I kept backyard chickens in Rockford, IL, only to be fined and forced to get rid of them. Please sign my petition to ask Rockford, IL to allow backyard chickens!
Eggs that come from backyard chickens are simply healthier. The average "factory" produced egg someone can buy at a grocery store is produced by a hen who is confined to an area about the size of a sheet of paper. (Bruce Friedrich, Huffington Post.com, August 7,2015.) Having these chickens confined to that tight of an area for their whole life is not only cruel, but it also promotes disease and infection in the birds, who pass the infection on to the eggs they produce. This makes it necessary for the "factory" egg producers to inject antibiotics and other chemicals into the birds to produce a more constant "crop" of eggs. This is evident in the more recent appearance of chicken-related diseases, which in turn has lead to the higher prices of eggs on the store shelves.
A recent Mother Earth News study found that compared to conventional "Factory produced" American eggs, real free-range eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat, plus more vitamins A and E, beta carotene and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. (Cheryl Long and Tabitha Alterman, October/November 2007.)
In order to promote the health and safety of the people of Rockford, IL, and to help the people live a more economically and environmentally sustainable future, the city needs to allow the residents of the city to keep and maintain hens (female chickens) within the city limits.
NBC reported egg prices could be headed towards $6.00 a dozen if the bird flu continues. (NBC News online,Business/consumer section, Aug 4 2015.) If prices for a dozen eggs rise to that level, the residents of Rockford, IL will have a financial burden placed on their food budget. Allowing the people to raise their own hens will enable the people to become a little more financially stable.
Allowing the people to have hens on their property promote a healthier life, enable people to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle, provide healthier food sources, and allow the people to have a more quality and enjoyable life here in Rockford, Illinois. Not to mention, hens are just fun to watch.
Please sign my petition to ask Rockford, IL to allow backyard chickens!
