Bremerton chicken permits to be available by Dec. 3

By LYNSI BURTON
Bremerton Patriot Staff Writer
November 29, 2010 · Updated 5:01 PM 

  • 0
  • Print Story
  • Letter/Editor

Bremerton’s chicken ordinance, allowing residents to keep chickens in their backyards, took effect Nov. 18, but the paperwork necessary for residents to legally own chickens won’t be ready until Dec. 3.

City Clerk Carol Etgen is preparing the application and permit and said the application will be available at the Kitsap Humane Society and on the city website for download.

Those who waged the eight-month campaign to legalize four hens in Bremerton backyards say they don’t expect an immediate barrage of people applying for the chicken licenses. Those who want to start raising chickens will do so in the spring, they say, and permits will mostly be obtained by those who had kept chickens illegally.

“I don’t think there’s going to be this big increase in population of chicken owners,” said Mark Smith, of Bremerton, who advocated the legalization of backyard hens. “I think the people who want them already have them.”

Farmland Pets in Silverdale will not sell chicks until February, manager Shannon Randall said.

“We have had several customers that have had illegal chickens in Bremerton for a long time, so they’re excited that they can keep them legally now,” Randall said.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.

blog comments powered by Disqus