Letter: Let Residents, Not Council, Decide Chickens' Fate

As a Richmond Heights City Council member, my personal opinions could be incorrectly perceived to reflect the mood of the council or city at large. As a resident, I’m entitled to an opinion that carries no more or no less weight as my neighbor. I have to live with the outcomes just as they do. Below is a reflection of my discussions with neighbors and friends resulting in my personal opinions. It in no way is a reflection of the council or the city.

I've collected notes, opinions and facts as this issue has unfolded. These are the points and questions I've arrived at, most notably that this should be a citywide decision and not ramrodded through by a few.

The comment “I’ve live here for X years” doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the subject. I’ve lived here for 60, my family more than 100. They had farm animals back then. This is now.

I don’t care what other cities do. My concerns are with Richmond Heights, and I don’t believe our city will turn brown for lack of blindly following the others' attitude. If merely reading books and performing online research about chickens qualifies someone to be an expert, then I’m every bit as much an expert as those who claim to be one. If doing so and only noting those items you agree with while ignoring the downside items qualifies someone to be an expert, then I am not an expert.

If I throw my leftovers out back for my dog, it is garbage. If I throw leftovers out back for my chickens, it becomes table scraps. I’m not sure what constitutes this in-flight meal change, but I am positive the rats don’t care. Mice and rats are attracted to table scraps, garbage and feed, whether it is carelessly scattered by us or kicked about by the chickens.

Mice and rats do carry and distribute diseases, much more prolifically than domesticated animals. Chickens are poultry and also bear diseases not carried by dogs and cats. In every study I’ve read, an immediate effect of chickens as pets is a substantial and immediate increase in chicks, hens and roosters being dropped off at animal-control centers.

The predominant reasons were their being roosters versus hens, the unexpected work, the cost involved and the kids and adults loosing interest after a short period of time. It’s a fad, just like potbellied pigs and dalmatians. I have no problem with people following fads, but I don’t think it should be forced on neighbors without their consideration.

Why just chickens? If “sustainability” is the real reason, which I doubt, why not allow goats for their milk, or sheep? Why not just allow a “sustainable” pet of the month. If sustainability is really the reason, let’s don our overalls, till those yards and get to it.

At the July 18 meeting of the council, much was made of the favorable use for chicken poop in our gardens as compost. One man explained how you put the poop into your composter and, when it is ready, move that composter over your garden while you continue to fill you other composters. That way, you can rotate them for the best effect.

People are really going to do this? Poop is poop. The pen grounds are going to have to be cleaned often for at least two reasons. The books touted by the chicken “experts” all state so, and secondly, let’s go back to rats and disease.

Who is going to assure this takes place? The neighbor who has to put up with it will probably have to call the city, which will have to pay to train employees on the subject.

There was discussion of privacy fences. Those pro-chicken speakers did not like the prospect of being forced to look out at privacy fences but had no trouble forcing their neighbors not in favor of chickens to look out on their coops and runs.

Another expert indicated home prices would not be affected by a potential buyer looking out over chickens and coops and runs but would be negatively affected by a new privacy fence. Where did this research come from?

Ten! Traditional pet owners are limited to three dogs or cats, but chicken owners need 10? I’m paying the same taxes, living in a comparably sized house and yard, but your pet of choice constitutes additional privileges? Any other person with 10 pets would be cited for hoarding, but chickens are OK to hoard?

This should be a citywide decision not made by a couple of council meetings stacked one-sided or by nine council members. Any item as contentious as this, similar to the truck issue, should be put before all residents.

People who addressed the council talked about good neighbors throughout the night. But close to the end of the meeting, one neighbor said she would move if she couldn’t have chickens. The height of pompous: “You do it my way, or I’m going to take my ball and go home”.

Yeah, that’s who I want for a good neighbor, her way or the highway. Do you think maybe that’s also not a good way to govern our city—based on individual mandates?

Edward Notter is a resident of Richmond Heights. Letters to the editor may be submitted for consideration by emailing nate.birt@patch.com.