City Council Reconsidering the Case for Chickens in Trenton
Ordinance 24-015 “was signed on February 22, 2024. If enacted as is, the ordinance will “regulate the keeping of certain animals within the City of Trenton to serve the health, safety, and welfare of its residents.”
Animals included in the ordinance are reptiles, emus, giraffes, and alligators, but also chickens and livestock. Any person caught with livestock would be fined $1,000 to $2,000 and/or receive 90 days of community service or jail.
“It has come to Isles’ Urban Agriculture’s attention that the City of Trenton is looking to pass Ordinance 24-015…we just found out about this yesterday, though the ordinance was [signed] February 22, 2024,” Theresa McGuinness of Isles wrote to the Mill Hill community email list.
The ordinance was first discussed at the city council conference session on March 5, 2024. Several supporters of urban agriculture in Trenton voiced their concern about the ordinance at the meeting (which can be found on YouTube), including Kathy Dieal of Mill Hill.
“I speak at this meeting wearing two hats, first as president of Trenton Cycling Revolution…We have children that have participated in local cycling trips to Capital City Farm [via] trails that have never seen wildlife, and [we at Trenton Cycling Revolution] want to make sure that children have equitable access to nature,” Dieal said to members of the city council. “Hens provide numerous benefits to families [including] manure, which is one of the best fertilizers for gardens…[They] also protect against price fluctuations in grocery costs.”
We witnessed egg prices skyrocket in mid-2022 before falling back to 20-year averages, though they have begun to rise again (as much as 5% between January and February). This was caused by the H5N1, or avian influenza, pandemic that began in 2020. The pandemic has impacted over 70 million commercial poultry across 48 states and other parts of continental North America alone (according to the NYTimes and USDA). Egg prices rose to as high as $5 per dozen at their peak. Ordinance 24-015
High egg prices make it difficult for families to afford the protein fundamental to a healthy diet. In Trenton, this is compounded by the reality of food deserts. According to the USDA food access research atlas, large swathes of Trentonians live more than half a mile away from the nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store. Ordinance 24-015
“This [ordinance] has larger implications to impeded food sovereignty and self-reliance when it comes to producing your own food,” writes McGuinness. “Raising chickens is an important part of many cultures, and Capital City Farm has just introduced chickens, as well.” Ordinance 24-015
Chris Bukaski echoed McGuinnesses’ sentiments in his testimony to the city council during the March 5th conference meeting. “Chickens are a cultural touchstone for the city. My mother [often] speaks at length about her pet chicken.” Ordinance 24-015
“Chickens also provide education benefits. Many residents might not know where their food comes from, and children may have a vested interest in how food comes from the ground and eggs come from chickens,” Bukaski continued. “[However], I don’t want to dismiss that there are irresponsible pet owners.”
On March 11th, Vanity Vickers posted a video of an emu running through what appeared to be South Trenton to the Trenton Orbit Facebook group. Ordinance 24-015
While manure can be a valuable fertilizer for gardening efforts, Nancy Rodriguez posted to Trenton Orbit on July 26th, 2023, about the smell of chicken excrement that was washed into Freudenmacher Alley near South Broad Street. She cited in her post that her neighbor had as many as 20 chickens. Ordinance 24-015
Dan Fatton, a former member of the Trenton Green Team, acknowledged concerns about the noise; nevertheless, as Fatton mentions, “Roosters are the problem [when it comes to noise.] Just strike out roosters. Chickens are not harbingers of disease and are totally acceptable in an urban community.”
However, East Ward Councilman Joseph Harrison is keen on regulating chickens in the city given the potential health hazards of chicken excrement and exposure. On March 7th, Councilman Harrison posted a link to his Facebook page containing an article titled “4 Diseases Humans Get from Backyard Chickens: Zoonotic Diseases.” Though the article mentions that “if you follow [their] steps outlined for hygiene and cleanliness, it is doubtful you will get sick from your own flock, and you will continue to enjoy the benefits of your hens.” Ordinance 24-015
The council voted 6 to 1 in favor of taking no action at the end of the March 5th meeting. Many appeared to favor a highly modified version of the proposed ordinance, which allows community members to maintain certain animals, including chickens, responsibly. Ordinance 24-015
One thing remains certain: owners of roosters, goats, sheep, or reptiles of any kind will need to start looking for new homes for their pets. Ordinance 24-015 will require these animals to be relocated outside of Trenton. We reached out to Trenton Animal Shelter to learn more about what life these animals and their caretakers should expect if ordinance 24-015 is passed as is, however, they declined to offer a statement.
Looking ahead, council members, including Councilman Joseph Harrison, await recommendations from the New Jersey Department of Health regarding appropriate housing conditions for the chickens that will protect residents before making a final vote. So, for now, chickens are here to stay while their owners, and neighbors, anxiously anticipate a final decision. Ordinance 24-015
