North Huntingdon close to resolving backyard chicken battle - TribLIVE

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North Huntingdon officials appear to be on the cusp of resolving a months-long disagreement on rules for governing the raising of backyard chickens, a dispute that at times has been emotional and acrimonious.

The township commissioners on Wednesday are scheduled to consider authorizing employees to draft an ordinance that would amend current rules so that people can raise chickens in residential neighborhoods, by obtaining a conditional use permit from North Huntingdon. The cost of the permit has yet to be determined, but commissioners last week said it would be less than the $750 fee initially proposed.

Commissioners Zachary Haigis, Brian Blasko, Ronald Zona and Jason Atwood indicated last week they would be in favor of requiring residents to get the permit to raise their chickens, but commissioners Virginia Stump, Eric Gass and Fran Bevan are opposed to the measure.

Haigis said at the commissioners’ meeting last week that the conditional use was a way to govern backyard chickens because the commissioners could not agree on an ordinance. Those who would go through the process to get a permit would be more committed to raising the poultry, he said.

Blasko, one of the strongest opponents to loosening rules governing the backyard chickens, said he could support the compromise.

The commissioners have discussed capping the size of the flock at six and not allowing roosters to be kept among the hens.

Stump said she believed that an ordinance regulating the raising of backyard chickens is superior to requiring people get a conditional use permit. Beevan and Gass said they agreed with Stump, who said the conditional use process would place more of a burden on the staff.

Two residents have been cited by the township for raising chickens on property of less than 10 acres, but the township has not prosecuted them because the debate over the rules has not been resolved.

Over the past several months, the commissioners have debated revising the existing ordinance requiring 10 acres for chickens in a residential neighborhood. They argued over whether it would be feasible to permit chickens on a three-acre parcel, a one-acre piece of property on land less than one-quarter acre. None of the proposals were supported by four of the seven commissioners, the slim majority needed to approve a change.

Some township commissioners have speculated that with the rules for keeping a chicken coop at least 20 feet from the property line and at least 40 feet from a neighbor’s house and regulations on the construction of the coop, there will be few people who will want to raise the chickens.

But, Emily Shoop, poultry agent for Penn State Extension’s Juniata County, said Tuesday that raising backyard chickens has exploded “especially with the pandemic.”

“Keeping backyard chickens is the fastest-growing animal-related hobbies in the United States,” said Shoop, one of only four poultry agents for Penn State Extension in the state.

Small chicks can cost between $4 and $15, while older birds can range in price from $5 to $50, Shoop said. Feed varies in price as well.

Shoop offered some advice to those considering buying any of the 200 different breeds of chickens — don’t go to a pet store and buy chickens and then do research on how to keep them. Investigate municipal rules first and conduct online research on how to raise chickens.

Some people want the chickens for the eggs they produce and others raise chickens for the meat, Shoop said, although the township expressly prohibits backyard slaughtering of the chickens.

With all of the investment an owner would make to build or buy a chicken coop and pay for feed, “you’re not going to produce any chicken eggs that are cheaper than at a grocery store,” Shoop said.

Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252, jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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