City to consider allowing residents to have chickens

Madison City Commissioners may be taking a look at an ordinance regarding allowing city residents to have chickens on their property.  A couple of Madison residents appeared before the commission during its meeting earlier this week expressing interest in having some hens in order to get eggs from them.  Sarah Cotton told commissioners that they would like to be able to have five to seven of them if possible.

Mayor Marshall Dennert said he has heard from several city residents who are interested in having chickens.  Commissioner Jeremiah Corbin said he isn’t against allowing chickens, but questioned if the city already had an ordinance in place that doesn’t allow them.  Dennert said that the current ordinance addresses “fowl” and that chickens are included in that.  

Mayor Dennert said he’s talked with Police Chief Justin Meyer and they are looking at an example of an ordinance from the city of Aberdeen that may work if the commissioners decide they want to move forward with something to allow chickens in city limits.