To the editor:

We have been raising chickens on our farm since 1973. When cared for properly, chickens mesh very well with humans and have done so for thousands of years. We feed and protect them, and they provide us with eggs, entertainment, lessons in life’s secrets, sustainable garbage disposal and, sometimes, meat. We celebrated the passage of the ordinance that allows folks in town to keep a small flock.

The part of the ordinance that precipitated the banning of the sale of baby chicks and ducklings by Orscheln’s demonstrates a gross misunderstanding of the needs of chickens. Adult chickens do benefit greatly from having access to adequate space, fresh air, green grass, bugs and worms. But the needs of baby chicks are somewhat different. They need to have close contact with other chicks for warmth, security, and, perhaps, psychological well being. It is ridiculous to have a rule that demands that each chick have 10 square feet of space each.

We hope the ordinance will be modified to reflect the real needs of chickens.