Will County Family Told To Get Rid Of Their Chickens
WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP, Ill. (CBS) -- A family from the southwest suburbs is involved in a game of chicken with Will County.
As WBBM Newsradio's Nick Young reports, in the spring, the parents of Jerry Garrabrant, 12, of Wheatland Township, bought her 5-day-old chickens and put a coop in the backyard.
But Will County officials say the Garrabrants have run afowl of codes and ordinances which forbid keeping agricultural birds on property that's zone residential, the Joliet Herald-News reported.
The Garrabrants say the chickens are pets. And they say the law is inconsistent since they live in a neighborhood a few hundred feet from a farm.
Kindra and Andrew Garrabrant tell the Herald-News they are trying to teach their daughter about sustainable living, which they also try to accomplish by growing their own fruit and vegetables. Kindra Garrabrant also tells the newspaper says the farm-fresh eggs the chickens will produce are healthier than the store-bought variety.
The county Land Use Department is unmoved -- telling the Garrabrants the coop and its residents -- Haymitch, Susan, Cadbury, Frodo and Fluiffington -- have to go by Friday.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Nick Young reports
