If You Want Backyard Chickens in Maine, Sign This Petition

If you are thinking about raising chickens in Maine, there are a few things you should know.

Having backyard chickens has grown in leaps and bounds across the country, and here in Maine. According to the Press Herald, there's not a lot of information on the number of households with backyard chickens. The USDA said that 12 years ago, only about 1% of households had backyard chickens, but the interest in getting them was 4%. And that information is over a decade old.

What are the restrictions on having backyard chickens in Maine?

Raising backyard chickens is legal in Maine, but the specific rules depend on where you live. Thanks to Maine's 'Right to Food and Food Sovereignty' and 'Freedom from Hunger Act,' the right to own and raise chickens is protected. But some towns and cities have passed ordinances that limit private landowners from keeping chickens. That's what the petition is all about.

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The petition was started by Caitlyn Butler in Whitefield, Maine. She says in the petition that restrictions on raising chickens,

...contradict the very essence of food sovereignty, freedom from hunger, and local subsistence farming, which are vital aspects of sustainable living in Maine. Without the ability to raise their own food source, many residents are robbed of their independence and autonomy.

 

Petition to raise backyard chickens without restrictions in Maine needs 1,000 signatures

On Change.org, the petition has over 120 signatures and is striving for 1,000 because petitions with more signatures get more attention. The organizers are not looking for a new 'chicken bill'; they just want 'respect for the current laws in place.' If this is something you support, you can sign the petition here.