Some Titusville residents are ruffling feathers -- trying to convince city leaders to allow backyard chickens.

  • Titusville looking at backyard chicken pilot programs
  • Residents want small number of hens, no roosters
  • No timetable for a decision on backyard chicken ordinance

Rose Chamberland is leading the push for a new ordinance allowing chickens, but not roosters, at homes.

"Your average barking dog is 20 times louder than a hen's cluck," Chamberland said. "We want people to be able to keep a small number of laying hens, in coops, in their backyard.

Chamberland's research says more than 90 percent of U.S. cities allow backyard chickens. She touts the benefits -- fresh eggs daily and instant fertilizer from hens' waste.

Titusville City Council considered the issue back in 2013, but it was voted down.

Concerns ranged from decreased property values, to noise to diseases.

City Manager Scott Larese says they are currently looking at pilot programs implemented by other cities, including Orlando, for comparisons.

"That data from 2013-2017 gives us a good starting point to see what has and hasn't worked. Then we can recommend to council the best action forward," said Larese.

Chamberland has a Facebook page devoted to the cause. She hopes, with a new city council in office, they won't fly the coop on the idea again.

"We are hoping that a lot of misinformation given out last time we can combat and change some minds," she said.

There's no timetable for city council to make a decision on the backyard chicken ordinance.