Brighton resident pushes for better regulations over backyard chicken flocks
It's not just about farm-fresh eggs right outside your door.
Brighton resident Kelli Delaney says there are lots of other benefits to having a backyard flock of chickens.
Regulations of backyard flocks vary between cities, villages and townships. Ann Arbor and Lansing both allow chickens, but no roosters. The city of Dearborn doesn't allow chickens at all.
"The number one benefit would be egg production, but not just that, they make great animals, and it's great education for my daughters," said Delaney.
She said she feels that the current requirements for Brighton Township are too expansive.
"Currently in Brighton Township, you are required to have five acres to even own chickens," Delaney said. "Chickens don't take up a lot of land at all as long as they have a run and a nice fenced-in, contained area."
Nancy Barr, who serves as executive director of Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, also noted that chickens don't require a lot to be happy.
"They have to have a place to lay eggs, you know, sort of a place to get away from other birds and perch. Birds can be comfortable in, in probably a smaller space than you would anticipate," Barr said.
Two bills in the Michigan legislature would allow Michigan residents to own chickens across the state, but Delaney is working to change local regulations, too.
"I feel like their laws are very outdated in our township, and it just varies so much from township to township, so they said they would happily compare with other townships and look at the new House bills that are hopefully going to pass," she said.
If the zoning laws pass and she can get a few more chickens, she says she will.
"If I'm allowed to get two more, they're family members; they will get names as well," Delaney said.
