Has the City of Winder gone to the birds? No, but it may soon, as city fathers are considering adopting an ordinance that would allow residents to keep a limited number of hens — no roosters — within city limits, with certain health hazard, nuisance and space provisions applied.
Winder residents Nicola and Lisa Gleaton first brought the matter to the city council’s attention at the October, 2010 meeting, after they received a letter from the city stating they had 30 days to get rid of their flock of 12 hens and one rooster.
Current city ordinances prohibit keeping fowl.
“We were shocked,” Lisa said. “We had no clue we were even in city limits. The sign saying you’re entering Winder is about a half mile down the road…Nicola’s has had his chickens for two years without a problem.”
Gleaton said her neighbors, who also have yard chickens, received the same letter. The homes are located in a subdivision off City Pond Road; both are on fully fenced quarteracre lots.
“We both had roosters and we thought the problem was the noise,” Gleaton said. “So, we both gave away our roosters.”
When they received a second letter stating they would be cited if the chickens weren’t gone in 30 days, the Gleatons went before the city council to plead their case.
“Having chickens is no different than having a dog or cat or any kind of pet — especially if all you have is hens,” Gleaton said. “We hatched ours from eggs. Every one of them has a name. They actually run up to us when we go outside. They’re wonderful pets and we just love them. In the evenings when the weather’s nice we enjoy just sitting outside and watching them peck and play.”
Gleason said the council voted to table their request to change the city ordinance to allow a limited number of hens for 30 days. When they went back to the council in November, the matter was again tabled, this time for 60 days. When they went to the council meeting at the end of that 60 days, which was the January 4 meeting, council tabled their request for another 60 days. “We’re glad they’re considering it,” Gleaton said. “And, we appreciate being able to keep our hens while they do. It just gets frustrating — wondering what will happen next and how that will affect our hens.”
Winder City Administrator Don Toms said he has almost completed the first draft of an ordinance outlining how and where chickens could be kept within city limits. It is based on research he did on 60 cities that allow chickens, “mostly in Georgia, but a few in Florida and the West,” and how they drafted their codes.
Toms said once the first draft is done, he will give it to the mayor and council to review and revise. After that, it will go to the city attorney, and then be presented to the public. The final step will be to take the finalized ordinance to the council at a meeting and see what they decide.
He said the initial draft allows “a certain number of hens — no roosters” and takes into consideration lot size “to allow adequate space from the property line.” He declined to comment further, but did say “if you have a 50 by 50-foot lot, you probably wouldn’t get to have chickens.”
Councilman Sonny Morris, whose district the Gleatons live in, said he personally has no problem with allowing chickens, as long as it’s a limited number, hens only and there are nuisance issues or health hazards.
“I haven’t gotten any calls from the public against it,” he said, adding that he is reserving his final opinion until he reads the ordinance Toms is drafting and hears from the public.
Councilman David Maynard said he is “in favor of allowing residents to have chickens… The tough part is deciding on the conditions.”
“I have been asking people what their thoughts are on the subject, and so far all have been in favor of allowing chickens,” Maynard said. “One person said, ‘What’s the difference in someone having a big, barking dog or a crowing chicken? Does the dog’s poo smell any better than the chicken’s poo?”
Mayor Chip Thompson said, while he doesn’t think “a chicken in every yard” is a political slogan he’d use, he was open to the discussion and would be okay with what the public and the council decide.
Gleason said she hopes the council does adopt an ordinance that would allow her family to keep their hens.
“I want our (7-week-old) daughter to grow up with the experience of gathering eggs and having chickens as pets,” Gleason said.
They all have different personalities; Fran loves to be held, Blondie is regal and stand-offish, Donna and Betty are two peas in a pod and they are the pack leaders, Cloud likes to hide her eggs, and Hawkeye loves to be rubbed like a cat - start at the head and go to the tail.
As far as the smell of the "poo", we're not talking a commercial hen house with hundreds of chickens. I clean my coop every couple of weeks and lay new bedding down. It makes for great fertilizer for my garden.
The way I see it, chickens are a win-win - free eggs, free fertilizer, fewer bugs (including ants) in the yard.
There are other factors, like MY ABLITY TO SELL AND MOVE WHEN PROSPECTIVE BUYERS wont even consider MY HOME because of what they might be living next too. Home Values could be affected. I am Sorry but With THESE TYPE ANIMALS OR PETs, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER MOVING INTO A MORE FARM-LIKE OR RURAL OR LARGER LOT PROPERTY.
If you have 1-2 Acres or more, I would not have as much concern but on a smaller city lot, Subdivisions, close to other, I feel I could not support this based on how it would affect the community, your neighbors as a whole. Can You Understand This? I feel that many others will agree.
I think Animals considered as FOOD Production should be in a Farm-Like Location, Not in Neighborhood, you may need to decide if they Pets or Food Producers. I would never condone LAWS against you being able to Grow your own food, WHERE YOU DO IT NEEDS *SOME* REGULATION. We elect Officials to PROTECT out Interests TOO!!
i understand there are considerations to be made for loud obnoxious roosters and a 1/4 acre is a small lot but there should be nothing wrong with 4-10 hens.
Maybe we should ban cats and dogs from the city limits too.
let's be honest, you're 'experience' with chickens must have been from an industrial sized operation...you wouldnt even know if your neighbor had 5-10 chickens on a 1/4 acre lot, not by smell.