Missouri city tosses chicken legislation

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BALLWIN, Mo., April 30 (UPI) -- Residents of a Missouri city said they were disappointed when officials refused to further consider draft legislation to allow the keeping of backyard chickens.

Michael Coggin, who brought the Ballwin Board of Aldermen a petition from his neighbors in favor of legalizing the keeping of the birds in city backyards, said he was disappointed when only Alderman Mark Harder voted in favor of continuing the discussion at the April 23 board meeting, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday.

"I see the rise of gardening and being able to grow your own food in urban and suburban areas as not just a trend, but one of the results of rising food and fuel prices," Coggin said. "Raising hens is a direct extension of some of the changes that have been taking place in people's mind set towards growing their own food."

Aldermen said the majority of residents they heard from on the issue were opposed to keeping chickens inside the city.

"There is zero interest in chickens in Ballwin, and I feel that's the overwhelming sentiment of most in the city," Alderman Frank Fleming said.