FORBIDDEN FOWLS

Shannon News, 27 April 1928, Page 3

FORBIDDEN FOWLS

POULTRY-KEEPING A CRIME. A London paper says:—Poultrykeepers everywhere are alarmed at the spread of a crusade which has for .ts object the suppression of the “baclc-yard” poultry outfit. Until recently it was only an occasional local authority ’lvhich. forbade the tenants under its housing scheme to keep fowls. Now it is becoming the exception rather than the rule for a “no poultry-keeping” clause to be inserted in council house agreements, and not a few private landlords are following that lead when letting to new tenants. Several councils have gone even further, and forbidden the Keeping of poultry on the allotments under their control. The reason behind the ban seems to be the fear that chickens are likely to interfere, with the amenities of an estate. The propoultry folks' retort is that fowls kept under proper conditions, have time and again been declared to be no danger to health; that no one can object to the modest day-cackling of a hen; .that they have no desire to keep the noisy member of the poultry fraternity a rooster; that anyway it is folly in these hard times to deprive working men and their families of the steady supply of almost costless eggs that are theirs when a few chickens are kept. The Ministry of Agriculture are said to be sympathetic with the would-be poultry-keepers. So too of course, are the big poultry organisations, one at least of which has opened a special department for the tactful persuasion of anti-poultry councils to a more kindly frame of mind.