Heather Wright/The Independent

Farmers aren’t keen on allowing backyard chickens in Petrolia.

That was clear during the Dec. 10 public meeting on whether the town should allow residents to keep a small flock in the town limits.

Trevor Benjamins, a Senior Planner with Lambton County, says there is no land designated as agricultural in Petrolia, “and therefore they are not permitted currently within the town.”

One of the first speakers was Scott Helps, a local farmer who is the Chair of the Egg Farmers of Ontario. “I’m an egg farmer. I’ve been an egg farmer for 40 years. I know why people would want to have chickens. I love having chickens,” he told council.

But he voiced concern about the growing number of cases of avian flu. Once the virus gets into a flock, all the birds must be destroyed to stop its spread. That leaves farmers with empty barns, and no income for months.

Helps is concerned more chickens in non-regulated spaces could cause the spread of different fatal viruses. “We do not know how it gets in the barn necessarily. We have ideas. We know it has to do with migratory birds and a lot of other things. But there’s a whole lot of other things we just do not know about. We don’t have control over that.”

Judy Krall, a former egg farmer from Enniskillen, echoed Helps’ concerns in a letter, stating in part; “Backyard chicken owners would not have any idea, I believe, why their chickens might die. Chicken farmers have access to poultry veterinarians and nutritionists whom help them to care for their chickens. Chickens are susceptible to other disease, too. Backyard chicken owners are at risk of disease, as well, and where are their dead carcasses going? Municipal garbage?”

Some of the supporters, including Heidi McNabb, wondered if the town would ban other practices which could possibly spread Avian flu.

“So are we going to prohibit bird feeders and things like that in town as well? If you know, because they’re bringing in the migratory birds (which carry Avian flu)…And what about all the Canadian Geese in the park? I mean, they’re carrying the Avian flu as well. Is are they going to be dealt with as well?”

McNabb pointed out that a number of communities in the region allow backyard chickens with regulation.

Chris Braet favoured that approach as well. He knows people who keep chickens and take the matter seriously.

“I think that you should have a feed and a manure management plan,” he said. “I pay license for my dog, so I think that there should be nothing wrong with licensing fees and annual inspections.”

Lambton Public Health says it supportive of backyard chickens as long as owners understand proper hygiene, such as washing hands after touching the birds and not cuddling them.

Council is expected to look at the results of the public meeting and an online survey as it decides the next move.