Dupage Policy Journal

At its April 3 meeting, Wheaton City Council heard more citizen support for the allowance of hens in the city limits for residents who want to tend their own chickens. 

This has been an off and on battle for many residents of Wheaton, going back as far as 2016 when some local families petitioned the city to change its code and policy to allow them to have some backyard chickens. 

In 2021, residents of unincorporated areas of DuPage County won the right to have backyard chickens, but residents of the city are still unable to keep their own flocks. Another petition failed in 2020, but not before gaining almost 500 signatures.

“I would really like to kind of just keep pressing this topic because there’s so many people, just 500 (signatures) on my (petitions) and not to mention my Facebook group, which if any of you want to join, you are more than welcome," Wheaton resident Olivia Doering told council. "I am the admin and would be glad to let anybody in to support. And I do know that a big concern was the administrative support. I know I had proposed at Coffee with the Council we could do a $50 permit fee. The city of Wheaton could make a little bit of money.”

Council uploaded a livestream of the meeting to the city’s Vimeo.

The City of Wheaton’s policy on backyard chickens falls under its livestock rules. This forbids the keeping of any livestock in the city, with fairs, zoos, and other authorized animal parks exempt. It does allow for the raising of female-only chickens, but only for educational or 4H purposes and only for a maximum of one 90-day period out of the year. 

Other supporters told council about the benefits of backyard hens: how they eat food scraps, provide families with free eggs, are educational for children and build up their responsibility levels, and they eat pesky bugs like fleas and ticks.

Doering has been working on getting the city to reconsider its policy, starting a Facebook group that has almost 40 members and getting 500 signatures on her petition in support of the change. 

In other business, council discussed a resolution to accept improvements for Summit Street.

Council will meet again at 7 p.m. on Monday at the City Hall on 303 West Wesley St.