Neighbors in Mt. Juliet have asked that chickens be allowed in their backyards, and they're not the only Middle Tennessee community hoping for the change.
For more than two years now, everyone in Nashville has been allowed to keep a few chickens in their back yard, with some restrictions. However, residents in Mt. Juliet have banded together to say they want the same privileges.
The issue was brought up at a Mt Juliet Planning commission meeting earlier this year, by a resident who said he wanted to teach his son about responsibility.
Others, like the Facebook group "Backyard chickens for Mount Juliet" said it's reasonable to allow homes in mount Juliet to have chickens, with an ordinance similar to the one Metro Nashville adopted, allowing anywhere from two to six chickens based on lot size, while banning roosters and slaughtering on the property.
It's legal for homes in Wilson County to have outdoor hens, but inside the city limits of Mt. Juliet, it's against the law.
Members of the group "Backyard Chickens for Mount Juliet" said if the ordinance is good enough for Nashville, it's good enough for Mt. Juliet.
“I really don't see a downside to families having small flocks in their back yard,” said Kristin Kujda, who owns backyard chickens in Wilson County. “I think that's very reasonable, with reasonable accommodations and restrictions, and I hope it happens because I know a lot of families who would want that.”
So far, there has been no ordinance proposed to change the chicken rules in Mt. Juliet.
