I thought that my opinion might be of interest to other St. Albert residents.
I am jealous of our neighbours in Edmonton who as we speak have a pilot program for backyard chickens. I wonder why backyard chicken rearing is such a big issue in St. Albert that there is a law against it. There are some who say that ‘farm animals’ are not allowed in the city, however there are plenty of cities that do allow homeowners to have a small flock of chickens to produce eggs; for example, Fort Saskatchewan, Red Deer and Vancouver.
Chickens are fun, friendly pets with an educational value for children; they teach children (and adults) where eggs come from. They provide gardeners with high-quality fertilizer. Chickens are not noisy, especially if you don’t have a rooster. Chickens cluck softly all day long and go to bed at dusk. A flock of four to five chickens produce just as much waste as a dog, and their coop won’t smell if it is kept clean. Also, chickens are trendy; it would be foolish to underestimate the growing popularity of the urban homesteading movement.
Allowing chickens within St. Albert would be that much more good press for St. Albert. I would love to see a pilot program for backyard chickens started in 2015.
Danielle Kiesman, St. Albert
