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Council adopts ordinance allowing backyard hens with limits; roosters not grandfathered
Summary
Malden adopted a new ordinance adding section 6-14 to the animal control code permitting residents to keep live chickens under specified conditions. Council approved the measure on second reading after a brief debate about roosters, ducks and enforcement.
The Malden City Council voted to add section 6-14, allowing residents to keep live chickens under standards in the city’s animal-control ordinance.
On Aug. 18 the council adopted the ordinance on second reading after a motion to “adopt section 6-14, the keeping of live chickens to chapter 6, animals of the Malden code of ordinance as written and presented on second reading tonight.” The motion was made by Council Member Steinbach and seconded by Council Member Matney.
Council discussion focused on enforcement and specific livestock limits. One councilor asked whether existing roosters would be grandfathered; planning/animal-control staff replied that prior ownership of roosters would not be grandfathered in. The animal-control officer said loud, repetitive crowing would still fall under the ordinance’s nuisance-animal provisions and be subject to enforcement.
Council also discussed whether other small livestock (for example, ducks) should be included; the staff response was that the city planned to “ease into” allowing micro-livestock and could consider additional categories later.
With no recorded opposition at the second-reading vote, the mayor declared the motion carried.
The adopted ordinance adds a defined, regulated pathway for residents who wish to keep chickens, with the council and staff noting enforcement will reference existing nuisance-animal language for noise complaints and other violations.
