Town bans live poultry in residential area

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa -- Backyard butchers and some noisy chickens have led officials in this central Iowa town to ban live poultry in residential areas.

"Some people were raising the chickens, then butchering them for dinner," Police Chief Lon Walker said. "The other thing was noise. The rooster would crow at first light."

Chickens, roosters, geese, turkeys and ducks were banned through the ordinance, approved on Dec. 27. It took three months for the City Council to resolve the issue, which was supported by five of the council's seven members on its final passage.

Proposed by Mayor Floyd Harthun, the ban does not allow a "grandfather clause" for current chicken owners.

Linda Clark was among the residents who protested the move. She said her grandsons owned five chickens as pets until the animals were recently killed by dogs.

"One councilman said roosters crowing was an annoyance," Clark said. "My rooster wasn't any more annoying than the sirens."

But Marshalltown resident Dagoberto Zelaya said the ordinance could be good for non-poultry owners.

"It's really tough, especially on people who work hard and want to stay in bed. Sometimes when you have a full moon, it's in the middle of the night, and they start making those noises," Zelaya said.

Marshalltown City Councilman Laurel Phipps said previous ordinances already prohibited chickens running at large, being a nuisance and being butchered in public. He voted for the new law after police said they would try to enforce it.

"It might be a little unfair for the people that do have pets that follow the ordinance and stay within the law," he said.

City Administrator Dick Hierstein said it's unclear how many families own poultry and will be affected by the ban.

Animal ordinances have been in the spotlight in recent years as residents throughout the state have challenged with whether miniature horses, potbellied pigs and other animals create a nuisance.

"Cities have been struggling over the past year with animal ordinances," said Alan Kemp with the Iowa League of Cities.