Backyard Chickens in Wake Forest

An animal ordinance in Wake Forest has some people in the town crying fowl. They want to make it easier to legally raise chickens in their backyards.

Emily Cole, a Wake Forest resident, was interested in creating a small backyard chicken coop, but she was frustrated when she was unable to receive a permit to do so.

Because chickens are considered livestock under town ordinances, you can not raise them in town limits without the written consent of every homeowner within 500 feet of your residence.

Cole said she was heartbroken when she did not get the full support of her neighbors.

Neighbor Scott Tarkenton said, "Not in the middle of front yards and running around in people's neighborhoods. I think they should stick to the farms."

But Cole has not given up her resolve to have fresh eggs from her own yard.

"My next step, since I can't convince the neighbors, is to try to convince the town to change the ordinance," she said.

She has since written a petition for residents to sign, if they'd like to see the town ordinance rewritten.

"Chickens should be able to be in someone's backyard, just the way a cat or a dog would be," Cole argued.

David Bissett, who legally raises chickens within town limits on Main Street, said he supports Cole's efforts.

He said, he and his family view the chickens as pets, but also use them for fresh eggs, to reduce the insect population in their yard, and to help provide natural fertilizer for the family's vegetable gardens.

"I wanted my children to be able to experience the same kind of joy from chickens that I had as a kid," Bissette said.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• chicken
• coop
• urban
• chickens

[Sunshyne276]

The reason I prefer living in the country!

[CatawbaConvertiCoop]

@Sunshyne276 Seriously considering that right now....

[CatawbaConvertiCoop]

Wake Forest commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to amend the town's ordinance regarding raising hens in town limits.

[greenpilgrim50]

our town allows 5. People raise chickens all around my neighborhood, always have. Of course this is Texas soooo...anyway, I'm getting 5 hens soon. Roosters are the only problem in neighborhoods but I think it's kind of neat in the wee hours of the mornings to hear the roosters here and there crowing. At least none of them are near my house : ) Also, the train yards are nearby so we get train whistles & roosters. They're both kind of soothing actually in a nostalgic, forlorn sort of way.

[OriginalBurton]

We have really got to consider, to we really want to rely on a store bought bird? Apparently the guy in the minivan does( i really have no idea if he was in a minivan,but at the sametime, he really has no idea how "unintrusive" these back yard birds are! Self Reliance should rule here!!!)

Grow, raise, and produce what you can! Wastse nothing! and put back everthing. You WILL NOT be SORRY!

[myrrath]

I've lived in NC all my life, and the livestock laws are ridiculous, especially in the "better" sections of town like Wake Forest, Cary and Apex.

[teenmod12]

that is very sad that she has to ask to keep an animal. this is one of the good things about living in farm land. no one care what animals you keep cause every one is to far away to really hear or see them

[inbredagogo]

nice coop

[firebrandsgirl]

I am from the south and it just blows me away about how "city minded" Southerns have gotten, but then my parents shares thier views. My mom said that you have to go out in the field and find all the eggs, etc. My dad said that he has seen roosters take down grown men. That is when I realized that my parent's generation think about farms when they hear raising chickens. They remember thier childhood and why they moved to the city in the first place. HAHA Communication is the key.