Fresh eggs are just one reason David Kern loves having his own chickens.
“I like them as pets. They are really unique. They like me. They follow me around,” he said.
But Bobtail, Little Wing, Brownie and Black Wing all had to fly the coop or at least move it to a neighbor’s yard just outside city limits. And that’s because Safety Harbor doesn’t allow chickens on residential property.
David hopes to change that. He sad he’s had chickens all his life, and eats their eggs every day.
“I feed them some corn with their chicken feed and so forth and sunflower seeds. And the yolks are golden color. They are not yellow. They are gold.”
Experts said backyard eggs usually have more nutrition and less cholesterol. They are also a fraction of the cost. And because it’s difficult to find local farms that sell eggs, many people are building their own coops.
Those against residential chickens said they are concerned about the noise and smell. And they are also worried chickens will attract bugs and other pets. But David said if handled right, none of those will be issues.
“It’s not just something you can take care of once a week. You have to be out there every day taking care of them.”
Safety Harbor leaders plan on getting more information before voting on the chicken ordinance.
As for David, he said his favorite way to cook his eggs is fried.
