Backyard chickens? Toronto thinking it over

[Automation Gallery]

New York and Chicago already have it — now Toronto is considering joining those cities and allowing residents to raise chickens in their backyards.

Toronto's park and environment committee is considering a pilot project that would permit people to keep the poultry on their property.

Ian Aley, with the non-profit group FoodShare, says it has plans to rent half an acre at Downsview Park in north Toronto where it will grow vegetables, keep bees and raise chickens.

"Chickens lay eggs all the time, so if you're feeding a family of six you would have a source of eggs that were fresh, healthy and right on your doorstep," he said.

Aley said most cities don't allow growing chickens for their meat — just for eggs.

Any pilot would also have to have strict rules about where and how the chickens are kept, especially given the number of raccoons always on the prowl in Toronto.

Coun. Paula Fletcher, who chairs the parks and environment committee, says local food production and urban farming are priorities. But, she says, there are all kinds of issues surrounding chickens.

"We are looking at criteria, looking at where we could do a pilot, so there will be no egg production in local backyards, just yet," said Fletcher.

FoodShare is offering to conduct the pilot project for the city — but only with chickens, no roosters. Neighbours would be allowed to keep sleeping without the annoying, early morning, cock-a-doodle-doo.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/06/16/toronto-chickens.html

 

[Archivist]

Aley said most cities don't allow growing chickens for their meat — just for eggs. But I suppose if one happened to meet its end unexpectedly and suddenly by some chance - you could eat it.

 

[OttoSchloss]

As anyone who has ever lived in the west end knows, having neighbors that keep foul/game in the yard is hardly anything new.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Something for the coyotes out along Neville Park Blvd. and Humber Bay to feed on.

Wonder if Sam the sheepdog will be needed.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Neighbours would be allowed to keep sleeping without the annoying, early morning, cock-a-doodle-doo.

I'm not averse to being roused each morning by said creature - with or without a doodle-doo.

 

[Therion]

Without a rooster to keep the neighbourhood up, chickens are really a great way to eat local. If you have a backyard, you will get a lawn that is grub-free, and delicious, free-range eggs.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

Aley said most cities don't allow growing chickens for their meat — just for eggs. But I suppose if one happened to meet its end unexpectedly and suddenly by some chance - you could eat it.

nope. you gotta put it in the green bin.

 

[W. K. Lis]

nope. you gotta put it in the green bin.

The young chickens (ie. roosters) are good for the meat, while the older chickens (ie. hens) are good for broth.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

The young chickens (ie. roosters) are good for the meat, while the older chickens (ie. hens) are good for broth.

is that why they call them brothels? 'cause of all the hens inside?

 

[Automation Gallery]

I can see this whole chicken thing getting out of control in this city, there are different ethnic cultures that will be raising dozens of these hens at one time for food. They will also most liklely raise them in inappropriate locations.

 

[wyliepoon]

While riding in a car on Steeles Avenue East between Midland and Brimley once, I spotted a stray chicken standing on the curb on the Scarborough side. I've seen stray cats, raccoons, even groundhogs, but never a live chicken on a city street (at least outside of Asia).

 

[adma]

Of course, sparring with the wrong person can lay waste to the whole city

 

[andomano]

If New York and Chicago jumped off a bridge, would we do it too?

 

[AKS]

If New York and Chicago jumped off a bridge, would we do it too?

Of course, it would be the "in" thing to do.

Joking aside though, the big cities wouldn't be doing something if there were no positive effects to it. However, I wonder if they've considered issues with avian flu. It will be hard to control if they spread and many people kept chickens around. In HK, some kept them as pets but the government insisted killing all the chickens to prevent avian flu from spreading. If many households keep chickens, we might be in that situation too. With citizen's rights in Canada, would the owners sue?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Come to think of it, people keep pigeons and we do eat pigeons for food.