Chickens a calming influence

Chickens a calming influence; small group allowed in Clayton for 'pet therapy'

Chickadee, Peach, Daisy, Brownie and Daphne get to stay at the Casagrande residence, even if their presence there is technically against the law.

"I am so happy," said Nancy Casagrande. "Now we can legally have them."

The five hens are the pets of 9-year-old Bretten Casagrande who suffers from Tourette syndrome. His parents, Nancy and Larry Casagrande, said the pet chickens are therapeutic and help alleviate Bretten's symptoms as well as provide him comfort.

"He feels safe in the chicken coop," said Casagrande. "I would never have guessed a chicken would be so helpful to a child."

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Clayton Planning Commission agreed to a request for "reasonable accommodation" to allow the Casagrandes to keep the birds as long as Bretten lives on the property, or as long as the chickens continue to help improve his symptoms.

Community Development Director David Woltering said by addressing the specific issue, the commissioners' ruling in December made changing the city ordinance moot. Keeping chickens in residential neighborhoods is still forbidden in most instances.

In Walnut Creek, there are specific requirements, but generally, as many as three animals, including poultry (except roosters) may be kept as household pets, with the proper animal permit.

People suffering with Tourette syndrome loudly and uncontrollably spluttering expletive epitaphs makes good cinema, but that kind of outburst is not as common as movies make them out to be, said Casagrande. Mostly, these "tics" are less dramatic, uncontrolled noises and body movements. Bretten has various tics, including making a squeaking sound, bobbing his head and for a while and falling to one knee.

Casagrande said the worst part of Bretten's symptoms is other children's reactions. She remembers once insisting Bretten go outside to play with the neighborhood children rather than observe, but when he did, "they all went away."

Casagrande said one child about the same age as Bretten said, "I don't like Bretten, he does weird things."

"It breaks my heart," she said.

Said Bretten, "The chickens, they don't think I'm weird."

His mother said the bond between boy and his brood maybe their similar tics.

At least once a day, Bretten goes to the chicken coop, a converted dog run, to sit on a small bench and visit with his feathered friends.

"I just like watching them run around," he said. "My favorite is Chickadee. They all run up because they think I have food."

He usually does and feeds them from his hand. When he doesn't have food he said, "They try and eat my hand."

Bretten became fascinated with chickens after a trip to a petting zoo in Pleasanton, and in May 2010 Cassagrande and her husband bought a pair of baby chicks for him.

"He was very excited," Casagrande said. "At that point we didn't think of them as therapy. I didn't know they would help him so much."

She also didn't know Clayton had a law prohibiting the keeping of chickens in residential areas.

The outlaw fowl were brought to the attention of the commission in October after neighbors complained about the smell and noise. A code enforcement officer visited the Casagrande home and determined the source of the odor was two compost bins containing kitchen food waste, organic grass clippings, leaves and chicken droppings left open in the rain.

The Casagrandes removed the composting bins and agreed any future composting bins will be kept closed when it rains and no kitchen food products will be used.

In addition, a small chicken coop visible to neighbors was removed.

The Casagrandes may have no more than five hens -- no roosters -- and they are to be kept in a single coop or covered pen not bigger than 50 square feet or taller than six feet. It must be a minimum of 20 feet from any side or rear property line, and must be cleaned twice daily or more frequently to assure there are no odors bothering the neighbors.