Opinion

Dealing with the urban chicken Treat urban chickens like other animals.The city of Houston should treat backyard hens like other animals.

Loren Raun feeds her chicken, Aunt Connie, as the hen stands in a coop in the family's backyard in Houston. Hens for Houston is asking City Council to change an ordinance to make it easier for Houstonians to raise chickens in their yards. less Loren Raun feeds her chicken, Aunt Connie, as the hen stands in a coop in the family's backyard in Houston. Hens for Houston is asking City Council to change an ordinance to make it easier for Houstonians to ... more Photo: Michael Paulsen, Staff Photo: Michael Paulsen, Staff Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Dealing with the urban chicken 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Looking at Houston's backyards and kitchens, it seems like 2013 may be the year of the chicken ("Foodies find 'familiar' flavors in forecast," Page F1, Jan. 2).

More Houstonians are starting to raise urban chickens, keeping coops in their yards to take advantage of the fresh eggs, avoiding factory-farmed poultry, composting chicken waste as fertilizer or just enjoying the sheer novelty. A Houston ordinance allows folks to raise chickens in their yards, but coops have to be 100 feet from any neighboring buildings. Most yards aren't that big, so many coops are in violation of city law. It is time for Houston's chicken law to match chicken reality and actually address the issues that come from raising urban chickens.

The problems from chickens are no different than cats or dogs - smell, noise, running away. But we don't need special ordinances to cover those pets, and we shouldn't need one for chickens. Any complaints about chickens can fall under the city general animal ordinances.

Hens for Houston has advocated changing the ordinance in a way that makes it easier for Houstonians to raise chickens in their yards while also addressing many of the nuisance concerns that can come from the animals. The city should lower the setback requirement, set a limit of around five hens and ban roosters - the source of loud crowing and potential cockfighting.

While Hens for Houston has been pushing for a change since last spring, their supporters will be at the Houston City Council public session this Tuesday to check on the progress from their elected officials.

This all may feel a bit back to the future. Didn't folks stop raising animals once they moved off the farm and into cities? But Houston's sprawl provides yards that are big enough for cats, dogs and, yes, chickens. If people can raise poultry without being any louder, smellier or generally disruptive than neighbors with more common furry friends, then there is little justification to ban this increasingly popular practice.