Posted on Jun 24, 2023
Should Belleville residents be allowed to keep chickens in their backyard?
527
6
4
2
2
0
Ten-year-old Sully Coburn wishes Belleville residents could keep chickens in their backyards so they can have fresh eggs without having to spend money at the grocery store.
And Sully’s mom, Megan McCarron, wants to carry on the family tradition established by her great-grandfather who founded a poultry association in St. Clair County.
“It’s in my family history,” McCarron said. “I’d really like to be able to have chickens.
“I think everybody is interested in having fresh eggs, and I think it’s important to know where your food comes from.”
Sully and McCarron are part of a group of Belleville residents who have been attending City Council committee meetings this year in an effort to convince city officials to approve an ordinance that would allow families to have chickens in their backyards. In February, they formed a Facebook group called “Belleville, IL Backyard Chickens” and it has over 440 supporters.
And Sully’s mom, Megan McCarron, wants to carry on the family tradition established by her great-grandfather who founded a poultry association in St. Clair County.
“It’s in my family history,” McCarron said. “I’d really like to be able to have chickens.
“I think everybody is interested in having fresh eggs, and I think it’s important to know where your food comes from.”
Sully and McCarron are part of a group of Belleville residents who have been attending City Council committee meetings this year in an effort to convince city officials to approve an ordinance that would allow families to have chickens in their backyards. In February, they formed a Facebook group called “Belleville, IL Backyard Chickens” and it has over 440 supporters.
Should Belleville residents be allowed to keep chickens in their backyard?
Posted from news.stlpublicradio.orgPosted in these groups: 
Belleville
Belleville
Edited 10 mo ago
Posted 10 mo ago
Responses: 2
2
2
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Metro-east cities have allowed backyard chickens
Baker said he can’t think of any reason why people would oppose backyard chickens other than they just don’t want change.
“I just think it’s the right thing to do, especially given so many communities around us have already legalized it,” he said.
Swansea approved an ordinance for backyard chickens in 2016. Chickens also are allowed in Collinsville, Edwardsville and Shiloh.
In Madison County, residents can seek permission from the zoning board to keep chickens in neighborhoods. In St. Clair County and O’Fallon, chickens are not allowed in residential neighborhoods but they are allowed in rural residential and agricultural areas.
Louis Holm, a Belleville resident whose parents raise chickens in the Millstadt area, said he would like to keep chickens in his backyard to have a “bit of self-sufficiency.”
He said it was “shocking” to see the price of eggs skyrocket last winter, although the prices have been dropping since January, according to a June 16 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The average price for a dozen eggs was $4.82 in January but was down to $2.67 in May, according to statistics collected by the federal government.
Drew Tufto, a self-employed Belleville carpenter, said he wants kids to learn firsthand about where eggs come from instead of seeing things on social media.
“We’re trying to bring back something my grandma and grandpa did,” he said. “It’s from the heart, you know.”
Along with the desire to collect fresh eggs in her backyard chicken coop, McCarron said she also would like to enjoy the companionship and interaction with the chickens.
“They apparently have pretty fun personalities,” she said."
..."Metro-east cities have allowed backyard chickens
Baker said he can’t think of any reason why people would oppose backyard chickens other than they just don’t want change.
“I just think it’s the right thing to do, especially given so many communities around us have already legalized it,” he said.
Swansea approved an ordinance for backyard chickens in 2016. Chickens also are allowed in Collinsville, Edwardsville and Shiloh.
In Madison County, residents can seek permission from the zoning board to keep chickens in neighborhoods. In St. Clair County and O’Fallon, chickens are not allowed in residential neighborhoods but they are allowed in rural residential and agricultural areas.
Louis Holm, a Belleville resident whose parents raise chickens in the Millstadt area, said he would like to keep chickens in his backyard to have a “bit of self-sufficiency.”
He said it was “shocking” to see the price of eggs skyrocket last winter, although the prices have been dropping since January, according to a June 16 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The average price for a dozen eggs was $4.82 in January but was down to $2.67 in May, according to statistics collected by the federal government.
Drew Tufto, a self-employed Belleville carpenter, said he wants kids to learn firsthand about where eggs come from instead of seeing things on social media.
“We’re trying to bring back something my grandma and grandpa did,” he said. “It’s from the heart, you know.”
Along with the desire to collect fresh eggs in her backyard chicken coop, McCarron said she also would like to enjoy the companionship and interaction with the chickens.
“They apparently have pretty fun personalities,” she said."
(2)
(0)
1
1
0
2 homes in my neighborhood had them a few years go. Cock a diddle doo all day long. They must of got tired of the racket and got rid of them.
(1)
(0)
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SPC Joseph Kopac I did a tour at NSGD Sugar Grove, WV. Lived in Brandywine. Neighbor behind had a Rooster "Reddy" Yeah He made a Bit of Noise but I'd Just let My Toddler Son, Chris Out and He Chase Reddy All over the Place, My Revenge! Also Neighbor down the Street Had a Hen House and That is where I Got My Eggs From.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google