Bozeman Considers: What to Do About Neighborhood Chickens?

Are we transitioning to urban or rural?

By Lucia Stewart, 7-22-09

Bozeman is the latest Montana town to squabble over allowing chickens into the city limits.

It ruffled a few feathers over the past couples months after one couple was forced to move their chicks outside the city limits, leading to the formation of Community Led Urban Chicken Movement. The city’s current draft ordinance will allow 4-6 chickens, no roosters, and they are still determining license and enclosure requirements.

The issue is considered serious detriment to the neighborhood by some. Others argue “stop wasting our city’s time.” And others can’t see their backyards without their chickens.

We can learn from our neighbors in Missoula on the humor and seriousness of the subject through this great film put together by Missoula contributor Anne Medley in 2007.

So, may I ask this. Is this a sign our towns are becoming urbanized or are we returning to our agricultural roots?

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By Lucia Stewart, 7-22-09 | comments (4) | email story | print story

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Comments

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By Co-sider, 7-22-09

Who/what are "Bozeman Cosiders"?
Thanks.

By Mickey Garcia, 7-23-09

Hailey, Idaho, I believe, just considered or passed its O.K. to have urban chickens ordinance. Some made fun of it. Others take it seriously. Back to nature, locavore, backyard-barnyard, etc. If you have a lot of urbanized wildlife, they might try to feed on your urban chickens unless you build an impenetrable chicken coop. Skunks, Foxes, Coyotes, Bears, and Wolves, and the occasional Mt. Lion like to eat chickens.

By McLagman, 7-23-09

It's not going to be funny when the value of your house drops because your neighbor decides to raise chickens. Add that to the housing market woes.

This is what good neighborhood zoning ordinances are for...to protect everyone's property. If you can raise chickens, why not goats? Sheep? How about a cow? Why not horses?

How about a chicken tax to compensate neighbors for lost property value?

By Rachel Weaver, 7-30-09

The only true value of any property is what you can extract from it. All the rest is paper and theoretical. People who raise food, be it vegetables or some kind of meat are *adding* value to their property. When food is no longer showing up at the store, or you find that you cannot eat it because it's full of chemicals, you'll be glad your neighbors are sharing eggs with you!

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Bozeman News

Are we transitioning to urban or rural?