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Old McSalem had a farm

Dancing chicken

Old McSalem had a farm

E-I-E-I-O

and on that farm he had some hens

E-I-E-I-O

with a cluck, cluck here and a cluck, cluck there here a cluck, there a cluck, everywhere a cluck, cluck.

Old McSalem had a farm

E-I-E-I-O

I wrote a post not too long ago about the chicken ban that Salem Oregon has in place for homes. There has been a push to allow chickens to exist within the city limits allowing people to have fresh eggs. After much debate and banter about it, the city councilors passed a motion to start the process to change the city codes. And, yes, there are restrictions.

No roosters, so don't expect to see Foghorn Leghorn in your neighbor's backyard. He's still banned in city limits.
3 hens. No large broods of chickens in city limits. You should only hear cluck, cluck, cluck from your neighbor's yard not cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck...well you get the idea.
The hen house needs to be at least 20 feet from the property line.
Home owners need to have at least 10,000 sq feet to their lot. That's .23 acres. Not a lot of lots here in city limits that are that large.

Honestly, there will be so few folks that have the lot requirement that I just don't see that many hens being inside our city limits. If you are looking to purchase real estate in the city limits of Salem Oregon, don't get freaked out by this news. If you really hate hens, there are many subdivisions to choose from where poultry is not allowed regardless. BUT what I really want to know is who is going to be the first person to end up in small claims court. See in my neighborhood there are a few lots that would meet that criteria AND there are many "outdoor" cats that roam my area. I can just see the song now... cat eating chicken

Old McSalem had a city

E-I-E-I-O

and in that city they allowed some hens

E-I-E-I-O

with a cluck, cluck here and a meow, meow there here a cluck, there a meow, everywhere a cluck, meow.

Old McKitty ate a hen

E-I-E-I-O

This post was originally published on The Salem Oregon Real Estate Jumble Blog

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Posted by Melina Tomson, M.S. Salem Oregon Real Estate Specialist on 06/28/2009 01:56 PM

Comments (13)

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13 Comments on Old McSalem had a farm

JUN

That is so interesting. What an intriguing blog post.

Do you really think that cats would be a danger to hens? I remember in my chhildhood being in places where they had cats, dogs and hens. Dogs would occasionally run and scare the hens, but would not touch them, they were smart.

But I never saw cats hunting a hen.

I had a Labrador that would retrieve the neighbors chickens when I lived in the country. She never harmed them more than making them rather slobbery.

Jon I really have no idea if cats would hunt the hens. There are just so many cats that roam my area, I can see someone claiming that a cat ate their hen. I also have skunks and racoons in my neighborhood.

Jim, since most dogs are leashed in neighborhoods, I don't see too many dog/hen problems in city limits. Otherwise I know my little 20 pound dog would have a great time chasing hens.

Lol - Skunks and racoons are predators of hens. I can't wait to read how the Salem City Councilors are considering an ordinace to all the discharge of small caliber guns within city limits. People are going to want to protect their investments after all.

JUN

Interesting post . . . and I'm wondering in City of Beaverton allows for this. My home has a perfect set-up for chickens, and it would be fun to have fresh eggs. Not a HUGE savings -- not like having your own COW . . . but eggs would be a nice protein alternative. The incredible edible . . . egg.

It will be interesting after all the "clucking" that has gone on about this topic to see how many people really end up with chickens in their yards. We live in the country and I still don't want them in my yard (I've been in a hen house - stinky!).

Melina,

Isn't it an act of discrimination based on sex? I mean banning roosters? (LOL)

And, Eric, if they allow roosters they will fend away raccoons. Aggressive roosters are quite a force.

Jon - It almost sounds as if you are promoting animal fighting. Are you channeling your inner Michael Vick?

Erik there may be a gun fight at the ok chicken coral...

Carla I know Portland allows hens within city limits (as that was brought up many times during the debate). Not sure about Beaverton.

Margaret-I think the bad smell had opponents worried. They were worried the nasty smell would waft into their yard. Apparently they never lived next to a chronic smoker...

Jon-people think Oregon is progressive because of our right to die laws out here, but clearly we still have our bias out here...

Erik-that is so not right...skunks vs. roosters?? I think the skunk will just turn around and voila my street will smell like skunk for a week...It happens a couple of times every year...wake up to the sweet smell of skunk...

I once had a llama in the city limits in Ridgeway. But in all fairness, that was 11 years ago and they just got their first street light about 6 years ago. If you blinked you'd miss the city limits while driving through.

JL somehow I knew you were a llama guy...we have several of those towns here in Oregon.

JUL

Melina:

I sense that this ordinance change was really inspired,not by the pro-chicken crowd down at the old city chicken house, but rather by the lobbyists for he barbecue industry. More handy chickens...more barbecues sold.

Anyway, I thought eggs were "cheaper in the country"...not the city.

Hi Melina -

We used to drive by a commercial chicken ranch in Ventura County CA a lot. What a stench! Our lot here in Medford would qualify for chickens based on Salem's criteria, but I believe we have an ordinance that says not allowed in city limits (I'll have to check that out now, because I'm not sure). Don't think our chickens would last long if we had them, with the many nocturnal visitors we get. Keeps us from having a doggie door, so a) our doggie doesn't become a meal, and b) we don't come down one morning to find raccoons, skunks and possums have taken up residence.

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