Local advocates fight for urban chickens

By Eugenio Mendoza

Some Windsor residents say urban chicken coops should be allowed on private property.

Experts believe say that having chickens would be a safe and healthy alternative to store-bought products and cite an overabundance of Genetically Modified Organisms in store foods are a good reason for Windsorite to want more locally grown food.

Susan Rideout says she only buys eggs from a friend with a chicken coop. Although she would not consider having a coop of her own, she says allowing them to be built in the city would benefit the community.

“I think we just have to adapt to times, I mean that’s why we have councillors and people on city council to try and help us make the right decision for our environment and our neighborhoods.” said Rideout.

One of the leading advocates for urban chicken coops, Steve Green, said he has gone before city council many time in an attempt to have hens legalized. Last year the mayor broke a tie vote that resulted in the denial of Green’s request. Green, who owns the Downtown windsor Farmer’s Market, said he thinks he was rejected because of misconceptions about owning hens .

“I think keeping urban hens is a very sustainable way to produce some of your own food,” said Green. “It’s a great way to teach children where their food comes from.”

In recent years urban chicken coops have become a major topic of discussion amongst Windsor residents and has been brought up in multiple mayoral and councillor debates.

Another leading advocate for the legalization of urban chicken coops is Philippa Von Zirgenweidt. She said chicken coops are inexpensive, easy to build and are a great idea for low-income families.

“People have all sorts of ideas. They think they’re scary, they think that there’s all sorts of problems and we need to talk about that first,” says Zirgenweidt

Zirgenweidt said it is even more important to change the public’s perception of chickens than it is to change the bylaw. Zirgenweidt says she is always asked if chickens bite, a rumour she says is not true.

“We live in a city where dogs are biting people on a fairly regular basis and yet we don’t have chickens. It sort of strikes me as bizarre that we can’t have these gentle animals but it’s perfectly okay to have dogs,” said Zirgenweidt.

In Kingston, residents are allowed to own up to six hens and keep them on their property, legal since Nov. 5, 2013.

Green and Von Zirgenweidt both said they don’t plan on taking further action to challenge the bylaw until the Oct. 27 elections when a new council and mayor will be appointed. Currently, a chicken within city limits is punishable by a fine of $100.