Like many others living in Marshall, MN, the cost of eggs is becoming increasingly exorbitant for us. It is an essential part of our diet and we find it challenging to trace the origin of the eggs we buy. We are concerned about our consumption due to the large-scale, commercial farming practices that dominate the market.
The solution we propose is simple – we want to raise our chickens. This is not an uncommon practice. Many urban areas are accepting of urban poultry farming, providing that tight and sound regulations are adhered to by owners [source: University of Minnesota Extension].
Our proposal adheres to the responsible practice of farming poultry in urban areas. We want to limit the number of chickens to no more than 6 per household, with no roosters. Each flock must have complete, adequate housing - a coop, complete with nesting boxes, ensuring the area is fully enclosed (all sides and the top).  Along with this, we would mandate that interested parties should file details of their proposed poultry number and living conditions with the city authorities.
We believe the city of Marshall, MN, can benefit from such a regulation change, offering residents the opportunity to ensure food source reliability, reduce food costs, and promote a sense of community involvement and resilience.
There have been concerns raised about the odor from chickens.  With adhering to the allowable small number of hens and  proper maintenance of the site, this will not be an issue. 
Please support our call to change the city ordinance, allowing residents to legally own chickens in urban spaces. Sign our petition today.