Urban chickens subject of seminar
Melissa Kepler's introduction to call ducks was at the Waupaca County Fair.
"I first saw them there a few years ago. They are very popular in England. They are part of their backyard gardens," said the city of Weyauwega resident.
After seeing them at the fair, Kepler did a bit of research and ended up getting three of call ducks.
"I told all my neighbors. They didn't care," she said.
Weighing two pounds, Kepler describes them as lawn ornaments and pets.
Her family's three call ducks were always in the backyard until one day this summer when they roamed into the front yard.
"Someone who happened to have knowledge of the ordinance drove past, saw them and contacted the police," Kepler said.
The ordinance she is referring to is one that does not allow city residents to have poultry.
To Kepler's family, the three call ducks are pets.
"But, because they are poultry, they are not allowed," she said.
The call ducks have since been relocated to the home of Kepler's in-laws in Portage County.
And, Kepler has been working to find out if residents are interested in getting the ordinance changed.
"I have bombarded the board with so much information," she said.
While Kepler's family has call ducks, much of the discussion at the city level has been about chickens.
She said she would love to own chickens. Her neighbors would, too.
Those interested in seeing a change to the community's ordinance have formed a group called Wega Backyard Poultry.
The group is hosting an Urban Chicken Seminar at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, in the lower level of the Weyauwega Public Library.
Urban chickens have been a topic in numerous communities.
"What I found interesting," Kepler said, "is the bigger the city, the less restrictive."
One area community that allows its residents to have chickens is the city of Waupaca.
When Kepler contacted Mayor Brian Smith to find out if the decision to allows residents to have chickens has cost the city any additional money or resulted in an increase in complaints, she learned two things.
"His response," Kepler said, "was there has been no increase in costs to the city and a decrease in the number of complaints about chickens after making them legal."
She said the biggest concerns about urban chickens include noise, odor and that allowing them will drag property values down.
Kepler said poultry are not inherently unsanitary or smelly animals and like to be clean. Like any animal, their habitat can become soiled if not properly maintained or if they are confined to too small of a space.
Wega Backyard Poultry recommends at least two square feet of space per bird and says a normal backyard flock would not produce any more waste than any other similar sized pet.
She also said that contrary to popular belief, most poultry are not loud. Since they are social animals, they like to "talk" to each other, with hens usually cackling at a volume of 20 to 40 decibels, which Kepler said is the same volume as conversational human speech.
Kepler is among those going throughout the community to talk to residents about the ordinance and to seek signatures on a petition asking for a change in that ordinance.
People may find information about raising urban chickens through the UW-Extension office, she said.
"Some larger cities actually have coop tours," Kepler said.
More from Community News
- Farmington citizens want County Q fixed
- Clintonville hires new principal
- Meet the artists on May 28
- Olsen, Petersen discuss school revenue
- More dam issues in Manawa (2)
- W-F schools have new principal
- Schroeder to serve on Dayton board (1)
- Lessons in design
- Principal Mummy (13)
- Planting the seeds of learning
48 Comments for "Urban chickens subject of seminar "
[quote]Since they are social animals, they like to "talk" to each other, with hens usually cackling at a volume of 20 to 40 decibels, which Kepler said is the same volume as conversational human speech. [/quote]
Human speech for 16 hours a day, seven days a week, can be more annoying than 100db for 10 seconds once a day.
[quote]Kepler said poultry are not inherently unsanitary or smelly animals and like to be clean.[/quote]
It's their inherently busy or lazy human owners that the neighbors are worried about.
[quote]One area community that allows its residents to have chickens is the city of Waupaca.[/quote]
You'd be better off referring to Mogadishu as a city with model ordinances.
[quote]Wega Backyard Poultry recommends at least two square feet of space per bird[/quote]
Actually, the standard space - in the coop - is 4 sqft. Each bird should have at least 10 sqft in an open run.
lastpercentile Sep 05, 2012 1:33 PM
Henery Hawk Sep 05, 2012 5:31 PM
Village President John Neumeier said the trustees felt the activity didn’t fit well with the community’s environment. Or to quote an Appleton councilperson "a bad idea is a bad idea"
Henery Hawk Sep 05, 2012 5:33 PM
Henery Hawk Sep 05, 2012 5:39 PM
If a reasonable ordinance were put into place that banned roosters and limited the number of hens, etc. I doubt there would be any problem and if there were the ordinance would allow authorities to address it.
Narnuckle Sep 05, 2012 6:36 PM
Henery Hawk Sep 05, 2012 7:57 PM
these glass walls Sep 05, 2012 9:03 PM
Find a nice little home in the country if you wish to have farm animals.
JustBecause Sep 06, 2012 9:31 AM
Find a nice little home in the country if you wish to have farm animals.[/quote]
Actually only 7 of the 15 or 16 signatures were from city of weyauwega residents.
Henery Hawk Sep 06, 2012 3:19 PM
Raising a few chickens (or ducks) in an Urban setting is no different that keeping a dog or a cat. If proper animal husbandry is followed, there are no issues. If an animal is not taken care of (and this is ANY animal) you will have problems. This city already has ordinances on the books that deal with proper care of the animals people keep as pets; poultry would be kept with the same standards.
I brought this before our city council in order to prevent people from hiding these birds in basements and garages: neither situation is healthy for the animals or the residents.
I welcome all of you (for and against) to attend the Urban Poultry Seminar that will be held at the Weyauwega Public Library on the 18th of September at 6 PM. Please ask questions and air your concerns.
I am curious to hear from Waupaca residents on this issue since they have allowed residnets to keep chickens for a few years now. Any problems with noise, odors, property values, rodents, chickens run amok, etc?
Wega BYP Sep 07, 2012 8:22 PM
Actually, emu and ostrich are in the Ratite family.
Cdduber Sep 07, 2012 8:29 PM
Human speech for 16 hours a day, seven days a week, can be more annoying than 100db for 10 seconds once a day.
[/quote]
Hens don't cackle all day long. Most often they like to announce when they have laid their egg and are quiet the rest of the day. They don't bark all day while their owners are at work or when someone walks by their house.
Cdduber Sep 07, 2012 8:37 PM
Having lived in both city and the country I can assure you that chicken & duck owners make far better neighbors than DOG and CAT owners. (I am sure there are leash laws in place in this town-do you go after every neighbor to ensure there dog is on a leash 24/7?
As someone that currently owns and raises chickens, it is like any other pet-it is how you care for them!! Mine are loved, spoiled, and the neighbors love them!! As do my co workers and the fresh healthy eggs!
In regards to an ordinance-I am sure HENRY if you read through all the city ordinances, you are in fact breaking many. Many cities (and small towns) have many outdated and little known ordinances that could be used against anyone. I highly doubt that the person discussed in this article purposely went out of their way to break some outdated ordinance. (Many towns still have ordinances that prohibiting living together outside of marriage, certain races not allowed to live in particular neighborhoods-you name it) Ordinances are always fluid and changing-this is one that I would think would be a given. In the twin cities, more and more suburbs are allowing backyard chickens/ducks with a limit based on lot size and no roosters.
In case some of you are unaware, there is a large grassroots movement across the country to get back to a healthy lifestyle and try to raise the food they eat. Whether its a garden or fresh healthy eggs from pets, it is a much healthier lifestyle.
In regards to the volume of noise-I'm impressed that this person took the time and effort to research this in case some "uneducated" person tried to claim noise as a factor!!! As far as a human talking for 16 hours straight (you perhaps ranting about chickens?), I would suggest you go visit some hens and see if they "talk" for 16 hrs straight-that would be a NO!
angiebubs Sep 07, 2012 8:51 PM
angiebubs Sep 07, 2012 8:56 PM
I think you brought it up because you were busted. Let's face it, you can't abide by the rules so you want everyone in the town to change for YOU.
Henery Hawk Sep 07, 2012 9:00 PM