- “Hens are messy and smelly!”
Hens produce much less waste than the average dog. An average dog will produce around a pound of waste in a day, whereas a flock of four hens will only produce less than half that, about 1.5 ounces of waste per hen. Additionally, our proposed ordinance states that “Every person maintaining a pen, coop, building, yard or enclosure for fowl shall keep such area clean and sanitary at all times. Any dirt or refuse resulting from the fowl shall be disposed of in a clean and sanitary fashion.”
- “Hens are noisy!”
The truth is that dogs are much louder than hens. A hen’s clucks can reach 60-70 decibels (approximately the same as a human conversation); a dog’s bark in contrast is around 90 decibels. Hens also generally only make noise once a day while laying – early morning crowing is not a concern. Those concerned about rooster noise can feel reassured: the ordinance recommended by the Plan Commission to the Board of Trustees prohibits roosters in all circumstances.
In Lombard, where backyard hens have been allowed since 2022, the Police Department received 7 service calls between 2022-2024 regarding chickens, none of which were noise complaints. In the same time frame, the Lombard Police Department received 611 service calls related to dogs, almost entirely regarding nuisance violations and noise complaints.
- “Hens will attract undesirable wildlife like coyotes.”
There is no evidence to suggest that the presence of hens increases the population of undesirable wildlife. Bird feeders, koi ponds, fruit-feeders for pollinators/hummingbirds and normal trash/garbage cans already attract wildlife to residential communities. On the contrary, if you do have small rodents in your area, a flock of chickens can actually reduce their number, since some breeds will catch and eat small mice and moles like cats do–chickens will eat small snakes, too. Plus, they eat undesirable pests like ticks, mosquitos, grasshoppers and the like.
Proper predator proofing measures dramatically reduces the risk that a coyote, fox or raccoon would ever interact with chickens. The proposed ordinance ensures that chickens be kept in secure coops and enclosed runs (see Section VII of this packet, regulation 10-5-23). Just as residents are already incentivized to secure their garbage bins from rodents, so hen keepers would be incentivized to keep their animals safe and protected.
- “What if the hens are mistreated?”
All laws against animal cruelty, animal neglect, and animal abuse (including Glen Ellyn Village Code Section 6-3-1) apply to all pets. Chickens are no different from other pets in this regard. That said, our proposed ordinance codifies an ethical code of conduct through its housing/enclosure and sanitary requirements as well as its restrictions.
- “Hens will reduce our property values.”
There is no evidence that hen ordinances reduce property values, period. In contrast, the ability to keep hens in our community may actually be a draw for higher-income and younger families who are interested in keeping hens, including as pets. Increasingly, suburban communities around Chicago are acknowledging this reality by passing their own henkeeping ordinances. In addition to Lisle and Lombard, who passed ordinances in 2021, the surrounding communities of Naperville, Oak Park, Darien, Downers Grove, Batavia, Burr Ridge, St. Charles, Westmont, Bensenville, Wayne, Warrenville, Villa Park, and Bartlett all allow henkeeping in varying forms.
- “Hens will exacerbate avian flu (H5N1).”
Avian flu (H5N1) is a genuine concern. While it is possible for H5N1 to be spread to backyard hens by migrating waterfowl, common safety precautions can help to mitigate risks (such as enclosed chicken runs). The CDC states that public risk of avian flu is “low,” symptoms of infected but otherwise healthy adults are generally mild, and it cannot be spread from person-to-person.
According to the CDC, just as hens can be infected by wild birds, so too can dogs and cats, “If your domestic animals (e.g., cats or dogs) go outside and could potentially eat or be exposed to sick or dead birds infected with bird flu viruses, or an environment contaminated with bird flu virus, they could become infected with bird flu.” Unlike backyard hens, which must remain on the owner’s property under strict safety conditions, cats are allowed to roam free, while dogs are free to roam unleashed at dog parks.
Meanwhile, the USDA has conditionally approved a vaccine to protect poultry flocks from avian flu, and the CDC continues to monitor the situation closely.
Overall, avian flu poses the greatest risk to American food security – the largest manufacturers of eggs have been the most negatively affected. Diversifying our community’s reliance on food sources such as eggs would help to ensure long-term food security. Current soaring egg prices highlight why Glen Ellyn residents should have the right to grow and produce healthful, local food from ethical sources to feed their families.