Backyard Chickens Coming to Radnor?

As part of a local “locavore” effort, some Radnor Township residents are looking for a way for the adoption of an ordinance that would allow residents to have backyard chickens on their property.

Having “home chickens” for personal egg production would be regulated under fairly strict guidelines, said Sara Pilling, a Garrett Hill resident leading the movement.

The existing ordinance allows “hatcheries” on plots at least ten acres and zoned for agriculture.

But a new zoning ordinance is likely to include: regulating the number of chickens based on the size of the property, allowing only female caged chicks for home egg production, and making sure coops are not visible from front yard.

Having home chickens can actually save the township money, Pilling told Radnor Patch.

Chicken waste helps compost piles break down faster, which might convince more people to have compost piles, which mean less food in the trash (and chickens also eat fruit and vegetable scraps). Less trash means a reduction in the township’s tipping fee, she said.

Chickens also love insects and ticks, which is another positive, Pilling said.

Locally and across the country, municipalities and cities have changed their ordinances to allow a limited number of chickens as back yard chickens.

Pilling is pursuing this zoning change because she wants chickens for her own property.

Want to help the chicken cause?

If you want to get involved, download a sheet of the petition form to fill out and get other signatures in the pdf section of this article or contact Radnorchickens@gmail.com.

Pilling is planning for a proposal to go before the Board of Commissioners at its first September meeting.

She is attempting to get 75 signatures from each of the township's 7 wards.