animals and visitors, and cleaning.

Since I’m not planning to go to any of the commercial operations run by Tyson, George’s or Cargill… how exactly do they propose that chickens living in my backyard, miles away from commercial chicken farms, would cause a threat to their biosecurity? I’m scratching my head here…

The reporter for the story made the comment “Contamination is often traced back to uninspected sources like backyard birds.” Two things – where did he get that information, and where can I see a copy of the report that clearly states this finding? If he’s a good reporter, he wants to see it as well.

Finally, Mayor Sprouse was quoted as saying “A lot of things would have to change and a lot of assurances and safeguards would have to be in place before I would support it.” Well, this is a step in the right direction, right? I think that it makes perfect sense for anyone who wants to keep chickens in their backyard for the purpose of providing fresh eggs for their family would have no problem with having to pay for a license or permit, similar to what dog owners are required to do. A database should be created that maps coops in the city, and when someone complains of smell, waste, or noise not being managed as required by the permit, it would be easy to determine if the source of the complaint is coming from a licensed chicken owner or a rogue living outside the law. Citations can be issued, inspections can be done, etc…

So it looks like the city council simply needs to get back to the subject and come up with a plan. Let’s get some assurances and safeguards in place. Let’s stop making comments that are intended to strike fear into the hearts of the uneducated and admit that the average citizen of Springdale will not be in a position to contaminate any commercial operations.

The major towns around Springdale – Rogers, Bentonville, and Fayetteville – all allow chickens to be kept in a coop on one’s property with restrictions as to how many hens are allowed (4), size of coop, distance from neighbors, etc… and all I want is to be able to do the very same thing the individuals in those towns are able to do. Sounds reasonable, I think. Come on Springdale… join the movement! It’s fun to be one of the cool kids!