Chickens in Bremerton, is that foul?

Citizens met tonight at Cora's Diner & Nik Nak Paddywack, 602 4th Street, to get information on two topics, the proposal of a $30 car tab fee...and chickens. No joke. And to the folks who showed up, it is very serious.

Did you know it was illegal to have and keep chickens within city limits for more than 24 hours (for transport)?

Do you think to yourself, "Duh. No chickens in the city. What are we, rednecks?"

Did you know it is LEGAL to own chickens in Seattle?

A group of thirty-or-so men and women spoke with Bremerton City Councilman Roy Runyan about the possibility of letting the people vote to change this law.

The crowd was vacant of any nay-sayers so when Runyon asked them to help him make a list of pros and cons, the pros side filled quickly while the flock struggled to come up with many cons.

Why should they not have chickens? People in my neighborhood have dogs. I hear them barking. I see the gifts they leave in my yard for me (dirty mongrels). Could chickens be any worse?

As long as they are just hens and there will be no "cock-a-doodle-dooing" at 4:30 a.m., why should I care. Not that it is any different than the male cats going at it out behind the house some nights.

If those who choose to have chickens use proper methods, there would be no smell and apparently chicken poop is great fertilizer. Someone with hens would likely have a garden and will certainly have the wherewithal to have their own compost pile to create fertilizer for their garden. And if done properly, I would not even notice what they were doing.

And then there are eggs. None of my current neighbors have shared with me eggs which were laid by their dogs. I love eggs. I also love fresh vegetables which could be fertilized by the dung of the animal that gave those eggs to my neighbor to give to me.

Sustainability is important to our future. I don't think anyone is arguing with that. So if a person in the city can create food on their property without disrupting my life, why should I care?

What are the cons to this?