Rockville residents sound off on backyard chickens

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Several dozen people flocked to a town hall meeting in Rockville Tuesday night on the subject of backyard chickens.

Councilwoman Julie Palakovich Carr is proposing changes to animal control rules, including allowing residents to keep up to five hens — no roosters — in their yards.

The councilwoman says her idea isn’t new.

“Up until about eight or 10 years ago, Rockville actually did allow people to keep chickens, but the law was changed at that point. But I think that there has been new interest and kind of a resurgence in urban agriculture.”

She says many cities across the country allow people to have small numbers of chickens.

“We know Annapolis, Baltimore, Gaithersburg, Takoma Park and Richmond, among many others, have allowed backyard hens,” said Clark Reed, chairman of Rockville’s Environment Commission.

With many residents in attendance, there were strong opinions on both sides of the issue.

“It’s not a farming town. I didn’t move here to have farm animals in my next- door neighbor’s yard,” said a resident named Eric.

He says a neighbor once kept chickens tied to old shoes so that they wouldn’t leave the yard, which caused the birds to hop around and make noise until he called the police to get them removed.

Others opposed to backyard chickens say they’re concerned that they may depress property values or attract predators.

One woman who has a home in Rockville keeps chickens at another home in Montgomery County.

“My neighbors have told me they don’t want chickens, but they’re glad we have them. Their kids come over; they learn; they get surplus eggs,” she said.

Another man, who had to stand in a doorway because the meeting was so full, chimed in: “Let’s think about property rights, ladies and gentlemen who don’t want chickens. Some of us do.”

One woman said a compromise might be reached by establishing community gardens with chicken coops that people can take turns maintaining.

A public hearing on the issue is expected later this fall.

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