CHICKEN MANURE AT LOWE’S

In 2020, our council members voted to rescind the approved R-1 ordinance allowing backyard hens due to an anonymous lawsuit claiming environmental impacts. The lawsuit was a last-ditch effort to usurp the then current council members’ decision. It’s obvious hens are not an environmental threat. Common sense tells us that and so do the facts.

The noise level of hens is equal to a human’s conversation. Both are approximately 65 decibels. Dogs can be as loud as 100 decibels. Unlike dogs, hens are completely silent at night. Chicken manure is not harmful to our environment. It is such a good fertilizer that Bakersfield residents can and do purchase it at Lowe’s.

If hens are an environmental concern, why are so many California cities and our own Kern County allowing them in residential neighborhoods? Bakersfield’s own ordinance for Residential Suburban allows for unlimited chickens. Oftentimes this zone shares a neighborhood with R-1 homes such as the case with Quailwood. Grimmway Farms’ Edible Gardens with chickens are located on school campuses. The lawsuit was a desperate attempt to change a decision of our City Council. An act of “I didn’t get my way” and “poor sportsmanship.” Our City Council should not have rescinded the amended ordinance.

The diverse and ever-growing Backyard Hen Community is excited for the November elections. Ward 3 and 7 seats are up for reelection. If these sitting councilmen will not publicly support backyard hens, we will support candidates who do — with our votes.

— Michelle Harp, Bakersfield