Grundy County residents and committee members debated July 23 whether to change the county ordinance that now limits backyard hens to residential parcels of at least one‑half acre.
Heidi Miller, a Land Use Department staff member, told the committee the county ordinance that took effect in 2020 allows up to five hens on a half‑acre residential lot, prohibits roosters and requires coops and sanitary conditions. She said complaints had been filed about hens on smaller lots in Bradley Subdivision, where lots are roughly one‑third of an acre, and that staff had received support and opposition signatures from neighborhood residents.
Carol Zima, a Bradley resident, described repeated incidents she said involved neighboring chickens entering her yard and her attempts to photograph and document trespassing, noise and garden damage. "My feeling is that chickens belong on a farm, not in a residential area," Zima said, and asked the committee to keep Bradley Subdivision free of chickens.
Other residents spoke in support of relaxing the rule. Robert Griffin, who identified himself as a Bradley resident with chickens, said he had reviewed multiple municipal codes in the region and asked the committee to avoid "arbitrary or restrictive" language. "I think there's some language and some things I heard in there. There are a variety of ways that you can go about managing your chickens professionally and, you know, from a homeowner standpoint," Griffin said.
A resident who identified herself as a microbiologist cited disease risks and statistics she said came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and asked that the county enforce the current ordinance before considering expansion. "Please do not change the ordinance until the ordinance is followed," she said.
Jessica Allen, who organized signatures, said more than half of the neighborhood signed a sheet showing approval for keeping chickens under certain rules; she and others said responsible ownership and containment were important. Blake Wheeler, another resident, urged responsible care and said chickens help control insects in yards.
Heidi Miller told the committee the department enforces the ordinance reactively — by complaint — and typically pursues rehoming timelines before referring persistent violations to the state's attorney. Miller cited other municipalities’ approaches: for example, Diamond allows eight hens with a six‑foot privacy fence and a registration process. Miller recommended staff research potential text amendments and return with options.
Committee members agreed to direct staff to research ordinance changes and potential enforcement or registration programs, with a view to returning to the committee for further discussion. No formal ordinance change or vote was taken.
Heidi also noted the department’s workload limits proactive inspections and that some subdivisions with third‑acre lots already have residents keeping hens without complaints. The committee scheduled follow‑up research and discussion for a subsequent meeting.