If you live in North Bergen, it’s time to get rid of those chickens you’ve got living in a coop in your back yard. Otherwise, thanks to a new ordinance adopted by the town, you could be fined between $100 and $500 and/or spend up to 30 days in a people coop of the town’s devising.
According to North Bergen Public Health Director Janet Castro, the town receives an average of 10 to 12 complaints per year from residents who don’t appreciate being awakened each morning by the sound of a rooster crowing.
The issue came to a head recently when residents reached out through the town website to ask about regulations for raising live poultry within the township.
“They wanted to harvest their own eggs, live a green and healthy lifestyle,” said Castro.
An admirable goal, one would think. But not so fast.
“This is a densely populated community,” Castro pointed out. “There are various diseases that birds and their dropping could transmit. Many of them are airborne and can be transferred to humans through handling droppings.”
Salmonella is a particular threat. “Bringing live poultry into homes can present a significant human health risk,” she said. “Immunologically compromised individuals and small children are most at risk.”
And that’s not all. “Then you have issues with odor,” she added. “With live poultry in your backyard and neighbors 10 feet away, you can clearly understand how that’s an issue.”
It turned out that North Bergen had no restrictions on the books regarding the raising of poultry. So they reached out to neighboring communities to see what kind of restrictions were in place throughout the region, and then drafted Ordinance #237-15, “An ordinance prohibiting raising and keeping of livestock.”
In terms of grandfathering people in, the ordinance does allow pre-existing pigeon coops.
The ordinance was adopted by the town on Jan. 28.
51 counts of animal cruelty
There are many reasons people raise their own poultry. Some want to live that self-sufficient, green lifestyle.
“Sometimes there are cultural or religious reasons,” Castro said. “Some [birds] are sacrificed. They are on occasion used for cock fighting. We haven’t seen that in recent years in North Bergen.”
Other municipalities, however, haven’t been so lucky. In 2013 an arrest was made in a neighboring town. “One of my guys happened to stumble across a trailer truck loaded with fighting roosters,” said Vincent Rivelli. “It was in the back of Secaucus. Nobody really saw it.”
Rivelli is the health officer for Secaucus, as well as West New York, Guttenberg, Weehawken, Bayonne, and Harrison.
“Bringing live poultry into homes can present a significant human health risk. Immunologically compromised individuals and small children are most at risk.” –Janet Castro
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Mayor Michael Gonnelli stumbled across his own equally disturbing example of animal cruelty in June of that same year. A 56-year-old Union City resident was discovered illegally raising poultry in a remote section of town. “He had chickens, he had turkeys, he had pheasants, he had guinea hens,” said Gonnelli.
The man claimed he kept the birds as a hobby and loved them, bringing kids to see them. The evidence said otherwise when Gonnelli showed up unexpectedly and found a 55-gallon drum filled with feathers and feet.
“He was butchering them not to sell, just for him and his friends to barbecue,” said Gonnelli. The man was charged with 51 counts of animal cruelty.
‘A city chicken is a happy chicken’
Secaucus is one of several municipalities that have strictly prohibited the keeping of live poultry. Jersey City, however, has gone the opposite route.
According to Chapter 90 of the Code of Ordinances for the city, “In no case shall any person or persons be permitted to keep more than 50 chickens, ducks or other poultry.”
Additional regulations require a license to keep poultry, and provide rigorous conditions for the maintenance of coops, restricting their location to 25 feet or more from structures used for human habitation.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t feathered escapees, though.
“About two months ago I was driving with my daughter, and right by [a fast food chain] there were two chickens standing by the garbage dump,” said Jersey City Commissioner Richard Boggiano. “We got a box down the block from one of the stores, a big box. I got the two chickens and brought them to humane center. They were beautiful chickens.”
Boggiano has a particular fondness for chickens, having raised them himself in Jersey City.
“Years ago I used to have 22 chickens in my backyard, around ’80,’82,” he said. “Nobody ever complained. The people in the neighborhood loved it. It was great for my kids.”
Jersey City is in fact one of the most welcoming municipalities in the region for winged residents.
“Just remember,” said Boggiano, “a city chicken is a happy chicken.”
‘You take it home dead’
Chickens in other cities might not agree with Boggiano. In 2010, members of FAUN (Friends Of Animals United) picketed a poultry market on Bergenline Avenue in West New York. The group advocated against eating animals in general, using the market as a focal point because animals were slaughtered inside.
“They’re designated a ‘live bird market,’” said Lynn Richmond, public information officer for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. “You can go to those live bird markets, you can pick out your chicken and they will kill it right there for you. You don’t take it home live. You take it home dead.”
The shop is one of several live bird markets in the area. In addition to chickens and “rousters,” the shop advertises ducks, goats, rabbits, pigs, lamb, and guineas. Live markets are not uncommon in Central and South America and can be found in heavily Hispanic communities.
“That market’s been there for quite a long time,” said Rivelli, who has been serving as health inspector for 41 years. “We also have one in Union City.”
Castro, who serves as sanitary inspector for Union City, added, “They have to be regularly inspected to ensure their exhaust is in operation and garbage taken out.”
Live bird markets are licensed and overseen by the state. “If we get a complaint we investigate and then give to the proper agencies,” said Rivelli. “We’re always the first ones on line because we’re local. Depending on the problem we take care of it or give it to one of the other agencies.”
“We [the Department of Agriculture] regulate and inspect to stop the spread of disease,” said Richmond. “We do periodic tests of the flock and if it’s found that the birds test positive for avian influenza of any kind, the markets have to be sterilized. Sometimes the flocks have to all be killed.”
The Department of Agriculture does in fact monitor backyard flocks and regularly tests them. “If the animals are being raised to be sold, they must be Pullorum tested and tested for avian influenza if they are being sold to live bird markets or out of state,” said Richmond.
But if the poultry is being raised for the owner’s personal use, the only state regulations pertain to humane treatment and acceptable euthanasia methods. Beyond that, Richmond said, “It’s all based on local ordinances.”
“All I know is my neighbors were happy as hell,” said Jersey City’s Boggiano about his backyard flock. “Because I supplied the whole neighborhood with eggs.”
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.