Happy Eggs » Chickens and the Law

Behold, My Hen Permit

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:29:09 +0000

Bostonians May Follow Nashvillians!

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 16:43:12 +0000

Thanks to childhood neighbor Tami for bringing this to my attention. The Boston Globe reports on a number of Bostonians setting up illegal chickens in their urban yards, and advocates for them! See the March4, 2012 Op Ed: Don’t ask, don’t tell

Getting a Chicken Permit in Nashville

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:35:56 +0000

Well, a week after the chicken vote and the city is in the process of pulling permits together.

If you’re interested in getting your chicken permit, call Nashville’s Environmental Health Division at (615) 340-5653. You can add your name to the list and they will call you when the paperwork is ready to go.

My ladies are so excited!

My Chickens Are Legal

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:15:06 +0000

Woo-hoo! And, check out the Amazon.com banner ad! It’s my book!!

Nashville Chickens…One More Vote to Legal

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:39:50 +0000

Tuesday’s Vote…the Fate of Nashville Chickens on the Line

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:38:33 +0000

Metro Council will vote Tuesday evening — for or against allowing backyard hens in Davidson County. This is the most important vote in the process of legalizing backyard chickens in Nashville!

Davidson County residents: please send a short email to all Council members by using this email address: councilmembers @ nashville.gov. Include name and address, and in the subject line, state “please vote yes for backyard hen ordinance!” Send emails ASAP!

You can see the bill here: ORDINANCE NO. BL2011-47

Nashville’s Poultry Prohibition Under Fire!

admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:32:40 +0000

The raging debate over the excruciatingly controversial chicken law heats up. Fox News covers the story again….

Urban Chickens Advocates of Nashville Story in The City Paper

admin — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:45:17 +0000

Urban Chickens Advocates of Nashville (UCAN) was featured in a City Paper story about the ongoing chicken saga in Nashville. My favorite quote is from Metro Councilman Jim Gotto, who called UCAN’s goal “lofty and noble,” while adding, “the unintended consequences could be disastrous.” What, exactly, could be disastrous about passing legislation that tightly regulates the number of hens a property owner could have? Seriously?

If someone does break the law and crams 50 roosters on a 1/8 acre plot, it won’t be because of any proposed legislation. The pro-chicken bill, which suffered a defeat in 2009, restricted the number of hens to 6, with a minimum area and distance from neighbor’s houses.

There are many comments on the story, mostly written by morons. One of the few informed comments comes from Nash615 who points out:

***

Whenever an opponent to a bill says “well, we don’t have the resources to enforce this” they are also pointing out that we currently don’t have the resources to enforce the current legal state of affairs.

“We don’t want to enforce a more clear law on chickens so don’t vote for it.” is not an argument. By that logic they can’t enforce the current muddy law which says maybe you can and maybe you can’t have chickens.

This is an argument-sounding statement, but it’s not an argument. In fact it’s basically saying nothing other than “we can’t enforce the laws we have on the books, so why bother changing them?”

Which is just another way of saying “the laws on the books are basically meaningless.”

I recommend that if you want to have chickens you go ahead and get chickens. Either laws forbidding them won’t be enforced (probably), or the “argument” against clarifying the rules is worthless, in which case you can now push to legalize your reasonable desire to keep chickens in the USD.

As a friend recently said on this topic, “civil disobedience is greatly underrated.”

***

I could not have expressed this better, kudos Nash615, whoever you are.

A Sad, Sad Day for Nashville Chickens

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:08:48 +0000

The bill to make backyard chickens legal was voted down by the city council this evening. 15 voted for, 2 abstained, 20 voted against. The bill can be reintroduced in 6 months.

So, I may need to take someone up on the many kind offers to foster the girls. Alternatively, I can live a life of crime and keep my illegal flock. This is unfamiliar territory for me, law-abiding citizen that I am. Who polices the chickens? Will I be fined? Will I go to jail? And, how do you broach the subject?
(“So person so-and-so in authority, if I did theoretically decide to break the law and keep chickens, what would happen to me?”)

Metro Planning Commission Approves Plan to Drop Nashville’s Poultry Prohibition

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:39:35 +0000

So, I am getting ready for the metro planning commission meeting when my friend pops her head into my room and says, “there’s a man at the door.” I screech “a maa-aaaan!” (What movie is that from? I think it’s yelled by an old hag but I can’t quite remember). Anyway, there is Sky Arnold and his camera guy Steve. They wanted to shoot some video of the gals! For the record, I don’t normally wear patent leather shoes and a dress in the chicken coop, but I was getting ready for the meeting. You can see the story on Fox 17′s website.

Anyway, the big, wonderful news is: Metro Planning Commission Approves Plan to Drop Nashville’s Poultry Prohibition. The plan still needs approval from Metro Council, but I am feeling pretty confident that this will pass. I was shocked at how many other illegal chicken owners and their neighborhood supporters showed up last night. Kudos!