Allow Backyard Chickens in Cary, NC

To:  Cary Town Council

We, the undersigned citizens of Cary, believe that chickens belong within the town limits in residential areas.  The Town ordinance should be changed to allow a small number of backyard hens for the following reasons:

-- Chickens produce a rich fertilizer by-product, high in nitrogen, eliminating the need for petrochemical fertilizers. 
-- Chickens eat bugs, including ticks, reducing our backyard pest population, and allowing for reduced use of pesticides.
-- Backyard hens provide an educational opportunity to teach children where our food comes from and demonstrate responsible pet ownership.
-- Fresh, naturally raised eggs have an improved nutrient profile compared to conventional eggs.
-- Chickens eat table scrapes, reducing municipal solid waste.
-- A properly cleaned and maintained chicken coop poses no sanitation risks.

By amending the Town ordinance to allow residents to keep a limited number of hens in residential zones, the Town of Cary will encourage stewardship of the environment and food production on a household scale.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

To:  Cary Town Council

We, the undersigned citizens of Cary, believe that chickens belong within the town limits in residential areas.  The Town ordinance should be changed to allow a small number of backyard hens for the following reasons:

-- Chickens produce a rich fertilizer by-product, high in nitrogen, eliminating the need for petrochemical fertilizers. 
-- Chickens eat bugs, including ticks, reducing our backyard pest population, and allowing for reduced use of pesticides.
-- Backyard hens provide an educational opportunity to teach children where our food comes from and demonstrate responsible pet ownership.
-- Fresh, naturally raised eggs have an improved nutrient profile compared to conventional eggs.
-- Chickens eat table scrapes, reducing municipal solid waste.
-- A properly cleaned and maintained chicken coop poses no sanitation risks.

By amending the Town ordinance to allow residents to keep a limited number of hens in residential zones, the Town of Cary will encourage stewardship of the environment and food production on a household scale.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

We urge the Cary Town Council to reconsider the issue of backyard hens.

Allowing residents to keep a limited number of backyard chickens would be a socially and environmentally responsible move on the part of the Town of Cary.
 
 In recent years, with the price of oil and food increasing, along with nearly constant scares about the safety of the food supply, it seems more important than ever that people are able to raise and produce some of their own food.
 
Recently, cities across the country have begun allowing citizens to keep backyard chickens because of their numerous benefits.  Seattle, Portland, and Madison are just a few examples.  Wake Forest recently began allowing residents to keep up to 10 hens, and Durham is considering changing their ordinance to allow backyard hens.  The exact laws vary, but in general they permit residents to keep 6-12 chickens in a secure backyard enclosure a minimum distance from neighboring residences, and forbid the keeping of roosters. 
 
A backyard hen can live 8-10 years, and will produce hundreds of eggs in her lifespan.  In addition to the benefit of fresh eggs, chicken manure is a valuable addition to any compost pile.  They also eat bugs, aerate the soil, and can eat fruit and vegetable waste from the kitchen, reducing landfill usage.  The eggs do not have to be trucked and refrigerated for long distances, which could even help reduce the owner's carbon footprint compared to buying conventional eggs.  Some research has even suggested that fresh, naturally raised eggs have an improved nutrient profile compared to conventional eggs.  Raising chickens in an urban or suburban location is quite different from how they are raised on a large poultry farm.  Properly cared for and cleaned up after, they would make less noise and smell than most dogs.

We feel it important that the Town Council reconsider the matter, this time taking into account the feelings of their consitituents, and fairly considering all the facts.