Backyard chicken raising is officially going through the Dunwoody rule making process of Community Council, Planning Commission and finally the City Council. After much debate the city has drafted a cover memo as well as a version of the ordinance and on Thursday night the Community Council has the first review of the proposal.
I have received much feedback on this issue both pro and con with passionate people on both sides. I have a neighbor who raised chickens here in Dunwoody, have been a vocal supporter of backyard chickens on the council and now that there is official proposed language on the matter I will be silent and listen to the debate until which time the matter comes in front of me.
That being said, I want to share two final comments. The first is a block of text from an e-mail I received which encourages those who are voting on the matter to know what they are talking about by visiting a Dunwoody backyard chicken coop and looking at the requirements being put into place.
I think the community council members, as well as the planning and zoning commissioners, and the members of city council and the mayor owe it to themselves to visit one of the backyards that has chickens, and meets the guidelines that will be presented by staff, so that an informed decision can be made when it comes time to vote. I'd like to see this thing get decided based on some objective basis, not based on some subjective "feelings, or speculation on what it might lead to.And second comment is for those who keep chickens and would like to invite the members of the Community Council, Planning Commission and City Council to visit your coop but not sure how to do so. I was looking on the city webpage for group e-mail addresses for each of the committees but couldn't find a way to contact either the Community Council or the Planning Commission, therefore just send me the invitation and I will find a way to forward it. Finally since those members of the Community Council and Planning Commission can't be reached by e-mail; I thought I would show them what a Dunwoody chicken coop looks like. Here is a video Pattie Baker made available on her new, Sustainable Pattie website which was filmed in a Dunwoody backyard.
Right now, I have to believe these meetings will be packed with proponents from both sides of the issue. Right now I also believe the arguments from both sides will generate more heat than light.
(Update - committee e-mails are available here.)
I hate chickens. My younger brother was attacked by a mob of chickens hanging out under a street lamp in the Dunwoody Club Forest subdivision.
ReplyDeleteSeems he was wearing his gold and silver crucifix and the glittering drew the attention of the dominant HEN that began to crow.
The crowing was an alarm of sorts, alerting hundreds of underground chickens that reside in chicken coops throughout Dunwoody.
True to the insight that Councilman Shortal shared with the community, the Chickens began to descend upon my brother.
Chickens of all sorts, including a few frozen Cornish game hens and turkeys began to march down the neighborhood, past Councilman Ross's house on their way to attack my brother.
Little did we know that this was only the beginning of a disaster of historical proportions.
A mob atomosphere took over. Chickens who sole purpose in life was not to lay eggs but to protect the dams that held back thousand of gallons of Chicken POOP got caught up in the frenzy and abandoned their posts to join the attacking mob.
Soon thousands of chickens were on the march. The mob frenzy grew. Fox and Coyote fled for Sandy Springs, birds of prey took flight and headed to Roswell for shelter. Soon dogs, cats and rabbits were scampering inside homes to seek protection from the mob of crazed chickens.
The chicken mob continued towards my unsuspecting brother and that shiny cross around his neck.
Soon that dominant Chicken who began the frenzy with her crowing, was within feet of my brother. The mob of chickens now shook the foundations of the houses in the subdivision. With every vibration the Chicken POOP dams grew weaker.
Finally reaching my brother, the vicious attack began. First with an angry cluck, then a egg was tossed. Eirst one, then three, then ten crazed chickens began to peck away. Within seconds, blood. A true blood thirsty frenzy was on. The mob of chickens began to stampede. The increased vibration cause the failure of hundreds of Chicken POOP dams across Dunwoody.. As Councilman Ross had predicted, thousands of gallons of Chicken POOP, began to flow down hill. It appeared that poop was running uphill in some neighborhoods.
But I know it was poop, because I grew up on a farm in Kansas or at least near a farm in
New York, and I know POOP.
My brother was gone. Pecked to tiny pieces that were washed away by POOP.
Seems that all of Dunwoody was awash in poop, dissolving everything in its path. Soon it was over. Dunwoody was gone. The only building left standing was the barn at the Chestnut farm.
In the barn stood Danny and Denny. They knew the future, they knew chickens. They would ring their necks on Friday and have them for dinner on Saturday. If we had only listened to them and never even considered a chickens in Dunwoody.
Bob
The Coyote Giggler
Bob,
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the part about the eggs being used in a brownie recipe, then served to Dunwoody children. The children all then scored below the national percentile and the school failed to meet AYP.
I never wear a shiny object around chickens. Like my daughter's new Red Ryder, they will take your eye out!
RIP Brother of Farmer Bob
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