The Mack family in Prairie du Sac wanted chickens for several reasons: as a source of fresh eggs, to further the family's commitment to local food and to complement their backyard garden.
"Our neighbors in Madison had chickens," said Jennifer Mack. "That could've been what planted the idea."
Allowing backyard chickens "is something a lot of metro areas do," she said, but a couple of months after the family began raising five hens in a coop on their property on Fifth Street, an officer knocked at their door telling them the chickens needed to be gone within two weeks.
In the village of Prairie du Sac, as well as in Sauk City, chickens are not allowed within village limits.
Prairie du Sac Village Administrator Alan Wildman said someone in Mack's neighborhood called the village about the family's chickens and he forwarded the complaint to the police department.
"That ordinance was recently redone in June of 2009," Wildman said. "They looked at not just chickens, but all livestock and different animals being raised."
Mack has contacted the village board about taking a new look at the ordinance, but Wildman said it will be up to the board whether it does so. Wildman said this is the first time a complaint related to raising chickens has come across his desk.
Mack, her husband and two young children have lived in Prairie du Sac for almost 18 months, and she said when they decided to get the chickens their friends told them the animals were allowed in the village.
"We kind of just went by word of mouth," Mack said. "Everyone said they're allowed in Prairie but not in Sauk."
Sam Mack, Jennifer's husband, said that from driving around and talking to people, he knows there are residents in both villages who also are raising chickens.
Sauk Prairie Police Chief Jerry Strunz said such complaints are "sporadic," and the police deal with such residential-property issues on a by-complaint basis.
Across the country, raising backyard chickens is a growing trend, especially during a recession when people are looking for ways to cut food costs and be more self-sufficient. A quick Google search reveals a plethora of resources for people interested in raising backyard chickens, and numerous national publications that have published articles about their increasing popularity.
Chickens also are allowed in nearby communities such as Baraboo and Middleton.
"We've allowed them for several years," Middleton Assistant Planning Director Mark Opitz. He added, "There's quite a bit of interest in it. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a dozen people raising chickens in Middleton."
Middleton's village ordinance allows residents to raise hens as long as they don't become a nuisance. Opitz said the only complaint he recalls is from a resident who thought his neighbor was keeping a rooster, which is not allowed.
The city of Baraboo has allowed chickens for nearly two years, and according to the city's finance director and city clerk Cheryl Giese, the ordinance hasn't caused any problems or complaints.
Under Baraboo's ordinance, a resident may have six hens. Residents must submit plans for a chicken coop for municipal review and pay $25 for a permit with a $10 annual renewal.
The village of Prairie du Sac does allow residents to have up to four rabbits, which the Macks also raise in their backyard in structures similar to their chicken coops.
Jennifer said she hopes the village reconsiders allowing chickens, in part because her children like having them, and she said she worries about integrating them into a nearby farm where they'll be at the bottom of the pecking order.
She said she planned to attend the village board meeting that took place last night after the Eagle's deadline.
"We've been here not quite 1 years, and I already feel like we're causing trouble," she said.
Sam said he'll take the chickens to a nearby farm this weekend, and if the village changes its ordinance, he said he can always get them back.
"We're not here to ruffle any feathers," he said.
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