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Muscatine’s Urban Chicken program turned down

MUSCATINE, Iowa —  At a meeting at city hall, the Muscatine City Council turned down an urban chicken pilot program for homeowners within city limits.  The resu...

MUSCATINE, Iowa —  At a meeting at city hall, the Muscatine City Council turned down an urban chicken pilot program for homeowners within city limits.  The result of the vote on Thursday, April 21 was 4-3.

The trend of urban chickens is growing in popularity across the country. From celebrities like Kate Hudson, who has a coop of her own, to residents throughout eastern Iowa. Iowa City, East Moline, Rock Island are just a few local cities that have urban chicken permits in place.

Hannah Howard is part owner of a farm just south of Muscatine, in Louisa County.  She has 24-chickens at her farm. Every day there are new eggs to collect from the chickens. Fresh water and chicken feed are always available for the chickens. About once every week new hay is placed in the coops and the waste is cleaned up, which Howard uses to help fertilize the lawn.

"I mean it's a little bit of work, but really, they're not too much work and I really enjoy having them around," said Howard. "Especially having farm fresh eggs, they don't need to be refrigerated; they can stay fresh for over two weeks."

Howard used to live in Ames, Iowa where urban chickens are also allowed. She knew several people who raised their own chickens.

"For the most part the people that I know that have chickens in city limits in other communities only have a  few chickens and they're not very loud because they're only females they don't do any of the calling that roosters will do."

Roosters are banned from Muscatine's urban chicken proposal. 25-permits would be passed out. Each permit would cost $25 and chickens would be required to wear a tag on their leg, which costs an additional $5. Minimum chicken coop space of 2-square feet per chicken would be mandated. Limit 4 chickens per household.

Muscatine Mayor, Diana Broderson says the only negative feedback she has received on the pilot program is that the 25-permit limit is too low.

"I mean what a wonderful family project, to be able to actually start from the beginning get little chicks build your coop and then engage in all the actives that are involved from there on out," said Mayor Broderson.

Muscatine is a certified blue zone community. The nutritional content of eggs have driven some of the push for the pilot program. However, Mayor Broderson said based on the feedback she has received from community members, healthy eating is just one element of the benefits to having urban chickens.

"One lady shared that her father is recovering from an extended illness and how therapeutic it would be," said Mayor Broderson. "Another woman contacted me earlier in the week and said her child has disabilities and this would be something that interested him."

In addition to co-owner her family farm, Hannah Howard primarily lives at a different residence in Muscatine. She thought the urban chicken pilot program was a good idea.

"I think that Muscatine should support it," said Howard. "I live in Muscatine and I have a farm here in Louisa county... I love having these chickens and if I were able to have them in Muscatine, I think that would be great."

Female chickens, hens, make soft clucking sounds, unlike their male counterpart, the rooster, which makes a distinct crowing noise.

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