Chickens in City Limits

Hens feast on table scraps on a farm in the country.  Fresh eggs are collected in the morning to be eaten during the week.  This eco-friendly system is exactly what some Fresno city residents want in their own backyards.

“A lot of people that want to get into backyard chickens, like myself, are looking for ways to control the way our food is raised; to know the food we feed our children is safe.  And we'll know it because we'll do it ourselves,” said Matt White, a Fresno resident.

White is a financial advisor and a recent backyard chicken proponent.

“A year ago, within a six month period we received two recall notices from one of the stores we shop at for our eggs because of salmonella poisoning,” said White.

The group C.C.L.U.C.K, which stands for Central California Local Urban Chicken Keepers, is trying to get the ordinance against chickens reversed.  They only want hens, not noisy roosters.  Hens can lay unfertilized eggs without roosters.

“Most of the people that are in our group want to be able to take care of themselves.  The chickens are just part of a larger system for them,” said Rachel Carpenter of C.C.L.U.C.K.

She warns people that they won't save money by raising their own eggs.  “By the time you do the chicken group and the run and the feed, all those things end up costing quite a bit of money,” said Carpenter.

But Fresno State poultry lecturer Michelle Ganci says there are serious risks involved.  “They get diseases quite easily.  So anytime you take livestock and infuse them in an urban setting, that's a concern,” she said.

But what about the neighbors?  That's what concerns City Councilman Clint Olivier.

“In a perfect world, it would be great if people were able to raise fresh eggs in their yards and not give their neighbors problems with odor or the sound of chickens clucking,” said Olivier.

White says it may not be for everyone, but he wants the option, instead of being forced to get eggs from the store.

“You kind of have to be into it to know what you're doing here, at the same time, it's not something any 10-year-old kid couldn't figure out either,” said White.

If Fresno reverses it's ordinance, it would join a growing list.  Last year Sacramento started allowing backyard chickens, with several stipulations.