How big of a problem are chickens, roosters in Waynesboro?

A review of complaints made about chickens and roosters to the City of Waynesboro over the past two years doesn’t turn up an awful lot.

There were a total of 26 complaints logged from August 2019 through August 2021. One involved foxes killing a neighbor’s chicken, one had to do with a resident considering getting chickens, and wanting to know the relevant laws.

Nine involved dogs killing chickens. Another reported a bear had killed chickens.

Yet another was a report of a dead chicken in a yard that proved to be false.

That leaves 13 that were complaints about a neighbor’s chickens involving noise, smell, chickens escaping a yard.

Thirteen complaints in a two-year period.

Must be noted: just one involving noise from a rooster.

This as the city considers a proposed ordinance that would ban roosters and put a limit on the number of chickens that residents can own.

These numbers come courtesy a Freedom of Information Act request from city resident Chrissy Bossie, who submitted a request to the City of Waynesboro seeking records of chicken complaints made to the city over the last two years.

Bossie shared the results of the FOIA request sent to her by the city with us this week.

From a review of the results, we’re looking at roughly a complaint involving chickens every two months.

I’ve referred to the proposed ordinance as a solution looking for a problem.

I’m still trying to figure out the problem.

Story by Chris Graham