With the price of eggs rising all over the city, we asked if Chicagoans should be allowed to raise chickens in their back yards. Here’s what you said, lightly edited for clarity:
“Yes, of course. … With the price of eggs soaring, it is a practical way to save money.”
—Edward M. Bury, Avondale
“There’s a time and place for everything. People who like this idea should go live on a farm.”
—Janet Hale
“I went to Belmont and Clark and I heard a rooster singing — it was beautiful! Maybe Chicagoans should be allowed to have a few chickens.”
—Rosane Muylaert
“No, it brings and feeds more rats no matter how good you think you clean.”
—George Hogan
“Yes, people should be allowed to have chickens. They are very quiet and easy to care for. We bought our first batch of chickens in 2014. Two chickens from the first six and one of the four from the second batch we bought in 2016 are still alive. We don’t get many eggs from them anymore but it’s still fun to sit outside and watch them hunt for bugs.”
—Tom Carter
“Right now, with bird flu concerns, no. No backyard poultry in densely populated areas.”
—Barbara Buchanan
“Why not?! My neighbor has a huge pig/hog as a pet. He’s kept in her back yard and at times in the front during the summer.”
—Melissa Missy Johnson
“Suburban Chicago and the city is no place for chickens. They can be noisy, smelly and they can carry disease — bird flu the latest. Most suburban communities do not allow farm animals in back yards.”
—Kaye Grabbe, Arlington Heights
“Yes. My neighbors have a few and they have caused zero problems.”
—Nick Esposito
“I see no reason to ban chickens in the city. Not much different from having a dog. As long as noise and mess are not issues, enjoy those fresh eggs!”
—Christine Bock, 64, Schaumburg
“My great-grandmother had a chicken coop in the backyard of her home (with two city lots) at 3328 W. 61st Place in the 1930s. She had a cow back there, too.”
—Christine Prairie