legalizing chickens mock letter

Dear West Vancouver Municipal Counsel,

It has come to my attention that residents of West Vancouver are not allowed to keep chickens and I urge this counsel to consider the legalization of backyard chickens in West Vancouver. I realize there are several objections that people may have with this law, however there are solutions for many of these issues and I believe the benefits out way the negatives.

First off, in areas that have already passed the bylaw for backyard hens, they have promoted food security, health food production and practice, sustainability, urban permaculture, education, community building, companionship, and supported the environment. There are many benefits of the actual eggs of the backyard chickens. The eggs from backyard hens are healthier and tastier. Unlike farmed chickens, backyard chickens are allowed a natural diet, hunting bugs with soil under them. They have 25% more vitamin E, and a third more vitamin A. Factory chickens get unnatural diets and the eggs we get from the stores are several days old if not more. However, the eggs from backyard hens are fresh daily, making the taste fresher and more flavorful. Chickens are also great for the environment. They are natural composters as they eat table scraps and their manure is great for adding to the garden soil. Chickens love to eat garden pests and weeds that we’d otherwise have to take care of. While looking for these snacks that they love, backyard chickens also aerate the soil in the process of scratching around. Chickens can also be great pets, with personalities of their own just like dogs and cats. Providing lessons on responsibilities and knowledge on where our foods come from. Those who own chickens within a community, share information, resources, supplies, and friendship from something they have in common. Overall backyard chickens get to live a more humane life while supplying the owners with healthy eggs, and reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions that come from transporting factory eggs.

Along with many benefits, there are some objections that must be addressed. The threat of bears is of course a worry. However, bears are not attracted to the raising of chickens themselves, but the chicken feed that is easily accessible. The feed is very high in protein and bears love it. To prevent bears from attacking chickens, the best defense is not to tempt them in the first place. Lock up chicken feed and make sure no garbage is lying around. It is also important to have a proper coop to prevent other animals such as raccoons, coyotes, hawks, owls, skunks, or dogs from attacking the chickens and disrupting the neighborhood peace. This is very easy to accomplish with the vast variety of coop designs and therefore is not a huge issues. Another issue that has been brought up is sanitation and noise. As long as the coop is raised and has the correct regulations such as in Vancouver’s bylaw, cleaning the coop is not a hard task and is the responsibility of the owner to take care of. Different varieties of chickens have different attitudes and make more or less noise. This along with the regulation that roosters are not allowed the noise issue would not be a problem.

Considering that many of the problems that have been raise in the debate for whether to legalize the bylaw for backyard chickens have a solution, I strongly urge you to allow backyard chickens for residents of West Vancouver. The positive effects that these animals will have on the community are great enough that any disadvantages could be dealt with. Thank you for your time.