My family means the world to me, and I aim to provide them with fresh, home raised quality food and ensure we are fully aware of where our food comes from. My children, Sophia, Lucas and Lillian, who are actively engaged in local 4H clubs, require the opportunity to help raise their own food as part of their education and personal growth.

Government restrictions, however, currently prevent us from keeping chickens, meat birds, and ducks, even with permits. This not only stifles our self-sufficient lifestyle but also hinders our children's 4H experience, as they are denied the chance to raise their own poultry. 

According to the USDA, the local production of poultry has significant benefits - it supports personal health, the environment, and the economy. It notes that local foods are often healthier, as they are less likely to lose nutritional value during transportation (USDA, Local Food Systems). Not only this, but it fosters economic growth within our community and reduces the carbon footprint by cutting down on transportation emissions.

Our plea is simple. Let us raise our own poultry. Let our children understand where their food comes from, as well as the responsibility and pride that comes with raising their own. Lift the unnecessary restrictions on keeping chickens, meat birds, and ducks with permits. Sign this petition today, and let us all move a step closer to a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

Some common misconceptions about backyard chickens include:

They're noisy. Chickens will peep and cluck softly throughout the day, and are silent all night. 
A dog's bark is 90 decibels and our city allows 4 dogs which has a cumulative maximum possible noise level of 100 decibels (sound pressure is a logarithmic scale).
A hen's laying song is 60 decibels so it would take 12 hens producing noise at the exact same time to produce more noise than 1 dog.

They smell. A small flock(4-5 chickens) will poop about as much as an average dog, and the coop will not smell if it kept clean. 

They attract predators. This is not truly a misconception, but can easily be remedied by the chicken owner. Chickens aren't only food for humans-- they can be food for a number of predators as well. It is the responsibility of the chicken owner to keep his/her chickens contained and safe from predators, just as the same responsibility falls on cat and dog owners.

What we are asking is for a change in the ordinances against owning backyard chickens in the city of Salem, and adopting a new ordinance that allows citizens in residential zoned areas to own a small backyard flock.