Thanks Dan....To learn more about raising chickens please visit my website:

Legalizing Chicken Hens In Wayne NJ
http://www.woodlotfarms.com/Legalize_Chicken_Hens.html
Raising Backyard Chicken Hens:
http://www.woodlotfarms.com/Raising_Chicken_Hens.html

Thanks

Regarding the poll.
Remember we all live next to homes with dogs.
An estimated 4.7 million dog bites occur in the US each year. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States seeks medical attention for a dog bite. Most of the victims are children, and most of them are bitten on the face. Between 1982 and 2006 dogs were responsible for 2209 Attacks, 264 Deaths, and 1323 Mameings.

Now I love Dogs....but chickens are not the problem.

Chickens should have the same rights as rabbits.

Hey Victor! Good luck with this. You may need a sound expert regarding your conclusion that the hens only rateat 60 db. Wind turbines typically have had sound evaluations performed by mfrs - I'm guessing the hen mfr hasn't done one....

Good luck Victor. There's a house on Alps that raises rabbits for many, many years. I guess the neighbors make all the difference. Right Rob?

A 40-pound dog generates more solid waste than 10 chickens. To be more specific, one 40-pound dog generates .75 pounds of poop every day.

5 40-pound dogs generate 3.75 pounds of poop every day. (= to owning 56 hens)
5 2-pound chickens generate .33 pounds per day.

Dogs are recorded as high 110 decibels. Power tools 110 decibels
Hens are recorded about 60 decibels. Normal human conversation.

Domestic Pigeons
Currently In Wayne NJ any resident regardless of the size of your yard can own, breed, sell, and release pigeons. Wayne residents can own as many pigeons as they want with no limits. 1,000 or 2,000 No Limit. The current Wayne pigeon law allows residents to have pigeon coops as large as 1,200 square feet. This is the average square footage of most homes in Passaic County.

Owning pigeons does not have any health or sustainability benefits to the local community. The fact is in the USA pigeons and winter starlings carry more diseases than any other bird on the east coast. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Pigeon

The contradiction is that in Wayne NJ it's ILLEGAL to own chicken hens, But It's LEGAL to own and raise 1,000 or 2,000 domestic pigeons in your yard with a coop no larger than 1,200 square foot.

Some of my neighbors already have chickens. Other's harbor illegal's living in their basement. All things considered, I think it's a well-balanced neighborhood. Now if the chickens have to get a license, from let's say North Carolina, I guess it would make sense.
If they passed a law requiring no more than 2 chickens or 2 illegals per household, or 1 chicken and 1 illegal per household, I think that would be fair and balanced.

Some local NJ towns where chicken hens are LEGAL to own.
Montclair - Ridgewood - Franklin Lakes - Totowa - Oakland - Mahwah - Wyckoff
West Milford - Kinnelon - Red Bank - Manalapan - Jersey City - Newark - Nutley

In New York City, NY, (brooklyn) chickens are considered pets under the Health Code. Unlimited number of hens are allowed.

@ Joe, I can't stop laughing.

@ Rob, I love your comment. Can I get hired also?

@ Victor, I hope you win your case. You seem to be a good person.

Victor: Have you considered whether the Town is just concerned for the safety of the chickens? If you withdraw your proposal for the wind turbine, you may allay their concerns that the chickens won't magically fly into the turbine to their gruesome death. This really may just be an animal rights & safety issue and nothing more. Just a thought...

There are no safety issues in raising chicken hens. Raising hens is all positive.

I wholly support Mr. Alfieri’s efforts. Chickens are not noisy unless you own a rooster, which is not necessary for egg production. Chickens also contribute to keeping insect and pest populations down in your own yard, which in turn means less need for chemical insecticide. The world is changing, people. You might think about changing with it. Chickens and dogs are not the big noisemakers in Wayne. I’d rather hear animal noises than traffic and landscaping machines.

I remember a few years back when someone let loose around 30 Guinea Fowl (hens) into our neighborhood. They where not a problem to anyone, and to our surprise we no longer had ticks. No ticks no Lyme disease. Rob I think you are on to something.

I think this is wonderful. I can't wait to own chickens myself! I'd rather know where my food comes from. I can't believe people are actually worried about the noise a chicken makes. That is so ridiculous. You realize it is just a chicken, right? Thank you Mr. Alfieri for fighting this fight for all the residents of Wayne. What a positive act of sustainability. Good luck to you!

@ Pandi…I agree with Victor. You can’t expect everyone to be like you. Maybe he thinks the way you live is wrong? Neighbors don’t all think or act the same way. In order to co-exist, you need to learn to accept your differences.

It sounds to me like Victor is embracing and enjoying his property and if you don’t like it maybe you should be the one to move!

Victor, When my kids where growing up in Wayne there was a small ranch on Black Oak Ridge road. They raised chicken,rabbits and goats. No one seemed to care. That's going back about 30 years though. My kids use to go help milk the goats and got to bring some home for helping. When our friend moved my kids had a hard time adjusting to store bought milk. I think a lot has to do with what you are exposed to as a child. More kids need to be exposed to small backyard farms. I think it is good for them. Canning ones food and being a bit self-reliant is lost in today's world. Good luck

I am all for the chicken ordinance with reasonable limits (no rooster and limited number). I am surrounded by dogs on all three sides and my neighbors all use chemicals on their grass. I also like to grow vegetables and herbs. I would love to keep chickens as well. I find the barking and chemicals very annoying, but there is nothing I can do about it. I would hope my neighbors would grant me the same courtesy if I choose to raise chickens for their fresh eggs. Hey, I'll even share.
You all need to contact your local councilperson and let them know how you feel if you want this passed. You can show up at the next meeting too (Feb. 15th @ 8:00 pm). I probably will.
Side note: This thread has definitely been one of the most entertaining in a while.

Proposed Town Ordinance Change Wayne Township New Jersey

For properties 10,000 square feet or greater but less than 2 acres. The keeping of no more than 5 chicken hens, provided that the following criteria are met:

(a) there shall be 4 square feet of coop area per chicken hen;
(b) coops shall be no closer than 5 feet to the rear property line;
(c) coops shall be no closer than 5 feet to the side property line;
(d) coops shall be located in a rear yard or a side yard; coops are not permitted in a front yard;
(e) there shall be provided a minimum 100 square feet of run area;
(f) runs shall be located in a rear yard or a side yard; runs are not permitted in a front yard;
(g) roosters shall not be permitted;
(h) there shall be no breeding;
(i) there shall be no slaughtering
(j) $25.00 Fee to raise backyard hens

and the town health department can show up at any time to inspect the chickens and the coop. The health department main concern is going to be the well being of the hens. Making sure the hens are being raised in a healthy manner. If you are breaking the law and have more than 5 hens you will be fined and could loose your right to own hens.

Then make it 10 feet. The same as a backyard shed

Chicken Laws are different in every town. Example: Totawa you can have 10 hens, Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes unlimited amount. But they are all pretty standard. In my research I found Montclair to be the most forward thinking town in out area. Their mayor passed a law to allow residents to sell their fresh organic eggs to local restaurants.

In Wayne you can own and raise 1,000 - 2,000 pigeons, there is no limit. Owning pigeons does not have any health or sustainability benefits to the local community. The fact is in the USA pigeons and winter starlings carry more diseases than any other bird on the east coast.

In Wayne NJ I can own 5 pit bulls, raise, breed, sell, and slaughter as many rabbits as I want, have a 1,200 square foot pigeon coop with 1,000 pigeons, but I can't do the one thing that actually helps my family. Hens puts food on my table, makes me healthier, saves my family money, lowers my carbon footprint, and creates a tremendous sense of food security.

Eggs from backyard chickens have 25 percent more vitamin E, 35 percent more vitamin A and 75 percent more beta-carotene. They also have significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and lower levels of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, than factory farmed eggs.

Factory farmed chickens live their lives without ever touching the soil or being allowed to hunt and peck for bugs. They are fed an unnatural and unvaried diet. Really, who knows what they are fed? These environmental conditions are designed to produce eggs quickly and cheaply in the factory farm. As a result, the eggs are less nutritious than eggs produced by chickens allowed to exercise, peck for bugs, and engage in their natural chicken behavior.

Eggs from backyard chickens are tastier, have firmer whites, and bright orange yolks. (That’s the beta-carotene). But the real difference is in the taste. Backyard chicken eggs have a more robust taste that is difficult to describe. Simply said they just taste fantastic.

Eggs purchased in the grocery store can be up to 60 days old. As these eggs age, air seeps into the naturally porous eggshell, degrading not just the nutrition, but also the taste and affecting the consistency of the egg.

USDA considers eggs fresh 45 days after they are packed. USDA says eggs should be consumed within three to five weeks after you buy them. Following this policy, you could be eating eggs 9 to 11 weeks (77 days old) after they were laid.

Belleville – permits chickens; the coop must not be less than 30 feet from a human occupied building and the chickens can not run at large
Cedar Grove – permits chickens; has no specific ordinance.
Essex Fells – permits chickens; no specific ordinance.
Glen Ridge – permits chickens; has no specific ordinance.
Livingston – permits chickens; no specific ordinance, other than the chickens can not run at large
Millburn – permits chickens – has no specific ordinance other than the chickens can not run at large
Montclair – permits chickens – license is issued by the Health Department for $5; no structure is permitted within 50 feet of doors or windows. Plans for coops must be sent to Building Department; coops must be kept sanitary; chickens are not permitted to fly; no more than 25 fowl

Newark – permits chickens – permit issued by health department for $10; may not keep in multi-family housing or in any dwelling house or part thereof; coops or houses are required; no running at large; must be floored w/cement or other watertight flooring; coop must be thoroughly clean at all times, no part of coop may be less than 20 ft. from doors or windows of any human occupancy; roosters not permitted.
Nutley – permits chickens; no specific ordinance.
Roseland – permits chickens; permit is $100; no more than 3 animals within 100 feet of residential building or closer than 50 feet from property line without permit from Board of Health; no roosters permitted where houses are closer than 200 feet apart
Verona – permits chickens; the coop must not be less than 30 feet from doors and windows and the chickens can not run at large
West Caldwell – permits chickens; if there are more than 4 chickens, $10 permit is required; less than 4 chickens, no permit is required; maximum of 6 chickens; no animals in the house; must be kept in an enclosure, no closer than 50 feet from a door or window and 10 feet from property line.
West Orange – permits chickens; must be no closer than 50 feet from building and property lines, must be kept sanitary, and no more than 3 fowl per acre.

I will pay you money to go to a council meeting and talk about Newark's chicken ordinance. I will also predict the response, including who will offer it up, their tone of voice and the duration of their rant.

@Rob, I will do it, How much are you paying ?

Don't understand the big deal, we have Turkeys all over town, why not chickens. No seriously real Wild Turkeys, not the two legged ones ;)

@Victor and everyone else who is supporting him: In my humblest opinion, it appears that what was once a very wholesome and wonderful community has become a haven for the faux-bourgeoisie-nouveau-riche, as evidenced by the results of the "appointees" who are on the BOE and Council. Through this trickle-down sense of superiority, the squeaky wheels have caused the Township of Wayne to be run like either a condo association or a "Smoke Rise" type community with all the rules and regulations that come with that type of "life choice". Unfortunately for the independent, solitary, environmentally minded individuals such as Mr. Burke and now, Mr. Alfieri; the people of this township will do anything to make you conform to their way of thinking. I often equate it to an episode from the Twilight Zone, where everyone was forced to pick from certain body types otherwise, it would be done to them against their will. Yes, I will say it again, the Founding Fathers of this country would role over in their graves if they could see the stifling of the independent thinker and the call to cast stones against this person.

It appears that as it is politically incorrect to voice opinions on certain categories, the attention has become focused on the person who is different. Heck, this township just discovered a body who was dead for over a year and instead of outrage, the victim became the culprit as he was identified as a recluse. Excuse me; but a recluse does not go to eateries on a regular basis.
Victor, keep it going...I detest the pesticides that are full of hormones and whatever else that people are putting on their precious lawns.

Rob, I saw the Judge Feinberg decision, she is retiring and she is in slash and burn mode, her analysis makes no sense whatsoever. She was playing politics in my estimation and furthermore as Assignment Judge she gets to pick off that which she wants to insert herself into, even if it is bald politics. These cases should be rotated randomly with out the AJ method. So I do not think that is going anywhere, not that I want to ruffle your feathers.

What I was wondering about was the take of the forumites on the man dead in his house for a year. I was not buying the Township Explanation. they sent people over to cut the law and nobody checked.
Was there a housing violation and if so did the inspector actually get out of her car and walk up the driveway and knock on the door or did she do another one of her driveby inspections. Made no sense at all.

Also has the flood gate report been issued as promised in the first week of February.

I hope the chickens come home to roost, could cut down on my grocery bill.

@Scondo, Perhaps Dan can write the story on Patch. Then you will get all the opinions.

Visit Local Wayne Website To Learn More About Raising Hens.

http://www.woodlotfarms.com/Legalize_Chicken_Hens.html

Start doing the research and find a spot.
April to the first week in August is the time to get started.

I do offer a local service helping people get started.
http://www.woodlotfarms.com/Chicken_Coops.html

Let the guy have his chickens for clucking out loud!! Many of our grandparents (those with the knowhow) raised them for food years ago. What was the harm? If the price of oil and gas keeps going up, we'll all be planting crops in our front yards. At least I will - that's where I get the most sun! One of the worst intrusions to our peace and quiet is the loud, obnoxious noise from landscapers almost every morning of the week, spring through fall. Enough! I'd rather hear chickens along with the rest of the birds. Mr. Alfieri's neighbor sounds like a real snob. God forbid! Vegetables in front of the house! Wayne traditionally was home to some of the best farmland in the country, and no one ever complained about having to see vegetables grow. It seems it was a nicer place when people appreciated the natural beauty of the land, without paving over everything. I think Pandie should move to a city along with one of my recent neighbors, who moved in and removed every tree on his property. Idiot! Those who want a cityscape should get out of "town."

Sydney, By what rights does an inspector have a say in what you do with your trees. You have been cowed. It is not their business. It is your property, so you substitute your judgment as to what you want to do and can do with your property for that of some inspector in Town Hall. You have got to be kidding. You think that the inspector has any greater degree of skill than you. Witness the recent situation with the Dead Man, they inspect and send a crew over to cut his grass and no one has the good sense to knock on the door or follow up. Cmon, you want these people in charge of your property decisions. And what business is it of yours that a neighbor cuts down his trees. Learn to mind your own business.

@Scondo, I agree with you wholeheartedly. As far as the trees go, I have known of an unfortunate experience of a stop work order for cutting down a tree without the proper permit. Yes, people should mind their own business. Apparently, the complainers are the ones who get action, especially against hard-working neighbors. There is a list of people who are constantly targeted for every infraction. Yet others never get a hassle. It all depends on the neighbors and whether or not you know how to butter them up. I have always said that until someone walks in my shoes, they need to mind their own business. This is a fact of life for those who live in this now "cursed" town.It is sad. The town used to be very blessed.

@Scondo, the Dead Man is a World War II Veteran. The VA should have been contacted. The town knows he was a veteran because veterans receive a $250.00 deduction off their property taxes. The veteran provides their DD214 as proof of honorable discharge and the town thereafter charges the veterans $250.00 less. The same applies for seniors and disabled. However, only ONE deduction can apply per property. Whoever the inspector was in this case, there was absolutely no compassion shown, no homework done, nothing. I am certain Father Dan would be very proud of this inspector (I am being sarcastic).

@Justice, It did not make sense and it can easily be rectified. I have had elderly neighbors over the years and we always made it a point to see that the lights went on and off, the paper was picked up, the mail was taken in, and I could do that from my driveway without being intrusive, all it took was being observant.

@Rob, I did not see the actual decision, I saw the article in Star Ledger on Line version.

One thing tilting this away from the official version is the idea that the Wayne Energy Corp, may have included insiders to the campaigns of politicians and I wonder if it was set up for a patronage reason. I am not saying it way, but the recent article caused me to wonder about it.

Judge Feinberg went to war with Christie, so you know that she would wage war on his minions.

Victor,

I was happy to read your story today. I am currently trying to do the same thing here in New Milford, NJ. You can check out my blog on the New Milford Patch website or my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/New.Milford.Sustainability

Good luck,
Jeff

Jeff I can help you. If you need help......call me.
http://www.woodlotfarms.com/Legalize_Chicken_Hens.html

Does anyone have a good Chicken Parm recipe ?

Positanos

@ Sincerely Disturbed...Yes you are sincerely disturbed. From what I understand she has a 50 lb dog who produces way more waste than 3 hens. Also, is more dangerous than a hen. And who says there are any problems? You? This is not a problem. This is a positive thing. Hens offer many health benefits and sustainability. Keep eating those anti-biotic, steroid pumped, stale old supermarket eggs. Knock yourself out! I am all for Alfieri and this amazing fight to help all Wayne residents eat fresh, healthy and organic. Keep fighting!

That's right! Chicken waste is full of nitrogen so you can make compost which equals no waste and cats use a liter box.

I'm all for chickens if they are managed responsibly, Licensing and inspection can easily address those concerns. The only health risk I've read about is salmonella -- which is the same risk as keeping turtles or lizards as pets. Wash your hands, don't clean coop related materials in your kitchen sink, don't let the chickens run around inside your house. Use some basic common sense and you'll be fine. And don't forget, if your neighbor has a chicken and you don't interact with said chicken, you CANNOT get salmonella from it.

sincerely disturbed
I have read some funny ridiculous things regarding the chicken hen issue but this following statement has to be one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard.

“And how do you know in 20 years from now that people won't get sick from this chicken manure?"

There are more chickens in this country then there are people on the entire planet. Chickens have been around since 2500 BC. There are chicken farms 50 miles from here that raise 200,000 chickens in one warehouse.

Who ever you are I suggest you stop worrying about what I’m doing and go pick up a book, it's a rectangle thing with words in it, the library is free. Stop focusing on me and go learn something.

Mr. Alfieri, I am suprised that someone with your knowledge would attack someone with such sarcasm. Remember, you are the one that is causing this argument in the first place. Everyone who is supporting you is merely your follower - you are the "town leader" of this cause. We all have the right to state an opinion or a concern, without having to deal with you basically saying that we are uneducated.
Laws were created for a reason, and I think that they should stay in place. I have been in your neighborhood, and heard your fowl - I would not want to live next to that - but that is my OPINION, and I have every right to speak it.
As far as the animal control division having the right to inspect your property whenever they want - if the ordinance does get changed, I do not think that we have enough animal control officers in Wayne to be able to handle that. I had an issue in my neighborhood with a vicious dog, and it took 10 calls to animal control before anyone had the time to go and address the issue. So that is something that needs to be considered before the changing of the ordinance.
If you are going to debate about an issue, do it with dignity - not sarcasm. We are all adults here, correct?

I find the dedication to the chicken issue odd on Mr. Alfieri's part. Seems like a really strange thing to crusade about in a city. Although I am for private property rights, those obviously have a limit for public safety, aesthetic and other reasons. Mr. Alfieri's neighbors probably object because they didn't buy into suburbia to live side by side with wild animals in a quasi-farm setting. To equate wild animals with domesticated pets based on how much poop they generate or how loud they are is a fallacious argument. I like fresh eggs as much as the next guy, and I applaud environmental efforts. However, I'd be pretty pissed if my neighbor was affecting my property value with farm animals running around; regardless of whether it is an uneducated perception, people associate these animals with noise, uncleanliness and generally aesthetic nuisance. The issue could easily be alleviated by Mr. Alfieri moving to a more farm-friendly area, like Wayne used to be before it turned into a city. Mr. Alfieri, clearly if your neighbors are so upset with you it's not due to a lack of education about chickens - it's because it affects the quiet enjoyment and aesthetic value of their properties one way or another.

I agree with Wayne's World in the fact that a majority of the concerns seem to be that we - meaning the people of Wayne - did not buy homes here necessarily to have farming going on adjacent to our property. We all pay taxes, and from what I hear from most of the people on this blog, they are very upset with the township ordinances. If I was that upset, and wanted something different, I would move to an area that was more conducive to what my desires were. That may be a good idea for some of the people constantly berating the township. I work very hard, and am very proud to live in Wayne, and I abide by the rules of the township.

Please don't misunderstand me, Concerned, over-regulation at the municipal level is of epic proportions. Take a look at the town ordinances sometime. It is thousands and thousands of pages of regulation on things important and mundane. Much of it is a moneymaking scheme. It is a tremendous drain on individual and business resources. I don't totally agree with go along or get along type mentality just because town elders needed to enact some more legislation. My point is more that Mr. Alfieri's passion seems to be disturbing people who live close to him in a number of ways. At some point, living in such close proximity imposes certain realities. I lament how much Wayne's character has changed from when I was a boy and wish there was more preserved open space and farmland. But that horse rode long ago and in the totality of the circumstances, it is more of an encroachment on liberty and property rights of those affected than it is on the person who wants to do what they want to do, in this case, Mr. Alfieri. I applaud Mr. Burke's crusade on some level to pursue environmental responsibility, but I disagree that he can just do whatever he wishes with his property just because he owns it. That goes for all of us. Everything we do with our property affects those around us, therefore, certain zoning and building standards have to be in place for the safe, quiet enjoyment for all. We may disagree on the standards, but shouldn't disagree on the need presented.

Wayne's World - I absolutely agree with you, some of the regulations are just plain money making for the town. It is just refreshing to see that someone else has the values here to consider their neighbors, being as we all live so close to one another.

Good luck, Victor! I just learned about the Community Garden Project in Wayne and I must say it sounds pretty awesome.

Thank you
NEXT MEETING: Friday, April 27th at 6pm at the Van-Riper Hopper House

I fell apone this problem in Hamptin Twp Pa. I am not aloud to own any chickens, pheasant, no animals that are beneficial to my family. We are really forced to buy all our eggs and other food sorce from crummy over priced stores. Im trying to figure out how to fight this. If anyone has anything . klk8282@Yahoo.com. Thanks