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Local families ask Fulton council to allow backyard hens on lots under 1 acre
Summary
Residents and schoolchildren asked the Fulton City Council to allow residents, including those with less than one acre, to keep backyard hens. Speakers cited fresh eggs, sustainability, education, and Missouri examples and state legislation.
A group of Fulton residents, including two homeschooling families, urged the Fulton City Council during public comment to allow backyard hens on properties smaller than one acre. The request came from Micah Sargent and other family members who said backyard chickens provide eggs, sustainability benefits and educational opportunities.
"Backyard chickens offer numerous benefits including providing fresh eggs, promoting sustainable living, and offering educational opportunities for families," Micah Sargent told the council. Sargent cited examples from other Missouri cities: Columbia permits up to six hens for noncommercial use with specific coop-placement rules, and Mexico, Missouri, recently revised its ordinance to allow backyard hens with a one-time $10 permit.
Sargent also referenced recent state legislation, which the speaker identified as House Bill 2062 and said went into effect in August 2024. According to the speaker, that law prohibits homeowners associations from banning backyard chickens on lots of at least 0.2 acres and allows up to six chickens; the speaker presented that as a rationale for local change.
Children who spoke at the meeting described hands-on learning from incubator projects and said they wanted hens for eggs and educational experiences. No formal council action on changing the city’s ordinance was taken at the meeting; the remarks were made during the visitors/public comment portion of the agenda.
Council members acknowledged receipt of an email from a resident (Lily Grant) and said they had been working on the topic since January. Council members encouraged public engagement and thanked the families and children for attending and speaking.
