Mad City Chickens is a group of pro-poultry folks in Madison, Wisconsin who worked to make keeping chickens in their city legal and who now strive to educate and encourage homeowners to keep feathered friends in their backyards.
Prior to May 2004, chickens were not forbidden in Madison, but construction of a coop to house them was illegal. Yet there were enlightened people living in Madison, keeping chickens hidden on their properties, reveling in the self-sufficiency and pleasure chicken-keeping brought and frustrated that these innocuous creatures could not be legally kept. They were the Chicken Underground and initiated the political movement that brought the right of chicken ownership to residents of Madison.
They petitioned (then) Alderperson Matt Sloan to change the Madison Ordinance to allow a few chickens in backyards. The political climate was right and Matt drew up a set of rules based on those of other cities like Seattle and Portland that had allowed backyard chickens for years.
In the meantime, two (of the many) key people in the movement, Alicia Rheal and Bryan Whiting, spearheaded a campaign to gather public views and support for a pro-chicken and coop policy for Madison. They wrote articles for the neighborhood newspaper. Soon other articles were written about the chicken movement in Madison and Milwaukee papers, and they were interviewed on a local television station. Doctor Mark Cook of the UW-Madison Poultry Science Department wrote Matt Sloan a letter of support for the idea and neighbors wrote letters to their representatives. It was six months of non-stop chicken awareness, education and promotion, until the final passing of the Ordinance on May 5, 2004.
The particulars of the Ordinance are:
- Up to four domestic fowl allowed per single-family dwelling,
- No roosters,
- No slaughtering,
- Poultry shall be kept within a secure enclosure and not allowed to run free,
- Enclosures shall be located no closer than 25' from nearest neighbor's residence and
- A $6 permit is required (per household), to be renewed annually.
The group renamed itself Mad City Chickens, put madcitychickens.com on the Internet and, in June 2004, started holding chicken keeping classes: City Chickens 101 and Chicken Coops 102. There have since been eight CC101 courses and one CC102 taught, with between 8-12 people in each class. The interest is very high, with people being turned away for a Willy Street Coop chicken class after 60 people registered. The first Mad City Chickens potluck was held in January 2005 and a coop tour was organized for June.
I advertise for the group every Sunday at the Northside Farmers Market and at the Food For Thought Festival on the Square. The number of Madisonians now keeping chickens is growing in leaps and bounds.
But who can resist? A small, inexpensive, easy-keeping pet that lives outside all year long, produces food, is very personable, aesthetically unique and comes in so many varieties that you don't have to have just what your neighbor has. I don't know how it can get much better than this.
Don't Become a Nuisance
Every animal has characteristic odors associated with its body processes. They range from bad breath to body odors to manure odors. The effect of these odors is multiplied by large numbers of animals, but it is also increased by the support systems we use. These might include inadequate ventilation, improper drainage, poorly designed water systems, decomposition of manure before it is removed, spilled feed and so forth.
These things are all under the caretaker's control and they take place beyond the animal itself. They often combine with the normal animal odors to create a condition to which some people object.
Generally speaking, people who keep livestock and poultry accept some of the odors that go along with such production. Most people, however, are no longer familiar with animal odors on a daily basis. It must also be recognized that any given odor affects different people in different ways. Often this is conditioned by something else we associate with that odor, often a personal experience that was less than desirable.
Managing the odors from poultry so they do not become an intolerable nuisance to others is an obligation of the producer.
Zoning, the right to use one's land as he or she sees fit, the necessity for food production and being there first are all strong points in conversation. But they do not always stand up in court. Being declared a nuisance in spite of these things can result in being closed down by order of the courts.
It's an absolute necessity to keep odors from your place below an objectionable level. That level will vary with communities and individuals, but it will always be conditioned by what they think of you as a person.
Projecting a good image is a must. A neat, orderly farmstead with attention paid to details and a considerate attitude toward others is essential. These things must be coupled with good management of carefully designed facilities.
Give this some thought as it is an important part of raising poultry.
See page 57 for additional information on raising poultry in urban areas.
|
