Worth Girl Fights To Keep Chickens After Mayor Cries 'Fowl'

WORTH, IL — An edict from the mayor ordering the removal of backyard poultry has Worth residents clucking. Unfortunately for one 13-year-old girl, she’s learning that the Friendly Village isn’t too friendly when it comes to chickens. Olivia Arp, who has been raising chickens since the first grade, is terrified of being parted from her beloved pets Frieda, Pip, Chub-Chubs, Tillie and Sparkles.

“I told my parents that I just want to move,” Olivia said. “I have owned chickens for the past six years. It’s unfair and unjust to provide such a limited amount of time for me to find a safe home that loves my pets as much a I adore them.”

An article in Mayor Mary Werner’s May newsletter informing residents that they have until June 15 to remove their chickens from their property was brought to the attention of Olivia’s mom, Stacey, over the weekend. Stacey compares telling her daughter to give up her pets is the same as telling someone they have 45 days to get rid of their dog.

“We heard about this Saturday night and waited until Sunday to tell Olivia,” Stacey Arp said. “She cried all day. She didn’t sleep well and was too upset to go to school on Monday. She wants us to move to a town that allows chickens.”

Stacey says her daughter faithfully feeds, waters and cleans out the chicken coop every day. Olivia even takes Frieda, Pip, Chub-Chubs, Tillie and Sparkles out for walks on a specially made chicken leash and harness. The Worth Junior High School student’s chickens live in an outdoor coop at the rear of their property. The birds are all hens, so it’s not like they’re waking up the neighbors with early morning crowing.

“They're quiet and nice,” Stacey said. ”Our neighbors come over to buy eggs and to look at them.”

The mayor claims that the Friendly Village has fielded many complaints about residents’ chickens, citing a 1970 village ordinance which states that no horse, cow, calf, swine, sheep, goat, chickens, geese, ducks or rabbits shall be kept on the same lot or premises with a dwelling. The ordinance also prohibits the owning of poisonous snakes. Werner believes that not keeping chickens around will help the village keep the rodents under control after a spate of mild winters caused the rat population to spike in Worth, Chicago Ridge, Oak Lawn and other nearby towns. Werner says rodents will eat anything, including chicken feed.

“We haven’t seen a rat in a year,” Stacey says. “The village put out traps and the rats are gone. Our chickens had nothing to do with it.”

Palos Hills revamped its chicken ordinances in 2016, limiting four chickens per backyard and and only on single-family lots. Residents owning more than four chickens have five years to get rid of their excess chickens. The average lifespan of a backyard chicken is about seven to eight years, more if you’re lucky, according to The Happy Chicken Coop.

Similarly, Palos Park has also passed fowl-friendly ordinances. The respective villages’ ordinances prohibit residents from keeping roosters.

Stacey said when they first purchased the chickens, they thought the Worth Municipal Code allowed residents to keep two poultry on their property.

“You can’t own just one,” Stacey said. “Even when you go to the store you have to buy them in groups of four.”

In an exchange of email between the mayor and another chicken-owning resident that was shared with Patch, the confusion may have derived from a Worth police regulation. In theory, the regulation states that a person can keep two chickens on the same lot or premise, provided there wasn’t a dwelling on it. Now that the problem has been brought to the Worth Village Board’s attention, the village board cannot ignore it, the mayor said.

Stacey said the chickens are not just another agricultural project but are family pets. The Arps’ hens are of the buff orpington, light brahma and Ameraucana variety. Oliva has raised them since they were baby chicks and sat in her lap watching SpongeBob SquarePants cartoons on TV. Last Halloween, Olivia took one of the chickens out trick or treating with her and a friend. The chickens also play on the backyard swing set and jump on a trampoline with her daughter.

“My husband and I have lived in Worth our whole lives, we don’t want to move,” Stacey said. “At least four other families we know own chickens.”

Backyard chicken aficionados say that owning poultry can be as rewarding as owning a dog or cat. Chickens’ personalities are as varied as the color of eggs they lay and teach children valuable lessons in sustainable living. When cared for properly, there is no dirt, smell or noise, unlike your neighbor’s barking dog.

Olivia and the other poultry owners in town plan to address the issue at Tuesday’s meeting of the Worth Village Board. Olivia would like to see if village officials could at least grandfather Worth’s existing chickens into the village code.

“All of my neighbors adore my pets almost as much as I do,” Olivia said. “The weekly distribution of fresh organic eggs that I willingly give to my family and friends is greatly appreciated and I’ve taught others about the absolute joy that is keeping chickens.”

Olivia and other Worth poultry owners plan to address the issue at Tuesday’s meeting of the Worth Village Board. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in village hall located at 7112 W 111th St.

Correction: Patch originally reported that Palos Heights allowed residents to keep chickens within its boundaries. We have updated the story to reflect that chickens are not allowed in Palos Heights.

Cover Photo: Olivia Arp, 13, takes one of her chickens out for a walk. | Arp Family Photo