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The Missoula City Council didn’t appear to ruffle any feathers with its passage Monday night of an amendment allowing people to keep ducks and quail.

In a 8-1 vote – council members Annelise Hedahl, Harlan Wells and John DiBari were absent – the ordinance amendment passed with no public comment. Ward 1 representative Jon Wilkins voted against it.

“Chickens are pretty damn mean when it comes to other birds,” Wilkins said. “If I wanted to live next to a farm, I would have lived next to a farm.”

Bird owners can have up to six chickens and/or ducks, or 10 quail, on parcels of less than one acre, according to the ordinance. Only Colinus quail will be allowed, amendment sponsor Michelle Cares said, as they’re most native to Montana.

Debate around the fee structure, which most council members supported changing from the current $15 annual fee, took up most of the meeting, with Wilkins eventually calling it to an early end.

The council settled on a fee of $30 for three years, giving fowl owners three years for the price of two. This falls in line with the dog license structure, which is also renewed every three years.