The current ordinance for the City of Brunswick does not allow for backyard chickens, because they are listed as livestock and does not allow for responsible citizens to maintain a micro-flock within city limits. We request the City draft a new ordinance or revise the old one to the following:

• Change the definition of chickens to pets.
• Allow homeowners to maintain six or fewer chickens over the age of 6 months, but no roosters.
• Mandate that chickens be kept in clean and well maintained environment, while housed in a coop or small dog house, so as not to present an eye-sore.
• Chicken feed must be kept in a separate, sealed bin, so as to detract mice or pests. 

FACTS:

• Food Security: Brunswick is technically a 'Food Desert' - backyard hens allow folks access to a healthy organic supply of protein in the form of eggs.
•  Hens eat insects (including termites and roaches), weeds and act to till garden areas while providing a natural fertilizer in the form of nitrogen rich, organic manure.
• Hens consume almost all organic waste.  The keeping of backyard poultry can reduce local use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers and the problems associated with such products, by recycling organic waste into fertilizer.
• Keeping chickens reduces your overall waste output.
• Hen eggs provide a sustainable food source that is fresh, local, healthy, and delicious.
• Hens are wonderful, easy to care for, entertaining pets. They provide educational opportunities to teach children where food comes from and how to be responsible pet owners.

By establishing a new ordinance to allow residents to keep a limited number of hens in residential neighborhoods, the City of Brunswick will encourage stewardship of the environment, food production on a household scale, environmental sustainability, and food security.

 Would you be interested in writing a letter to Brunswick City Council  supporting this cause?

Please email any letters of support HERE.  Subject line “Support for Brunswick Back Yard Chicken Ordinance.”

Specific Councillors to focus on:

Carroll Jones - cjones@brunswickmd.gov​

Harry Lashley - hlashley@brunswickmd.gov​

Jeff Snoots - snoots@brunswickmd.gov​

Walt Stull - stull@brunswickmd.gov

Please CC mtuthill.lucidimages@gmail.com so we have a record of your support letters.

Thank you,

Michael & Amy Tuthill
Chicken Eggtivists