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Chickens FAQ Q Don't you need a rooster for eggs? A: No, you don't. Hens lay eggs without a rooster. no rooster is around those hens. You only need a ALLOWED in South Portland. 0: Are chickens loud Page t of: 98 The eggs you buy at the store are unfertilized and rooster to hatch chicks. Roosters will NOT BE A: Roosters are loud, and they will not be permitted. Hens are, on average, far quieter than rnost dogs, parrots, or macaws. They generally make a soft chuckle or cluck. Occasionally, when they are showing off an egg they've just laid, their clucking is slightly louder. Normal noises are not audible past 75', the loudest noises at about 50'. A: Since the ordinance stipulates that the hens must be in a completely enclosed, predator -proof enclosure, and locked in a solid henhouse at night, the hens will not attract: predators any more than a rabbit in a hutch (and since the ordinance regulates pen construction, the coops will be much more predator -proof than the average rabbit hutch.) The ordinance also contains restrictions concerning feed so that other pests will not be attracted. A: Avian Flu of the type that is contagious to humans has not been found in Borth America. Any type of avian influenza is spread by contact with the contaminated feces of other birds, primarily migratory waterfowl. So the key issues are sanitation and contact with wild birds. unlike rural farm birds, which "free range" and might, for example, drink from a pond shared with Canada Geese, "backyard chickens" in South Portland will be kept in an enclosed pen with no contact with the migratory birds. In addition, should avian flu ever reach here, it would more likely spread in situations where birds are maintained in unsanitary conditions, such as the large commercial "factory farms" where chickens are crammed together in filthy cages.... not where chickens are kept as pets in well-maintained coops cleaned as regularly as any suburban pet. Salmonella is the other primary concern associated with chicken and eggs. Again, this is an issue of cleanliness and chickens kept: as pets are unlikely to cause any problems. In fact, Consumer Reports magazine reports that: 71 % of all supermarket chicken and eggs are contaminated with salmonella: eating your own backyard eggs, where you have control over the sanitation, significantly reduces your chance of exposure. In terms of exposure from pets, chickens are no more likely to carry it than parrakeets, and pet reptiles are far more likely culprits. Good hand -washing practices are always important after handling animals. lttl:tr// nnuw.saitzoia.coivlP'AQ.htn� i M/1)MO