Woman cries fowl over chicken rule

RATHDRUM - Jennifer Mayberry isn't trying to ruffle feathers.

She's just asking Rathdrum to pass an ordinance allowing chickens in city limits, no matter the lot size. The city's current law states that chickens are not allowed unless they are on at least an acre of property.

Mayberry said she wants to be able to have eggs from home-grown chickens.

"In trying to buy only free-range eggs in the store - and going broke doing it - someone suggested to me to raise them in our backyard," Mayberry said in a statement to the city.

The City Council has agreed to consider the proposal and asked staff to look into the pros and cons.

"I plan on gathering information on what other cities are doing and look at issues associated with having chickens such as benefits and problems associated with having chickens in a city setting," said Brett Boyer, city administrator. "I will be putting some information together for them to discuss at our next meeting (on Nov. 9)."

Mayberry said having eggs raised at home is a way to cut costs and have healthier food.

"I am a stay-at-home mother who homeschools both of my girls," she said. "We bake our own bread, grind our own wheat and spelt because of reactions that both of my children have had to preservatives and food dyes.

"This has become a complete way of life for us to try and provide the best possible food for our children without breaking the bank."

Mayberry told the city that she has four hens and a nice coop that her father custom made for them and, in doing so, the city learned that she's in violation of the city ordinance. Police chief Kevin Fuhr said the city's animal control officer has asked Mayberry to take care of the situation.

Mayberry said many other cities have recognized that many citizens are going back to their roots by raising chickens.

Local cities vary on the debate. Coeur d'Alene allows unlimited chickens, as long as the hens are kept cooped and don't disturb neighbors with noise or odor complaints. Post Falls doesn't allow the birds in city limits. The question came before both city councils recently.

"One of my concerns would be it becoming a public nuisance, but I want to see what other cities are doing to mitigate the issue to see if it's something we would be willing to do ourselves," Fuhr said. "Chickens can get loud and get into other yards, and I want to see what other cities are doing with those types of issues."

Fuhr said raising your own chickens is a sign of the times.

"With the economy, people are wanting to become more self-sufficient," he said.