It’s time to peck away at Orleans County’s antiquated poultry policies and allow village residents to own a small, well-maintained flock of backyard chickens. We believe chickens should be allowed in all the villages/hamlets in Orleans County, NY including Lyndonville, Medina, Albion, Kendall and Holley.  It’s awesome that chickens are permitted in cities, suburbs, and villages throughout WNY. For example, up to six hens (no roosters) are allowed in the Village of Brockport, Town of Amherst, and in the City of Rochester. Agriculture is our #1 industry in Orleans County and should not exclude village residents with a passion for poultry! Let’s egg-splore a compre-hen-sive plan to allow our feathered friends within the villages of Orleans County.

Backyard chickens have an exceptional impact on the environment. Chickens provide excellent natural pest control by eating bugs of all kinds including ticks, grubs, and mosquitos. Chickens consume leftover food scraps and weeds, redirecting waste away from landfills and reducing our carbon footprint. 1/3 of all food produced for humans goes uneaten. One chicken will eat 83 lbs. of food scraps per year, reducing landfill costs by $27 per chicken per year. It’s easy to see, backyard chickens are a valuable nest egg that pay for themselves within 2 years.   

Let’s hatch a community that values homegrown food. Chicken manure is a fantastic source of organic fertilizer in our gardens. Backyard egg layers provide protein, Vitamin E, beta carotene, and Omega-3 fatty acids during supply chain disruptions when grocery stores are low on product. A backyard flock works to combat egg price gouging and food insecurity in under-resourced areas like Orleans County where 9% of our families live in poverty.          

Pets of all kinds, including chickens, have a significant impact on mental health, improving anxiety and depression. Teaching children to care for backyard chickens provides a basket full of opportunities such as fostering responsibility, connecting with nature and instilling appreciation for where food comes from. Let’s open the opportunity for village residents to eggs-perience the benefits of raising a backyard flock of chickens. 

https://orleanshub.com/communities-need-to-update-antiquated-policies-against-keeping-chickens/