On a lighter note...what are everyone's thoughts on the Great Chicken Debate (interesting discussion about it during the last Council meeting).

I've missed this great debate. Can you elaborate, Larry?

Without reading anything here, Eischen's.

I planted 3 packets of chicken seeds in my backyard garden this spring. Still waiting for them to sprout...

^^^
Funny...goes into the Mayor (a self admitted City boy) when he was on News 9's morning show earlier this week...used the phrase "growing" chickens (then corrected)

Doug,

Sorry, I didn't mean to be so cryptic. I haven't seen the whole Council meeting, but apparently there are those in some neighborhoods that want to get the ordinance changed so they can raise chickens in the city limits (already allowed in some of the more rural areas).

SkyWestOKC: Another good one...by the way, someone has jacked with your avatar and turned it the wrong way (LOL)

SkyWestOKC: Another good one...by the way, someone has jacked with your avatar and turned it the wrong way (LOL)

You mean the horns aren't supposed to point down?

Hook 'Em Horns!

ohhh man, not the urban chicken folks again......

I'm fine with a few chickens in a backyard, as long as people care for and house them properly. I'm not sure how I'd feel about a rooster next door if he crowed at 6 a.m. on a Saturday, but I'm fine with the concept. I know Atlanta allows chickens, and I think other cities do too. I like the idea of beekeeping in the city as well.

But in order for Chickens to lay eggs, they have to have a Rooster, so more than likely betts, roosters will be allowed.

But in order for Chickens to lay eggs, they have to have a Rooster, so more than likely betts, roosters will be allowed.

No they don't. You would need roosters if you want fertilized eggs to hatch chicks, but hens lays eggs without roosters.

I'd just assume not have them around personally. There's the smell, the feathers, and the noise. That's something that needs to stay rural. If you want to "raise" things that don't grow out of the ground, then you need to be out in a rural area.

I think it would make for some funny commercials to have urban chickens pitch the Kia cars instead of the current crop of rodents.

no they don't. You would need roosters if you want fertilized eggs to hatch chicks, but hens lays eggs without roosters.

lol!

but in order for chickens to lay eggs, they have to have a rooster, so more than likely betts, roosters will be allowed.

lol!

Man, I have to admit, I am young, liberal, all for like, farm to table, grow/eat local stuff, and on and on. However, I would HATE having chickens next door. If you want to raise chickens in the city, establish a community farm space, or coop of some kind on land that is not residential. If you want to raise chickens in your backyard, move to choctaw, harrah, or some other place where it is perfectly legal. Im sure they have people who show up at rural city council meetings and bitch and moan because their neighbor raise chickens. They are probably told some version of, "well, sir/madam, this is a rural community, and raising chickens is a way of life out here, if you dont like it, you should consider moving to the city." So, the opposite should remain true of the city. I mean, there are just certain things that city regulations prohibit because they just seem kind of silly in the city limits. We are perfectly happy having a ban on fireworks, and having a miniature chicken farm next door (which is VERY close to me in the inner city) seems like a comparable aggravation.

They indicated at the Council meeting that roosters would still NOT be permitted.

Believe it or not, this is a hot new urban trend. It's a part of the "new minimalism" and all of that.

I'd just assume not have them around personally. There's the smell, the feathers, and the noise. That's something that needs to stay rural. If you want to "raise" things that don't grow out of the ground, then you need to be out in a rural area.


Man, I have to admit, I am young, liberal, all for like, farm to table, grow/eat local stuff, and on and on. However, I would HATE having chickens next door. If you want to raise chickens in the city, establish a community farm space, or coop of some kind on land that is not residential.
This is a hard one for me, because I agree with the above sentiments. I live very close to downtown, and my neighbors are close enough that any chickens they were to acquire might as well be considered a "feature" of my back yard. Would people be allowed to slaughter and pluck them there too? Do not want.

However, there are plenty of places that are still located within the city limits where the lots are big enough that you wouldn't even be able to tell if your neighbors had a few chickens. And even in more concentrated areas, if someone's neighbors are all on board, why should I care? I wonder if some happy medium could be found where they weren't completely prohibited, but permission would be restricted to situations where they wouldn't create a disturbance. Probably wishful thinking. :-P

I grew up on a farm with many chickens around and, I promise you, they do smell and they do make big messes. That's besides the noise.

I grew up on a farm with many chickens around and, I promise you, they do smell and they do make big messes. That's besides the noise.

I have been around a few chickens--anecdotally--and I am sure they should NOT be in neighborhoods. There are a thousand reasons why. Some ideas are just dumb...chickens in cities is one of them. You can buy the goddamn things for 49-cents/lb. on sale--why would anyone raise them???

And it's not like eggs are an expensive luxury item. Maybe we should start allowing lobster farming in our back yards. That would make great economic sense and they don't make noise or smell.

And it's not like eggs are an expensive luxury item. Maybe we should start allowing lobster farming in our back yards. That would make great economic sense and they don't make noise or smell.

HAHAHA, I think that is a great idea...

Any one remember the chicken processing plant on East Main just East of where Bricktown Burgers is now? I think it was Janger Produce. My Aunt that lived in Choctaw would crate up her live chickens and bring them to Janger Produce. We would then walk around downtown and after a while go pick up the dressed chickens, and then take them to the Jorski Mill in Harrah that had frozen meat lockers for rent. We then had a supply of chickens for quite a while.

I have been around a few chickens--anecdotally--and I am sure they should NOT be in neighborhoods. There are a thousand reasons why. Some ideas are just dumb...chickens in cities is one of them. You can buy the goddamn things for 49-cents/lb. on sale--why would anyone raise them???

You make a great point, but it is hard to find chickens that are not pumped full of hormones and given genetically altered feed. Then again, I think most urban chicken farmers are raising them for eggs, not meat.

You make a great point, but it is hard to find chickens that are not pumped full of hormones and given genetically altered feed.
Not really. (http://www.oklahomafood.coop/shop/category_list_products.php?category_id=10&subcategory_id=1)

You will end up paying more than $0.49/lb though.

Farmer's markets folks. If you order the stuff online (like through email), it's considered direct purchasing so it's tax free. When you get it from them at the actual farmer's market, you aren't tax exempt...they usually figure it in. We've bought grass fed lean hamburger that way....guess what, it's just as cheap and better for you, than the lean at Crest.

There are chicken folks too, so don't assume it's not out there. You just have to know where to get it. Eggs are ALLLLL over the place too.

If they can't fly because their wings are clipped, I say allow it. I would trade chickens any day for my neighbors yammering terrier.

Farmer's markets folks. If you order the stuff online (like through email), it's considered direct purchasing so it's tax free. When you get it from them at the actual farmer's market, you aren't tax exempt...they usually figure it in. We've bought grass fed lean hamburger that way....guess what, it's just as cheap and better for you, than the lean at Crest.

There are chicken folks too, so don't assume it's not out there. You just have to know where to get it. Eggs are ALLLLL over the place too.

If you are buying from within Oklahoma you should be paying the regular sales tax (just as you would at the Farmer's Market or grocery store.

Are you talking about buying from an individual person (like buying produce off the back of a farmers truck) in which case the rules may be different, or are you talking about from some business with a website etc?

If you are buying from out of state, if that state doesn't have its own sales tax, you are supposed to be paying what is called the Use Tax (usually described as applying to business purchases, but applies to everyone). While not paid at the point of sale, you are supposed to report and pay it on your State income tax. This is a decades old law, but most didn't know about it and there wasn't anyplace on the standard forms to pay for it. The state fixed that "problem" a couple of years ago, and it is there now. Unless you claim that you didn't make ANY taxable purchases (under tax penalties/fines etc) you can either come up with exact amounts from your receipts or the State has come up with a handy formula based on your income to determine the tax. Of course it is up to you to use whichever method ends up with the lower tax liability.

The chicken debate is still going......

http://www.newsok.com/support-grows-for-backyard-chickens-in-oklahoma-city/article/3580744?custom_click=lead_story_title

Personally, if allowed, I'd have a few for the eggs and fertilizer. My folks live in Austin and several of their neighbors have them. There is no small, feather blowing around or noise. Actually, you'd never know they had them unless someone pointed them out.

The problems I see are the smell (if pens not propery cleaned) and the problems this creates with dogs, if a dog ever gets hold of a chicken, he's a chicken killer for life and there's no stopping him. Another problem will be the "newbies" that think you need a rooster, or don't know the difference, I prefer to wake up to a classic rock song and not some obnoxious crowing.

The problems I see are the smell (if pens not propery cleaned) and the problems this creates with dogs, if a dog ever gets hold of a chicken, he's a chicken killer for life and there's no stopping him. Another problem will be the "newbies" that think you need a rooster, or don't know the difference, I prefer to wake up to a classic rock song and not some obnoxious crowing.

I agree - no roosters and no free roaming hens. I don't know what the law is in Austin, but all the ones I saw were in enclosures in the backyard only. Maybe 10'x10' or 10'x20' with 3-6 hens I suspect.

As for dogs, as long as both dogs and hens are legally kept in the owner's yard then the problem would be for whomever's owner let the animal out illegally.

It is allowed here in Austin, some co-workers have some. One has six hens and expects about 30 eggs a week. A neighbor of my parents had some back in the 70's but there were also the acreages along Ann Arbor that had them as well so it never seemed odd to me. I know someone in the neighborhood here had a rooster a few years ago.

"Modern Chicken Coops" are a popular thing right now as well.

Dwell - Coop Dreams (http://www.dwell.com/articles/coop-dreams.html)

Contemporist - “The Nogg” – A Modern Chicken Coop (http://www.contemporist.com/2010/09/27/the-nogg-a-modern-chicken-coop/)
http://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/no_260910_01-630x848.jpg

I grew up on a farm with many chickens so I know a little about them. The noise isn't a major problem but they absolutely make messes and smell. We never kept our chickens close to our house for a very good reason.

According Jenni Carlson its Bobby Reid’s Mom’s charter bus chicken.
It will make a 40 year old man scream that’s garbage.

Hmmm, don't we have enough problems with dogs & cats on the loose. Do we really want to add chickens into the mix?

Hmmm, don't we have enough problems with dogs & cats on the loose. Do we really want to add chickens into the mix?

Dog's, cats, chickens, whatever are not a problem - its the occasional owner that's the problem. Like I brought up before, I see them in Austin - but NEVER on the loose. I do however see them on the loose in south OKC. I suspect that however is because its illegal to have them. By letting them run loose the owner can simply claim, "those chickens aren't mine, they just keep flying over into my yard."

Larry - it's a person to person sale, which is why it's exempt. When you purchase things at the farmer's market, the tax is handled different (basically the seller is responisble for figuring that out and most of them don't do it).

But back to the chickens....no way. The smell, the noise, the feathers, etc. Now I have some cousins that have some chickens in Montgomery, AL. The house they bought was built in the middle of no where, but the city grew around it so they got grandfathered in to be able to have them. They only have a couple, but we're talking about a plot of a couple acres sitting in the middle of plots of 1/2 acre or less. So there's plenty land on their plot so the neighbors don't have to hear things. They do have a rooster but when it gets old enough to crow, they always sell it and get the next one....keeping the neighbors happy. They have a coop and it's very clean, no smell, and in fact some bunnies live in there with them. So in that type of situation, sure it's probably OK. But they are very conscience of their neighbors and make a large effort to keep things pleasant and quiet. I gurantee they aren't the normal chicken raiser.

Dog's, cats, chickens, whatever are not a problem - its the occasional owner that's the problem. Like I brought up before, I see them in Austin - but NEVER on the loose. I do however see them on the loose in south OKC. I suspect that however is because its illegal to have them. By letting them run loose the owner can simply claim, "those chickens aren't mine, they just keep flying over into my yard."

That is what I am saying, we already have a problem with the owners we have. Is there something special about a chicken owner (that don't share the same irresponsible traits of some dog/cat owners)? Dogs and cats are legal (with some restrictions), being illegal doesn't seem to fit there so why would it apply to chickens? That is all I am saying. Seems it will compound the problem. Maybe chickens don't roam and constantly try to get out of their enclosures like dogs/cats. Course if you leave a gate open probably just as likely for a chicken to escape as a loose cat or dog to give chase or try to have a snack. I don't know. I am not going to be writing letters to my Councilman on it or anything.

Larry - it's a person to person sale, which is why it's exempt. When you purchase things at the farmer's market, the tax is handled different (basically the seller is responisble for figuring that out and most of them don't do it). ...

It is my understanding that even if "person to person sale", sales tax is supposed to be collected and reported to the state (this can be done on your tax form). Most people don't, probably through ignorance.