Thwarted Chicken Owners Hatching Plan to Keep Hens in Grosse Pointe Park

Al and Louise Thomas were certainly not trying to ruffle any feathers last winter when they decided to raise and keep hens at their Pemberton Road home in Grosse Pointe Park.

The couple did extensive research about raising, feeding and caring for hens, including going to a conference in Pennsylvania sponsored by Mother Earth News, Louise said.

The chicks, purchased from a farm in Brighton, came home with the Thomases in November. They raised them in a dog cage in their laundry room and moved them to the outdoor home on Palm Sunday.

The couple intentionally exchanged two of the chicks when it became obvious they were roosters—a part of the purchase deal. The exchange was intended to spare area residents from the noise of roosters, who crow at all times of day, not just the morning, Louise said.

The Thomases are frustrated with this week's . They said they felt support from Dan Grano, but the council overall refused to consider altering an ordinance restricting such animals. Meanwhile, the Thomases plan to continue their pursuit to keep their hens.

At the moment, they are waiting to see whether the council or city officials will change their minds about altering the ordinance. Louise said she's also considering starting a signature petition to gain support for such a change.

Thoughtfully named after friends and family members, the hens have a small housed area where they sleep and lay eggs. Susie, Katie, Harriett and Judy also have a small outdoor area that resides between the Thomases' backyard and their daughter's backyard. 

The hens are given free range of the Thomases' daughter's backyard occasionally when everyone is around and outside. Her yard is completely enclosed with fencing. 

Mostly, however, they mill around their designated area and the only time they really make noise is when one produces an egg. Al said they do "a bit of announcing" of the new egg but even that isn't loud enough to be heard beyond the immediate area, he said.

The hens, the Thomases say, are quieter than most dogs. The indoor henhouse has a flap—similar to a doggie door—allowing the hens to go inside or out at their will.

Louise said that as soon as they found out that someone complained about early morning noise, she began making the door inoperable at night and then reopening it in the morning. Since then, the hens are allowed out about 8 or 8:30 a.m., she said. 

The family harvests the fresh eggs, and Louise said she's purchased her last dozen from a grocery store as long as they are allowed to keep the hens, who collectively produce two to three eggs a day. That number is likely to grow because the fourth hen has not yet started producing eggs, they said. 

Not only are the hens part of the Thomases' daily life but their grandchildren, Tommy, Katie and Edward, ages 5, 9 and 11, respectively, help to care for and visit them, Louise Thomas said.

Katie loves to check for eggs in the henhouse and often brings them to her grandmother, they said.

The hens' house and outdoor pen doesn't change the landscape of their home much. The shed converted into the hen house already existed on their property, and Al added about 10 feet of fence from the shed to the gate separating their yard from their daughter's yard. The pen is about 2 feet deep. It's also at the back of their driveway, which wraps to the backyard area. Their garage doors face their daughter's backyard.

The hens are not likely a surprise to anyone who knows the Thomases, who already have two well-maintained vegetable gardens on their property. Louise also has onions planted as part of the decorative landscape in the front of their home between impatiens flowers. "I try to make it less noticeable," she said.

Following Monday's council meeting, the Thomases said they were flooded with calls from friends offering their apologies and support. A variety of Patch readers have offered their opinion, too, on the site and on Facebook. 

According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raising chickens in more urban areas is becoming a popular trend. While there are risks of illness associated with doing so, the Thomases said they are following the organization's guidelines of safe handling. 

The recommendations include:

• Keeping chickens away from food preparation areas
• Washing hands with soap and water after contact
• Maintaining a clean henhouse, clean frequently
• Avoid drinking or eating while in contact with the chickens
• Do not allow the chickens free roaming inside a house
• Limit contact of chickens with children younger than 5 years old or those with weakened immune systems

To access the Thomases' hens, one must be on their property or their daughter's property, and their outdoor pen is enclosed with fencing and chicken wire.

The growing trend of raising chicks has even hit more urban areas, such as New York City and Los Angeles, where there are not restrictions on such animals, according to an article in USA Today. And there are many people raising chickens in the city of Detroit.

Another factor in raising hens in an urban area is maintaining the property and their housing, according to Penn State poultry extension program. In a fact sheet by a poultry specialist, avoiding those two problems helps reduce conflict with neighbors or the creation of ordinances. 

The fact sheet also recommends keeping the hens' living quarters well-landscaped with greenery. 

The Thomases have a variety of greenery that masks their henhouse, making it hardly visible until you get really close.

"I think there is a lot of support for this sort of thing," Louise said, noting she knows of others who have chickens in the Pointes.

The hens are friendly animals who have become a part of the family and the Thomases hope they can remain a part of the family.