A renewed debate in Collingwood is ruffling a few feathers over urban chickens.
Every morning 9-year-old Declan Garbutt heads into his backyard to give his chickens water and feed, before he checks for eggs.
Two of these hens were hatched in a classroom experiment at school, and then two more came from a local farm.
Declan's mom Felicity says the chickens supply almost all of the eggs they need, but when a neighbour complained, she discovered Collingwood's bylaws prohibit farm animals.
“Which was really frustrating to me because the chickens are quiet, they don't make any noise and there was no reason for a complaint,” she says.
Garbutt gathered more than 400 signatures on a petition and made a deputation to Collingwood council asking for backyard hens to be allowed as a local sustainable food source.
"I think we need to hear from the public on this. It's their bylaws and it’s their town and I think we would like to hear what the public has to say," says Kathy Jeffery, chair of the town’s committee researching the idea.
Jeffery says town staff have prepared a report, which includes some of the pros and cons of allowing backyard hens. The concerns include odours, disease and the possibility that chickens can attract predators such as raccoons, skunks and coyotes.
“Another part of our governance structure is our community based strategic plan in which we promote local food initiatives and this may fall under that,” says Jeffery.
The Town of Meaford has already changed its bylaws to allow backyard hens with a permit. Clearview and the City of Barrie are currently researching the possibility. The Town of Newmarket is asking for public input on a proposed pilot project that would allow a maximum of three hens in the backyard under certain conditions.
Garbutt says Collingwood council will decide on Monday night, whether to revisit its bylaw or stick with the status quo.
If council decides rewrite its bylaw, town staff would develop the proposed regulations that would limit the number of hens.
