State Rep. Jim DeSana has re-introduced legislation that would give people back the freedom to raise and keep backyard chickens.

The legislation would allow chicken coops on residential-zoned properties with an area of at least a quarter-acre. Five hens could be kept per quarter-acre of lot size, up to 25 chickens total.

“A young hen lays an egg about two out of every three days. With just five hens, that’s approximately two dozen eggs a week,” said DeSana, R-Carleton. “Think about how much that could help families lower their grocery bills right now. The current egg shortage would be less severe had this bill been passed two years ago.”

DeSana originally introduced the legislation last term, but it didn’t get a vote when Democrats had control of the Michigan House of Representatives. Republicans now have a 58 to 52 seat majority after flipping control of the chamber in the November election.

“Chickens are easy to keep, and they are cheap,” DeSana said. He added that allowing backyard chickens would let more people be self-sufficient.

DeSana also pointed out that chickens shouldn’t disturb others in the neighborhood.

“There’s a misconception that backyard chickens can be a nuisance. They are no more trouble than a couple of dogs, or the neighbors having a few cats,” DeSana said. “Hens are very docile animals as long as you don’t have a rooster. A rooster could attack neighbors or children to defend the hens. They will peck at you. Hens don’t do that.”

DeSana’s legislation does not allow roosters because of the noise. It likewise requires a minimum lot size to prevent noise and odor issues from causing friction between neighbors.

“It’s easy to build or buy a chicken coop for under a few hundred dollars. It’s just a little wood house with some chicken wire around it, a roost inside, and a nesting area. One nesting box is plenty for five hens,” DeSana said.

“A hen can live its entire life inside a chicken run, but it’s better if they can get out and forage in the yard. Chickens will eat grass and bugs and even mice,” DeSana said. “But they don’t go far from their nesting area. Chickens tend to stay close to their roost.”

In the past year, more than 40 million egg-laying hens have been killed nationwide. Here in Michigan, more than 6.5 million hens have been lost due to bird flu. That’s a big part of the reason why there’s been a spike in prices and egg shortages.

When an egg-production operation becomes infected with the highly contagious bird flu, the entire flock must be destroyed. It then takes nine to 12 months to clean and disinfect the facilities, raise a new flock of hens, and get back to full egg production.

DeSana said bird flu isn’t a major concern for backyard chicken coops.

“Most people who keep hens are going to consume the eggs by cooking them in their own household. As long as you properly cook the eggs, you’re fine. But I wouldn’t recommend drinking raw eggs like Rocky.”

DeSana’s legislation:

• Prevents local ordinances from banning backyard chickens
• Requires a minimum of a quarter acre of property size, in order to prevent noise and odor from disturbing neighbors
• Allows up to five hens per quarter acre, up to a total of 25 hens for residential-zoned property
• Requires people to follow generally accepted agricultural practices. The legislation does not dictate a specific setback, but generally accepted practices say to not put a coop within 50 feet of a neighbor’s residence. The legislation also requires people to keep hens in their own yard
• Requires the Michigan Department of Agriculture to investigate complaints such as noise and odor, and manure from chickens going off property. It likewise creates penalties for individuals who repeatedly file unverified complaints against neighbors with backyard chickens

House Bills 4049 and HB 4050 were referred to the House Agriculture Committee.

DeSana has been a farmer for two decades; he is a member of the Michigan Sheep Producers and the Michigan Cattleman’s Association. He and his wife operate Shamrock Station, a sheep farm where they raise grassfed lambs on pasture in northern Monroe County. They also raise, cattle, chickens, and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs which they train to protect livestock from predators.

DeSana represents the 29th House District, which spans portions of Monroe County and Wayne County, southwest of Detroit. It includes parts of Monroe, Taylor, and Romulus. It also includes the village of Carleton, Ash Township, Huron Township, and a portion of French township.