January 30, 2008

chickens


Ever have one of those days when you repeatedly dissolved into crazy laughter over something? It happened to me yesterday and I am only now beginning to regain my composure.

The morning after the State of the Union address, it was reported in our local newspaper that the town planning commission, after much consideration and input from citizens, had passed a resolution to allow the keeping of chickens within the town limits.

I know this is not really a laughing matter. Many people in our little town are avid organic gardeners and it follows that they would like to be able to keep chickens so as to have fresh eggs on the breakfast table. Apparently there was a city ordinance banning the raising of chickens within the town limits, but this past December, after some public outcry, a moratorium was placed on the its enforcement, pending review. It now appears the anti-chicken ordinance will be repealed at the next town council meeting in February.

The planning commission has recommended a limit of six chickens per household, absolutely no roosters allowed, and "it would be a persons own prerogative as to whether they want to fence their chickens."

Now, I'm not a big-city gal, having lived in the Colorado mountains for most of my adult life. When I was a kid, we lived way out in the country and my mother did, in fact, buy eggs from some folks down the road. People in rural areas all over the country are raising chickens and I apologize to any who might be offended that I found this story so amusing. I read the article again and again and each time I dissolved into uncontrollable laughter - not at our town or at the lovely people here who want to keep chickens. I, myself, am pro-chicken.

It's just that it delights me beyond belief to be living in a place like this! While the State of the Union may have been front-page copy elsewhere, the big story here is the chicken resolution.

What a wonderful world!

8 comments:

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

Now I want chickens! I wonder if my suburban neighbors would shun me...

Carol said...

I know!!
Doesn't it just make you want to have a bunch of chickens running around your yard. Would be plenty of trouble though, I'm sure... keeping them from crossing the road and all. I'll just get my organic, free-range eggs at the grocery store...or maybe from a neighbor!

Anonymous said...

We had chickens when I was growing up. My mom was scared of them :) She wouldn't go out of the house if they strayed too close. One day she was cooking dinner and I walked into the kitchen with one chicken under each arm. Needless to say she freaked.

Then it was my turn to laugh uncontrollably :)

Carol said...

Oh, I love the visual I got!
Very funny....

Elise of Argyle Whale said...

I want chickens too!

High Desert Diva said...

I miss reading my former small town newspaper. It was always filled with amusing stories like this....

Anonymous said...

High desert diva- your comment reminds me of my hometown paper! My town has had 3,000 on the population board for years, and the paper has a special section for "Around town with Elda". This elderly lady goes around town and visits her elderly friends and then writes about it in her own little section of the weekly newspaper. It's so funny! ...but it is nice to know that Frank Weber's arthritis was a bit better on Wednesday...

sulu-design said...

I came to it late, but I had to tell you how much I loved this post. It reminded me of a fond memory I have from NYC. In the middle of the Bronx, with subways screeching by below, with taxis and trucks wailing on their horns, and with loud music blaring from windows, you will occasionally see a chicken walking down the street, free from one of the live poultry shops in the neighborhood, or from the backyard of a family trying to hold on to the ways of their life before coming to NYC. Chickens are clearly not just a small town issue. Thanks for the smile today!