Backyard Chickens: 5 Things You May Not Know!

UPDATE: The March 19 Commission workshop has been moved to 9 a.m., March 19, in the Commission chambers. (The original time was at 1:30 p.m.)

The folks at CLUCK – Citizens Lobbying for Urban Chicken Keeping – are so passionate about their pastime that they offered to Patch readers these five little-known facts about raising hens in suburbia.

The group goes before the Manatee County Commission on March 19, when a workshop will be held to look at codes as they relate to keeping chickens in residential areas.

The workshop, at the County Commission chambers, is at 9 a.m. CLUCK will roost at the meeting and is inviting supporters to wear yellow and attend.

Take a peck, we mean peek, at these five things you may not know, courtesy of CLUCK!

1.) No cock-a-doodle do's: You don't need a noisy rooster to have beautiful fresh eggs. Rooster or not, when a female hits puberty you will get eggs. In fact an average hen can lay 300 eggs per year! Manatee CLUCK is asking to approve hens only!

2.) Chickens are boon companions and backyard pets. Some famous chicken owners include John Cleese, Tori Spelling, Reese Witherspoon, Chevy Chase, Julia Roberts, and Paula Deen, who swears she could never eat one of her girls! But she loves those eggs!

3.) Hens mind their manners. Roosters are noisy, but hens, on the other hand, make very little sound at all. The average hen will cackle and let others know that she has laid an egg, for approximately 1 minute a day at a 60 decibels (db). To put that in comparison, your neighbor talking is between 60-70 db, their a/c compressor is 70-75 db, and their dog barking is approx. 85 db. Cockatoos, when excited, are an ear splitting 135 db!

4.) Hens are more hygenic than other house pets. Your pet hens are less likely to spread diseases than your cats and dogs. According to the CDC, backyard hens are the preferred way to STOP the spread of illnesses, such as avian flu and salmonella, as they are a healthier alternative to large, densely populated factory farms, which contribute to such problems.

5.) Backyard hens promote the local economy and civic engagement. They are good for small businesses and the community, including merchants who sell feed, supplies, and building materials for coops. MyPetChicken.com had a revenue of over $1.4 million dollars last year in chicks and supplies; now that's nothing to BAWK at! They also are a conversation-starter. Neighbors love to inquire about chicken-keeping and fresh eggs are thoughtful gifts to share with friends, family and neighbors.

Want More Information?

1.) Manatee CLUCK on Facebook

2.) Manatee Group Lobbies for Backyard Chickens

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Sentinel Chickens An Important Part Of Mosquito Control

Sarasota CLUCK Group Requests Approval For Backyard Chickens