COLUMBUS GROVE — An interesting fact about chickens: genetically, they’re the closest living relative to Tyrannosaurus rex. An interesting possibility about chickens? Residents of Columbus Grove may soon have the opportunity to legally keep them in their backyards. Members of the Columbus Grove Village Council spent no little time discussing the matter before and during their meeting on Monday.

The issue was recently raised to council during their first meeting of May. At that time, Delanie Strykul addressed council, expressing concern about the village’s current ordinance regarding chickens and other farm animals.

After first visiting the village’s website to determine whether she could or could not keep chickens — Strykul felt assured she could maintain a small flock.

Unfortunately, the ordinance she viewed online — posted in 2005 — was amended in 2017 to severely curtail their presence. According to the current ordinance, “no person shall keep any pig, horse, cow, goat, three or more dogs at least 3 months of age, or any other wild or farm animals, animals of any fowl or poultry in any pen, yard, lot or other enclosure other than the house of the owner of such animal or animals, fowl or poultry.”

Strykul politely requested that council revisit their decision, adopt a new ordinance which offers an opportunity for safely, humanely, and responsibly keeping such fowl.

Assembling before council-as-a-whole was scheduled to meet on Monday, members of the village’s Ordinance Committee discussed the matter at length. Council in its entirety then heard new arguments from another family who also keeps birds in an enclosed backyard coop.

“I have had chickens since prior to them being outlawed,” Dana Johnson said. “They are in their coop and run, as well as in a wooden fence, behind our house. For us, at least, it’s very important; sustainable living and green living and getting back to the basics.”

Johnson acknowledged the concerns some have with keeping such fowl in a residential community. “Frankly, we’ve all walked by those houses where the smell just emits from the house and it’s absolutely repulsive,” she said. “But if we are not having complaints, why is it an issue?”

In an effort to assist council with coming to an understanding, Johnson then presented members with a copy of an ordinance controlling the presence of chickens within the City of Findlay. Councilors Brian Schroeder and Aaron Siefker briefly perused the legislation as Johnson continued her appeal.

“A backyard flock, they decrease so many things as far as bugs, insects,” she said. “It’s good for gardening. It’s good for eating.”

Continuing to extol the benefits of chickens, Johnson then pointed to her 8-year-old daughter, Bailey, who accompanied her mother and grandparents to the meeting.

“She carries them around like babies,” Johnson said. “She just brought one to school to show all her friends. It was part of a How To project.”

While fully engaged with both Dana and Bailey Johnson, those council members present still expressed a hesitance.

After thanking Johnson for her participation and presentation, Schroeder, referring to the Findlay ordinance, suggested that enforcing the regulation could prove problematic for the village’s relatively small police department.

Even so, council remained open to the proposition.

“It’s our current intention to get an amendment to our current ordinance that would allow a small number — we’re actually thinking something like six — of laying hens, no roosters, put together and brought before council,” Councilor Pete Langhals said.

Before they left, Mayor Ken Wright advised the family the decision remains within the purview of council and remains undecided.

“I want to make this clear,” Wright said. “This is something the Ordinance Committee is presenting as an ordinance. It will have to be presented to council and they will have to pass it. So we haven’t crossed the hurdle you’re looking at.”

Chief of Police Sean Hiler was tasked with preparing the ordinance, with council expressing it’s desire to see it at their next meeting on Monday, June 13.

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