Cambridge Backyard Ducks and Chickens

This petition relates to the keeping of backyard ducks and chickens in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Its authors wish to show the city there is broad support for residents’ right to responsibly keep a reasonable number of birds on their property.

Some background on the birds: The ducks are named Potassium, Ferdinand, and Penelope, and the chickens are Henrietta and Francis. The breeds—Cayuga ducks and Wyandotte chickens—were specifically chosen because they are quiet and docile. During the day, they enjoy foraging for food in the yard; any slugs, bugs, or mice that they catch supplements their diet of vegetarian pellets. At night they sleep in a small wooden coop about the size of a refridgerator box. Each bird has a distinctive, lovable personality and is cared for a great deal. They are so healthy they’re still laying eggs in the middle of winter!

In the coming weeks we will be meeting with the city and our neighbors to ensure that we’re not in violation of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinances. Decisions made regarding our case may affect everyone who currently keeps or wants to keep chickens or ducks in Cambridge. We hope this petition will signal to the Cambridge City Council that we, the birds’ owners, are not alone in finding this issue important, and that these birds can be kept without negatively impacting the surrounding neighborhood.

Info about our birds accessible at http://savetheducks.org/
-Are they Smelly and Dirty? (And What About the Rats?)
-Duck and Chicken FAQ
-Photos of Baby Birds

Info about what other towns do accessible at
http://bit.ly/9hTKaH

Help us keep our birds! Sign the petition! Send it around! Come visit if you’re local! (Email us at cambridgebirds@gmail.com to set up a visit)