Bremerton ‘cluckers’ have to fight for their chicks

Bremerton ‘cluckers,’ who were the driving force behind a November 2010 ordinance that legalizes the keeping of chickens within city limits, have to take up the fight again.

The Facebook group We Want Urban Chickens in Bremerton! have said they are facing the possible outlawing of hen ownership in June. They are spearheading an online effort to make the chicken law permanent.

Ordinance No. 5126 includes a Sunset Provision, which provides that unless the city council approves a subsequent ordinance, the current law will expire on June 30. The group is asking other chicken loving citizens to encourage their councilmen to make the matter a priority and remove the provision.

The group is also urging support of other proposed changes. “We also ask that you request your councilman to approve our changes, so that we never have to go back to the council on a hen issue again. This is a waste of everyone’s time!,” the group posted on Monday.

The changes would see the number of hens that residents can own increase from four to eight, allow for chickens to graze freely in owner’s backyards as well as vacant lots, and eliminate the current licensing requirement, greatly decreasing the city’s involvement in the raising of urban chickens.

However, these changes might be ill-received by council members. For example, Councilman Nick Wofford, who voted against the ordinance in 2010, told the Kitsap Sun that he might now be in support of the law, but without the changes.

Wofford’s reluctance to embrace any more changes to the current law could hinder the push to keep chicken ownership legal. In a year when the council includes four newly elected councilmen, support for the cluckers’ goals can’t be taken for granted.

Council members are expected to discuss the matter during their weekly study sessions but won’t take up the matter officially until April.

By Loren Bayles, MyNorthwest.com Intern