Should Howard County Relax Rules on Raising Backyard Chickens?

An Elkridge woman wants more people to be able to raise chickens in their backyards in Howard County.

Do you think Howard County should ease the rules on raising backyard chickens? Tell us why or why not in comments.

Cathy Hudson, who runs the Chickens in Howard County Facebook page, also has filed a request with Howard County that she hopes will change the rules for chicken owners, making it less restrictive for them to have the birds in the backyard, according to the Baltimore Sun.

According to the report, Hudson lives on one-acre where she keeps chickens; she also has some on a nearby property that is 9 acres that she rents to a family.

New proposed county regulations would limit the number of hens to eight, ban roosters and “drop the land requirement from 40,000 to 10,000 square feet and the setback to 15 feet from all property lines,” the Sun reported.

It’s a discussion that has occurred across jurisdictions in Maryland. A group in Prince George’s county has pressed to ease rules for backyard chickens and Annapolis is also among those that have explored the issue.

See related links:

Annapolis Educates Citizens About Raising Chickens

Neighborhood Chicken Coops? A Prince George's County Group Says That Could Be a Good Thing

Annapolis Council Puts Off Vote on Chickens

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