Supporters: Chickens Economical, Educational

Changes to the town's bylaws that would allow people in most residential neighborhoods to keep as many as six hens without a special permit were discussed last night at a public hearing at the .

Raising chickens can provide fresh food, save money and offer an educational and enriching experience, supporters of the bylaw change have said.

The new bylaw would allow people in areas zoned for single-family or two-family homes to keep up to six hens without requiring a special permit.

This is aimed at saving people from having to obtain a special permit to keep them, which can cost as much as $130, Agricultural Commission chairman James Walsh said last night.

People in other zoned areas would still need a special permit to keep chickens.

Removing this from the special permitting process also saves the town time and money, he said.

This change would only apply to hens. Roosters are not allowed without a permit, Walsh said, because of potential noise concerns.

The chickens would need to be kept in an area that allows for a minimum of four square feet per hen. Coops would need to be at least 30 feet from the road and 15 feet from the property line, the same requirements that are in place for any backyard structure, committee member John Wilson said.

Commission members also suggested several steps to minimize potential problems with chickens:

Only give the chickens enough food as they can consume at a feeding.

Put a removable pan under the roost area for ease of cleaning.

The audience was relatively small and supportive of the chicken bylaw.

Future public hearings are scheduled at other locations, including the Community House in South Grafton. The issue will be discussed further at an April 9 joint meeting with the Planning Board and Agricultural Commission.

Town Meeting is May 14.