I moved to Kent County 16 years ago and immediately fell in love with our rural community. Two years ago, to supplement my vegetable garden and take the next step toward household sustainability, I bought 5 hens. By doing so, I became one of the many illegal chicken owners in Kent County. According to our Planning and Zoning Office one is only allowed to keep small animals “on farms (parcels 20 acres or more)” in 3 of Kent’s 17 zoning districts. Yes, you read that right. Unless you live on a farm of at least 20 acres in certain areas, it is illegal in Kent County to keep a few hens or rabbits in your backyard. There’s an epidemic of chicken crime in Kent County!
In December 2013 I got a visit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer. Someone had alerted the Zoning Office to the fact that I had chickens. The officer also told me he didn’t see any chickens and I hoped that that would be the end of it. Unfortunately, once the wheels of enforcement have started to move, there is no stopping them. I got a 2nd visit towards the end of January. Ironically, at that point the hens were actually in my garage and not visible to the outside world at all. They were there for most of January on account of our frigid weather. On February 22nd, I received the official notice that the hens better be gone by February 28th or I would have to appear in court.
I will admit, I made one stupid mistake. At first I didn’t put up a fence in my backyard. My girls did, on occasion, forage in my front yard and a few times they even crossed the road. I, myself, was bothered by the fact that they had become so adventurous. When the Zoning Officer paid his first visit, I put up a fence that very same day. So why did I not put up a fence earlier? It wasn’t because I wasn’t willing to do so, I was just busy with work, volunteering, harvesting, canning and no one had ever complained to me. We have all been there.
When a person commits a real criminal offence, this person is often given a second change in the form of a suspended sentence, probation, stet docket, you name it. Not so when it comes to a violation of our Zoning Ordinance. My hens, who keep me company when I am out gardening, who have brought a lot of joy to my family and quite a few neighbors, will have to go.
If I lived in Baltimore City, Annapolis or Bethesda, and expressed a desire to keep some hens in my backyard, I could imagine that my neighbors would suggest that, perhaps, it was time for me to move to a rural place such as Kent County. Turns out, if I want to keep chickens I’d be better off moving from the most rural county in Maryland to one of those cities for all of them allow citizens to keep hens in their own backyards.
As for my girls? They are currently residing at another illegal hen house in Kent County.
Sabine Harvey
Proud Illegal Chicken Mama
Chestertown
Wendy costa says
Editor,
Well, at last we finally know why the chickens crossed the road: to search for a legal residence. After all these years, a mystery solved!
Debbie Wiener says
Editor,
Agreed, I too now know why the chickens crossed the road! But mostly I am so sad to read of your loss. Chickens are not only wonderful domestic creatures that keep our lawns and gardens free of insects, but they provide such a nutritious and sustainable food product for our families. Why is Kent County so behind the curve on chickens? The homes of Beverly Hills are full of Silkie chickens. In Key West, Florida chickens are truly free range and remain so with the full support and protection of its residents. If you want to fight City Hall on this and get back your sociable chickens, count me in. It’s time we got our feathers up and change the zoning laws.
Virginia Schaible says
Editor,
On occasion I do believe that all of our “enforcement officers’ should be more concerned with true crime ie. drugs, theft, and conditions of some property used for human inhabitants that are huge eyesores – not with a couple of chickens
Ben Ford says
Editor,
It’s troubling that you cannot keep chickens in a small town in the most rural of counties in Maryland but you can keep them in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Atlanta. Closer to home, it is legal to raise chickens in Easton. I feel like this is another instance where Kent County is really, crucially behind the curve.
Carol Mylander says
Editor,
When did the Kent County law change? I live on 1/2 acre inside the Chestertown city limits and have a rather large hen house and a magnificent nesting sideboard and would love to raise chickens. This would help my vegetable garden and sustainable lifestyle.
I do have uninvited opossum and rabbits and saw a coyote on the Washington College Campus last year.
Margaret Fallw says
Editor,
Our local rules (law?) re keeping chickens are ridiculous. Even in such a densely populated place as the city of Portland, Oregon, here’s what’s allowed (way more kinds of animals than just chickens):
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/362065