After animal control told her she had to get rid of the chickens she had in her backyard, a 19-year West Side resident brought her case before Councilmember David Rivera, who is helping to draft an urban chicken farming ordinance.
“I was shocked when animal control came to the door and asked me to move my chickens or they were going to take them,” said Monique Watts of Rhode Island Street.
A 2004 ordinance states that poultry of any kind cannot be kept as pets in Buffalo. This issue has become a hot topic of discussion, especially for people who agree with Watts.
Rochester, Denver, Chicago, San Francisco and Cleveland have urban chicken farming ordinances and Councilmember Rivera said he is taking ”into account their laws to draft our own.”
Someone placed an anonymous call, and Watts is unsure of what the complaint was, but because the chickens were illegal, they had to be moved. Her coop is not visible from the street or other yards.
Watts, who has several pets including fish and two dogs, has had her five chickens in her backyard since July 2008. She and her husband have built an enclosed chicken coop where they house the chickens in their backyard.
Watts cleans the coop every Saturday and said that caring for her chickens is easier than caring for her dogs.
“Our main goal is to make sure that with this ordinance we address issues that affect both the chickens and neighbors,” said Whitney Crispell, Councilmember Rivera’s chief of staff.
The ordinance will address the size of the coop, how far it should be from property lines and if any slaughtering will take place inside the home. Animal control may be used to conduct follow ups, ensure there us a fenced in backyard, and determine if farmers are selling anything. The Massachusetts Avenue Project has offered to educate residents so they will know how to care for the chickens.
There is a good chance it will pass because other council members are in agreement, said Councilmember Rivera.
Watts hopes in two months time the ordinance will pass. She hopes it serves its purpose but is not restricting so it can allow some creativity.
There are several benefits that Watts gains from keeping these chickens. She said she knows where her eggs come from, they have no antibiotics in them and taste much better than store bought. The chickens also control the amount of insects and she can use their feces for compost.
Watts also said the atmosphere is not barn-like, such as on a farm, but it is a city coop. If it passes, the ordinance will create a surge of urban chicken farmers, said Watts.
The location of her chickens are kept a secret because the family the chickens now live with requested to remain anonymous.
Watts appreciates what actions Councilmember Rivera has already taken to help her case, and that “he uses politics to make a difference and has not lost touch with the neighborhood.”
Watts addresses several concerns people may have about chicken farming. She said there is no threat of avian flu, because it is mainly spread through migratory birds, which have no access to Watts birds. There is no smell, the coop is cleaned once a week. The chickens barely make a noise except when they are laying eggs, and the “egg song” doesn’t last long and is not loud, said Watts.
“I used to work in a zoo, I have a passion for animals and it is fun educating others about what I love,” said Watts. This is the main story body copy paste area. Highlight this text and your copy will pickup this style.
For more information:
Councilmember Rivera:
http://www.city-buffalo.com/Home/Leadership/CommonCouncil/
CommonCouncilMembers/DavidRivera
Rivera-Watts interview
http://audio.wben.com/m/audio/22059513/david-rivera-and-monique-watts.htm
Buffalo Rising coverage
http://www.buffalorising.com/2009/03/remove-those-chickens-citi-stat.html
Massachusetts Avenue Project
http://www.mass-ave.org/