Credit: Ingrid Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance held a discussion earlier this year at the Anderson Library located on the campus of the George School in Middletown about raising chickens at home.
A panel of experts discussed various topics about care, feeding, and housing. Audience members gained insight about raising those cute little chicks into mature birds.
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Backyard chicken raisers have many options to choose from for housing such as a chicken tractor, which is portable, in addition to many other different coop structures. Be aware of the risks of free ranging birds, they are targets for predators that live within our environment.
Some chicken facts you may not be aware of:
- Brown eggs result from a more hardy breed of chicken, such as the Rhode Island Red
- Contrary to popular belief, there is no difference in nutritional value between a brown egg and white egg as long as it is farm raised
- Farm fresh eggs have ⅓ less cholesterol in them
- You do not need a rooster for eggs – only if you want them to hatch
Locally, some towns allow for chickens, but not all local municipalities.
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Bristol Borough allows residents to keep chickens if they follow a set of guidelines listed in the borough code. Below is the passage from the code:
2-503. Keeping of Animals Regulated.
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It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any domestic animals, except household pets, except as provided in this Section:
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Small animals shall be kept confined in quarters no part of which shall be closer than 25 feet from the exterior limits of any dwelling or of any property line.
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The keeper of every such animal shall confine the same in an enclosure sufficient to prevent such animal from running at large,
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and such enclosure shall be of a size and construction conducive to the animal’s health, and adequate sanitary drainage facilities shall be provided.
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Every keeper of any animal shall cause the litter and droppings therefrom to be collected daily in a container or receptacle that when closed shall be rat-proof and fly-tight, and after every such collection shall cause such container or receptacle to be kept closed. At least twice a week, every such keeper shall cause all litter and droppings so collected to be disposed of in such manner as not to permit the presence of fly larvae.
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Every keeper of any animal shall cause all feed provided therefor to be stored and kept in a rat-proof and fly-tight building, box, container, or receptacle.
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A clerk in Bristol Township’s Zoning and Building Inspections office said no farm animals are permitted at residences.
“The raising, boarding and/or husbandry of farm animals is prohibited in residential zoning districts in Falls Township,” Zoning Officer Thomas Bennett said.
“Our zoning code allows livestock and poultry in the RA-1, RA-2 and RA-3 Residence Agricultural zones subject to having a minimum lot area of 10 acres and livestock & poultry shall be limited to 5 per acre,” Middletown Director of Zoning Pat Duffy said.
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From personal experience, I can say chicken raising is a great hobby especially seeing those tiny little chicks grow into beautiful birds and produce delicious, natural eggs with yolks you won’t see in any commercial dozen.
