With grocery prices rising, more and more people across the greater Tampa Bay area are trying their hand at urban farming.
In Pasco County, homeowners can now have up to four backyard chickens; roosters are prohibited.
After a decade-long debate, commissioners unanimously approved a new ordinance in November — the latest county to join a growing number of places allowing the backyard coops.
Patti Gail owns Amber Glen Farms and Amber Glen Feed Depot in Pinellas Park. She also runs an online forum called "Chick-n-Chat," where she answers people's questions about raising chickens at home.
Gail recently joined guest host Cathy Carter on Florida Matters Live and Local.
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She said her hens changed her life.
"Chickens are amazing. They teach responsibility, but they also are pets. They're very smart," Gail said. "People don't realize that they can learn tricks, they can do all kinds of fun things, and then they also give us eggs."
She said if your neighbors are not fans of your hens, then give them eggs. But before you run and build your coop, double-check your neighborhood's zoning and HOA rules.
Here are excerpts from the conversation between Carter and Gail:
There are different rules depending on the county, the city, and even within homeowners' association rules. One universal ban is those roosters — they are notoriously noisy, Patti.
Yes ma'am, they are. If you are still on farm property, you can have roosters, but other than that, no roosters...we own a farm also, so we have a lot of chickens and roosters, but people don't want to hear (roosters crowing).
Are you surprised that it took so long for Pasco County to approve backyard chickens?
I am, I really am. Because chickens are amazing. They teach responsibility, but they also are pets. They're very smart. People don't realize that they can learn tricks, they can do all kinds of fun things, and then they also give us eggs.
And I was surprised that of all the places that just picked up this ordinance and allowing it is Pasco.
I mean, in Pinellas Park, you can still have 10 chickens. It is just a great part to add to your family, to add to your backyard. I was telling you, you should have chickens because they (will) change your life. There's even such a thing as chicken math.
What are the usual pros and cons when somebody's thinking about, I'm going to start getting backyard chickens?
I always tell people, keep it simple. The internet makes it hard, but keep it simple.
And remember, we're in Florida, so you want open-air coops... We have more summer than anything else, and it gets way too hot.
You want to remember that they don't lay for the first six months on average. So you're supporting freeloaders for six months, you're getting nothing except for the great love and so forth, and that's when people start falling in love with them.
But also, the con side of it is you (have) got to prepare for flies. You (have) got to prepare for when it rains and that everything stays dry — there's a lot of different, easy products, especially if you go to farm stores, talk to the people, and don't buy the gimmicks — it won't happen.
And you won't bother your neighbors who don't have chickens. And if your neighbors do have some issues with things, give them free eggs. That usually crosses the path of, like, 'Hey, here's some eggs.' And they're like, 'I love you. I want free eggs.'
