There’s been some chatter on social media recently about the legality of chickens in the city limits and whether that should be changed.

This comes up every other year or so, so The Electric is revisiting our 2022 explainer, with some current information.

First and foremost, chickens are still prohibited in the Great Falls city limits, with one exception for properties in the R-1 single family suburban zoning district that can meet the other requirements in code for setbacks and housing of animals.

Otherwise, chickens aren’t allowed in the city limits. No hens, no roosters.

Judge dismissed 2016 chicken lawsuit against City of Great Falls

Chickens have been outlawed in Great Falls since 2007 and some cried foul about the process by which that chicken rule was developed.

One couple opted to keep chickens in their backyard anyway and were cited multiple times by animal control and the city for the violations.

Couple drops effort to revive urban chicken initiative

That couple sued the city over the chicken ban in 2016.

In 2022, a district court judge dismissed the case.

That means, the city chicken ban remains unchanged.

In 2017, the city sent the question of chickens to the ballot and developed a draft ordinance that would address chickens should voters approve chickens.

They did not.

Kelly holds seat, Moe and Robinson take commission seats; chickens and economic levy fail; charter updates approved

Chickens were on the 2017 ballot and failed by a vote of 6,646 against to 6,040 in favor.

That means the ordinance failed and the chicken ban remains.

Yes, there is a draft ordinance that contains language that would have allowed chickens.

That document circulated on social media in 2022, but again, that ordinance was not approved, which is stated on the city website on the page with the history of that draft, as well as in city minutes, and coverage by The Electric.

Attempts to amend city code in 2011 to allow chickens in most zoning districts failed and a 2021 petition asking the city to allow chickens was dropped by the organizers.

An online petition also circulated in 2023 and this week on Facebook, a local asked if the debate to legalize chickens should be reopened given rising egg prices.

Many said they were in favor, with many voicing opposition.

The post includes an online petition to allow chickens that was created last summer.

As of 11 p.m. Feb. 23, the new most recent online petition to legalize chickens had 119 signatures.

Online petitions are not legally sufficient to send a question to the ballot.

A legally proper petition must follow state law, be approved by the county election administrator and be signed by at least 15 percent of the jurisdiction’s qualified electors.

In the 2023 city election, the county elections office mailed 25,884 ballots. About 15,200 ballots were returned in that election.

As of Feb. 22, Terry Thompson, county election administrator, said no petitions had been presented to her office for this year’s ballots.

On Feb. 19, both the city clerk and neighborhood council coordinator said they had not heard any discussion of chickens or had any requests to send chickens to the ballot.

Rob Moccasin, neighborhood council coordinator, said that on Feb. 20, the day after The Electric asked, the topic of yard hens came up at Neighborhood Council 8. No formal action was taken by the council, but it was brought up by a resident.

City Commissioners could consider changing the existing city ordinance that prohibits poultry within the city limits, but at this point, they haven’t raised the issue, nor was in mentioned during their January goal-setting retreat, though they did discuss sending the question of fireworks rules to the ballot.

City Commission discusses annual goals

The Town of Cascade previously outlawed chickens but sent the question to the ballot in November 2021.

In April 2022, the town implemented rules that require annual permits and limit residents to 10 chickens per ward. To get a permit, residents must present their plans for approval at a monthly town council meeting and permits will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Chickens are allowed in the unincorporated areas of the county.

For more background on chickens in Great Falls, which are still prohibited, see our previous coverage:

Explainer: Chicken rules in Great Falls, spoiler, they’re still prohibited [2022] 

Judge dismissed 2016 chicken lawsuit against City of Great Falls [2022] 

Chickens on ballot in Town of Cascade [2021]

Great Falls couple asks city to consider allowing urban chickens [2021]

Kelly holds seat, Moe and Robinson take commission seats; chickens and economic levy fail; charter updates approved [2017] 

Chickens headed to November ballot, along with charter updates [2017]

Commissioners to consider putting urban chickens on November ballot [2017]

Commission approves animal code revision, chickens remain prohibited [2017]