About three months ago, Joseph Pond was given a citation by Cobb County Code Enforcement for keeping chickens in his Marietta backyard. Recently, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on the outcome of Pond’s fight. The AJC article, “Chicken Advocate Forced to Give Up Fowl” says that Pond’s request has been denied, and he has 45 days to get rid of them.
During the three months between his citation and his rejection, Pond has garnered support during festivals, parades, and through his website, Backyard Chickens Alliance of Cobb County. In fact, as of October 7th, his on-line petition garnered 497 signatures. The petition focuses on changing policy to exclude chickens from the category of livestock.
Let’s take one of the biggest points of contention about keeping chickens – smell. “7 Myths of Backyard Chickens” by Patricia Foreman says that one 40 pound dog makes more fecal waste per day than ten chickens. Domesticated dogs are permissible in Cobb County’s suburban yards, but chickens are not. People are not used to seeing chickens in cul-de-sacs. When will “think global, eat local” become the norm, and not just a trend for food markets to capitalize on?
Different cities, counties, states, and countries have different regulations on backyard chickens. The resource link to “The Legality of Keeping Chickens in Urban and Suburban Areas” lists examples of regulations in Georgia. These regulations range from minimum acreages for keeping chickens to minimum space required per animal to a maximum number of animals allowed on a property.
My vote is for a mixture of these regulations – a minimum number of feet from the closest neighbor, ample amount of living space per chicken, and a maximum number of chickens per property. Keeping one’s chickens healthy, keeps the family healthy, and this is not possible without sanitary conditions. I support code that would prevent poor animal husbandry. In this case, animal control can also get involved with enforcement.
The triple bottom line to sustainable development focuses on social and economic equity, as well as keeping environmental impacts to a minimum. As our failing economies lead most of us closer to lifestyles that are scaled down and simpler, it makes sense that our current regulations should evolve with our changing needs and finances.
All in all, this fight is not over. Pond and his family have gathered like-minded people from the nooks and crannies of Metro Atlanta, and inspired people to consider locally grown food in a new (old) way. This is a feat that could not have been done without their hard work, dedication, and perseverance to forge a path of self-reliance and nature appreciation.
“7 Myths of Backyard Chickens” by Patricia Foreman
“Chicken Advocate Forced to Give Up Fowl” in the AJC
An update to the update (2/6/12):
Pond had to give his chickens up, but the fight continues with a movement to create the Right to Grow Act. This act would allow people to raise food on their own property for their own consumption.
Here are two articles that are referenced in this update, as well as a link to the bill that will be the Georgia Right to Grow Act:
Chickens Plucked from Cobb Man’s Backyard
Cobb County Cracks Down on Families with Chickens
Georgia Right to Grow Act