Flower Mound Gives Okay to Backyard Chickens

Residents in Flower Mound will now be able to raise chickens in their yards, as the Town Council has passed a new ordinance up to four hens in a residential lot up to one acre. Residents on properties larger than one acre can have an unspecified number of hens and roosters. The ordinance passed 3-2, but as backyard chicken advocate Mark Glover of Flower Mound explained, "All wanted to allow them, but two wanted more definition on chicken coops, and wanted to table it." Council Members Jean Levenick and Kendra Stephenson voted to table the ordinance.

The ordinance passed tonight, as written would have allowed up to three poultry on lots under an acre, banning roosters for those properties, due to their noisy crowing. Most of the chicken advocates pushed for an increase in that number, and the Town Council compromised to allow four.

Flower Mound resident John Fierke, whose family had chickens in their small backyard prior to a visit from the Town last year ordering them removed, spoke in favor of the new ordinance at tonight's meeting. Fierke's daughter Samantha had been heartbroken when they had to part with their hens, which had become a part of their family. Glover thinks Fierke's situation was not uncommon. "There are more illegal chickens in Flower Mound and Lewisville than you would believe. It has been 'Don't ask, don't tell' for awhile," said Glover.

Backyard chicken advocates like the birds for a variety of reasons, such as insect control, egg-laying, and sheer entertainment, as the birds can be fun to watch.

"I'm tremendously pleased that after more than a year of effort, what seemed to be an issue only important to our family, has proved successful. We're so glad to know that there are many others in our community that support the idea of backyard chickens," said Fierke.

Some Lewisville residents had been looking to Flower Mound to see what they came up with before pushing for a similar ordinance change in Lewisville. It will be interesting now to see whether Lewisville residents start pushing the Council to pass a change. Lewisville Councilman T.J. Gilmore said that he does want to hear from residents on the topic, but that it seems like a no-brainer to him to legalize chickens.