Chicken License

The other week at work I was looking for a permit form on the City of Salem website and saw a form that said "Chicken License Application".I had to see what it was so I downloaded the form. Apparently if you are within the City of Salem you must have a Chicken License before you can get some birds. The process goes like this:

1. Build Chicken Coop following all the rules, setbacks etc.
2. Submit License Application with $50 fee.
3. Chicken Coop Inspector (no joke) comes out to inspect your coop
4. Receive approved Chicken License Certificate
5. Stock Coop with Chickens
6. Payments and Renewals ($50/year)
7. Live happily ever after

I can understand in a more urban area there is a need for some rules and regulations for people to abide by, but I think that this is too much. In most jurisdictions, the only time someone comes out to inspect is if there is a complaint filed. In these tough economic times when people are trying to save some money and eat a little healthier by using eggs from backyard chickens this $50/year fee defeats the whole purpose. Having your own chickens for eggs is not necessarily cheaper than buying them from Costco, but if you are looking for good free range eggs with a nice dark healthy yolk, and don't want to support the industrial food system. Then having your own chickens is the way to go. Once again the government is trying to stick their nose too far into an area where it should not be.

Dave