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Dovey, a non-standard Ameraucana pullet
Are you considering a backyard flock?
Be prepared for the resistance you might have from your neighbors. There are some myths about chickens that many city-dwellers believe. Fears based on these myths could cause a negative reaction to your chicken-keeping endeavors.
Here are some of the objections you may hear, and the truths to combat them.
Noise
What's the first thing you think of regarding chickens (after "egg")? Most people think they are going to hear constant clucking, crowing and other hubbub when a flock moves in next door. The truth is that chickens are quiet little mumblers. They often walk around silently. When they see a caregiver (or someone who might bear treats!) they might clucking or even 'singing.' If they have just laid an egg they will sometimes sing as they strut in front of the coop. This is only for a minute or two and is still far less volume than a typical barking dog. They put themselves to bed at dusk and sleep in silence all night. Roosters will often call daybreak and possibly alerts throughout the day, but only a few of the alerts are loud. Some are very quiet, such as the trilling noise that alerts the flock to an aerial predator. If no other roosters are in the area, there won't be the constant crowing of territorial establishment. If your city allows roosters, there may be some crowing, it's true. This leads me straight into the next myth:
Roosters
Many urban folks think you must have a rooster for eggs, therefore there will be noise. Nope! Roosters aren't necessary for egg production, so a flock of hens can produce without one. A rooster will fertilize the hen, which will...hoard the result, shall we say? She will then build the eggs fertilized rather than infertile- this means she can be fertile for up to a month after her last mating. Many of us never realized that many of the eggs from the store are fertile, too!
Odor
The first thing my friend at work said when I told her I got chickens a few years back was, "EWWW!! They stink!" Mind you, Tracey has cows.
Chickens don't have any smell of their own. The truth is that 5 hens are going to produce less than half what a Cocker Spaniel produces every day, and they'll distribute the majority of it evenly throughout your lawn for your convenience as fertilizer. Some will be in the coop overnight. You can easily collect it weekly from the coop and compost it for some of the richest amendments your garden has ever seen. The long-term build-up of chicken manure can produce ammonia, just as with any animal- dogs and cats included. Poor management of pet waste is the real problem. A half-dozen hens is not a chicken factory or a farm, and the maintenance required to keep things hygienic isn't overwhelming.
Property Value
So your neighbor is concerned that no one will ever buy their house if you have hens? Guess what? Some of the most prominent and valuable neighborhoods in the country are in cities that have allowances for urban chickens. Check the property values in Austin? How about Long Island, Fort Collins, Seattle, Chicago, Madison or Portland? These cities are all in favor of the feathered friends, and so long as management is comparable to that of any other pet, no negative impact is reflected in home values.
Pests and Disease
What about other pests? Mice are often assumed to be a risk when city dwellers think about a coop, but the fact is that improperly stored feed is the cause- which can also occur with other pet food or even human food!
What about poultry causing bugs? Chickens are a natural form of pest control. Rather than drawing them into your environment, insects are a tasty treat turned into delicious breakfast for you. Chickens will eat any bugs found in their grazing area: a bonus!
I was told that, "Chickens are diseased" when I first got chicks, and advised to keep them away from my kids or they'd get bird flu! Chickens are no more automatic carriers of diseases than any other animal- if exposed to something they can catch, any animal is at risk of becoming infected. Where in the world would my chicks have picked up the flu?
Factually, many birds can be carriers for diseases that can affect humans. These few diseases are unusual and the birds must be exposed for infection to occur- in normal living conditions that won't happen! Chickens are susceptible to disease from organisms normally found in the soil, depending on where you live, but not things transmissible to humans. Healthy birds are less likely to be affected by these organisms, and again, good living conditions and nutrition should make it simple for your chooks to remain healthy. There are vaccinations available at most hatcheries to protect your birds, as well.
Education calms fears
Once facts are presented, neighbors often get past the fears that make them uneasy. Natural apprehension based on partial or incorrect information can be put to rest with a little education. It never hurts to bribe them with some nice fresh eggs! My neighbors have been known to sit outside and watch my birds as they frolic- the little comedians will lift one's spirit on even the worst of days!
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