Backyard chickens will be spreading their wings — this time in Maitland

It looks like chickens will be coming home to roost in Maitland soon.

The City Council voted Monday night to allow residents to keep chickens in backyard coops. It’s patterned after a successful pilot program in Orlando.

In Central Florida, the city of Apopka also allows the backyard birds.

Orange County looked to follow suit this summer, but commissioners balked at the last minute.

Tom Mele spoke on behalf of the chicken group. He grew up around the animals — his grandparents had a farm in what’s now a residential neighborhood on Orlando’s Mercy Drive.

“I did it because I believe people have a right to do it,” Mele said. “They’re not noisy. They’re not messy. The people that have them, name them. They treat them like pets.”

Residents opposed to the chickens presented a petition with 254 signatures, but the measure still passed unanimously. It allows for an 18-month trial period, during which 50 permits will be handed out to those interested in the birds.

Owners can have up to four hens ( roosters are banned) and will have to follow specifications on how and where the coops are built.

Dennis Mudge, a livestock expert for the University of Florida, was on hand to dispel misconceptions about chickens, such as that they attract vermin or spread disease.

The birds actually cut down on insects — by eating them — and are much cleaner than dogs, he said.

However, he added that it’s key for would-be chicken farmers to get training beforehand.

“People who want to get into this need to know what they’re getting into,” hesaid. The training includes learning howto pick the birds up, how and what to feed them and how to keep them safe from predators.

Backyard chickens have become popular in recent years as consumers have embraced organic and local foods. For many, the appeal is in knowing where their food comes from — and that the farm animals involved are being treated humanely.

Hundreds of cities allow so-called “urban chickens,” including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

In Maitland, the City Council will have the chance to further tweak the ordinance before voting on final approval Nov. 12. That’s where things went astray in Orange County in August. Commissioners backed the ordinance initially, but after hearing an anti- bird backlash, they eventually voted against it.

For now, it appears unlikely Maitland will follow Orange County’s lead.

“We’ve thoroughly examined the benefits and concerns about backyard chickens, and I feel confident we’ll move forward,” said Vice Mayor Linda Frosch.