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  Home Page » Opinion » Editorial » Chicken Ordinance

Chicken ordinance

Council made right decision

After 10 months of discussions, the Durango City Council on Tuesday voted to allow city residents to keep chickens in their yards. The move is evidence of the city's openness to blending La Plata County's agricultural roots and contemporary movements for people to raise their own food.

Councilors weren't unanimous in their decision. It was a 3-2 vote. Councilors Michael Rendon (who introduced the idea in January) and Christina Thompson have been supportive all along. Mayor Leigh Meigs and Councilor Doug Lyon chose not to support the ordinance. Both said they were uncertain if city residents were mature enough to handle the responsibilities of keeping fowl. It took Councilor Paul Broderick to be the deciding vote. While some residents may soon find out backyard chickens are a task too hard to handle, the decision should be theirs and the chance to find out done so without fear of city code-enforcement officers knocking on their doors with citation in hand.

Lyon said: "I just don't think it's consistent with our dense city life." That's a narrow view of how rural and urban residents can coexist. There should not be a line drawn at the city limits that says if you want to live inside it, you have to be in lockstep with all other residents. Besides, by allowing chickens, the city - and Lyon, as an elected official - will be required to make certain the new rule will be enforced according to the books.

We hope Lyon and Meigs - and all others who oppose the ordinance - soon find out that backyard chickens aren't all about clucking and crowing. Chickens are easy to take care of, their waste is a good source of fertilizer and because they eat aphids, grubs and other nuisances, they are natural pest controllers.

After Tuesday's vote, city resident KayCe Chadborn, who ranches chickens in New Mexico, said: "I'm so glad that Durango is not that far from agriculture." That's something to be proud of.

Keeping chickens is a good way for adults and children to learn how to care for farm animals and about the origins of their food. With a strong 4-H program in the county, backyard chickens are that opportunity for children to learn that the egg on their plate at the breakfast table came from their backyard pet that they nurtured and fed daily. This goes a long way in helping children take satisfaction in being self-sufficient, especially during an economic downturn.

The growing trend for backyard chickens is also part of the larger movements of eating locally produced food or the popular Farm to Table. Only good education can come from all of us connecting with what we eat, whether it's the eggs or meat the chickens produce. Chicken owners will learn their animals produce better-tasting and better-quality protein than fowl coming from mass sources. There comes a sense of pride and appreciation when people become producers instead of being only consumers.

There is an economic element, too. Chicken owners will end up supporting local agriculture and related businesses. Residents can buy feed and fencing from local outlets. The city won't incur any costs either. People who want to keep chickens will have to get a permit from the Animal Control Office. But enforcement will fall under the city's existing Code Compliance Unit.

Ultimately, removing fowl from the list of banned animals in city limits will be a welcome liberty for city-dwellers who want a few rural-like choices.