Raise chickens at home? Dingman mulls resident's proposal

DINGMAN TOWNSHIP — Joli Taryla explained the benefits of home-raised chickens and eggs to Dingman's supervisors on Tuesday, hoping for a zoning change that will make it possible.
She asked that the township allow the keeping of chickens for the needs of a single household. Taylor’s house is in a residential zone that prohibits this activity.
“People want the freedom to feed their families without pesticides or hormones,” she said.
She emphasized that she was talking about a very small-scale operation. There’s plenty of evidence home-raised chickens give families a nutritious and healthful food source because the owners would keep them free of chemicals.
“They also eat ticks, mosquitoes, and termites,” Taryla said.
Chickens also provide companionship and keep garbage in check, she said.
Supervisors raised questions about how the chicken ordinance would be enforced, including, How many chickens? On what size property? What defines a well-raised chicken?
Supervisor Dennis Brink brought up the downside, like noise and inadequate space.
“Chickens don’t need much space as long as they have adequate room to roam,” Taryla said. She pointed to articles she’d brought along from the Penn State Extension and other sources to support her claims.
She suggested 3 to 10 chickens per acre, based on her research.
“No more than an average dog,” she said.
Supervisors debated how such an ordinance would be worded.
Roosters are loud but unnecessary for egg production, everyone agreed.

No roadside sales

Supervisors Chair Tom Mincer said the issue had come up many times in the past.
“Are you talking about family use, and other animals besides chickens?” he asked.
Taryla said she was just thinking about chickens and hens at this point. A family of four or five doesn’t need more than six chickens, she said.
Brink said that once a homeowner had six or eight chickens, the number tended to grow.
“A lot of times you start selling eggs, and now six chickens turn to 10 then 20 when you realize you’re making money," said Brink. "It turns commercial.”
He asked about the line between home use only and a more commercial operation. He said he doesn't want to see "eggs for sale" signs along the road side.
Taryla agreed. She said her petition was for chickens for one household only, and no roosters.
Mincer said the township planning board needs to look at the issue, and how such operations, even very small ones, would affect the neighbors. People can get very upset, saying they didn’t move to the area “for that," he said.
Brink brought up cleanliness.
“Chicken soup is nice and clean, but I don’t understand health," said Brink. "We in town don’t have that expertise. So how do you decide what’s being taken care properly or not?”
Taryla said lack of smell indicates the chickens are being well taken care of.
The supervisors agreed that experts would need to say what’s healthy or not. The ordinance, if changed, should explain how that's determined.
The town only has one person to enforce regulations, they said, and if many people develop problems, it will make enforcement harder.
Mincer said many wild animals, like bears, find chickens tasty.
The chicken ordinance will be passed along to the planning board for its consideration, followed by a public hearing, if the board agrees to pursue the idea.
“We all love animals when they’re well taken care of," said Brink.