Bloomingdale Residents May Get Their Chickens — Then the Eggs

Chickens are on the menu for the Bloomingdale Borough Council, as more and more residents have become adamant about raising fowl in residential homes for fresh eggs.

After introducing a “chicken and pigeons” ordinance at the June 11 meeting, the council is ready to take feedback from residents during a public meeting on Tuesday, July 23, according to a recent report.

The ordinance would allow up to four chickens to be kept on a residential property, but excludes roosters, which are notorious for early morning wake-up calls.

"I have received in excess of eight calls about this health craze of eating fresh eggs," Bloomingdale Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy told NorthJersey.com.

Residents have been contacting the mayor to advocate keeping chickens on their property, which is prohibited under current zoning laws.

Under current statutes, chickens are allowed in zones which have properties of three acre or more but they are not allowed in residential neighborhoods of 10,000 to 20,000 square feet.

According to NorthJersey.com, Dunleavy said the ordinance will save residents from having to seek a variance, which could cost more than $500.