Cheyenne City Council Considering Backyard Chickens

The Cheyenne City Council is considering an ordinance that would allow residents to keep chickens in their backyards.

"Basically what we're doing is allowing up to five chickens," said Councilman Scott Roybal, who is sponsoring the ordinance with Councilman Richard Johnson.

"There's no roosters or other types of things like ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl or anything like that," Roybal added.

Under the ordinance, residents would have to keep their hens in a covered, predator-resistant coop in the back of their yard or lot.

The ordinance also includes provisions to limit any nuisance for people on the same property or neighboring property.

"We're not looking to put chickens in your front yard," said Roybal. "You can't slaughter the chickens in town, you have to take them out to one of the animal processing places."

Roybal says both the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department and Animal Control are okay with the proposal.

"They both know how to work with chickens after the cock fighting ring we had," said Roybal. "They took care of 70 roosters there, so they kind of know what they're doing now."

Roybal says some council members have expressed concerns, but most of the people he's spoken with are supportive of the idea.

The Committee of the Whole will meet at 6:00 p.m. on April 6 to discuss the proposal.

"I'm hoping we get both sides because I'd like to make an informed decision on it, but I just am not seeing it as a big thing," said Roybal.