Is It Legal To Own Chickens In The Quad Cities?

What came first, the chicken or the egg?  What costs more, the chicken or the egg?  Well, right now you can actually get an entire cooked chicken for less than a dozen eggs.  So maybe now is the time to get some of your own chickens to produce some real liquid gold for you.

Now, of course, if you own a farm you can have as many chickens as you can handle.  But what about in the city?  Because in the Quad Cities, not everyone legally can raise chickens on their property in city limits.

Why are eggs so expensive?

No, it's not because the Easter Bunny has taken all the eggs.  And it's not all a factor of inflation.

Of course like anything it's all about supply and demand.  And while demand hasn't gone up (we as Americans aren't all of a sudden on a 5 raw egg a day Rocky diet) supply has gone down.

Supply has gone down because of the avian bird flu that has swept through chicken farms.  The flu has affected an estimated 57 million chickens either slowing or stopping egg production in the chickens, or in some cases killing them.

While prices are somewhat up due to raising costs in everything from labor to transportation, to chicken feed, the main reason for prices being as much as 4x what they were a couple of years ago, is a virus.

How many eggs can you get a day from a chicken?

Doesn't that look yummy?  Especially those two golden mounds of glory on the plate.  Worth their weight in gold.

Let's say you get a couple of chickens, will it satisfy your breakfast and baking needs?  Well, one hen can produce an egg nearly every 24-26 hours.  So if you get yourself 5 chickens you can be on that Rocky raw egg diet in no time.

Can I legally raise chickens living in the Quad Cities?

Well, of course, it depends on where you live in the Quad Cities.  Each city has its own rules.  Let's take a look at the main 4 (5) cities of the QC and which one (not surprisingly) won't let you have a chicken.

Davenport

In Davenport, you can have 6 hens, but no roosters.  Seems fair.  Don't need a rooster crowing in any neighborhood.  There are also rules when it comes to property lines, coop construction, and cleanliness.  But for a $25 application fee, you can get started raising those golden egg layers.

Moline

In Moline (and from what I could find, East Moline) you are also able to have hens but no roosters.  Moline also allows 6 hens on your property and also specifically states that "No person shall slaughter any hen or rooster within the City of Moline."  But again, it's cheaper to buy a whole chicken from the store than the number of eggs they can produce in a week.  So you shouldn't want to kill them anyway.

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Rock Island

Rock Island has very similar rules.  $25.  6 hens.  No roosters.  On the Rock Island application, there is also a form for your neighbor.  Yes, you need to have your neighbor sign a form saying they know you are filling out an application to raise chickens.  So you won't be able to tell your neighbor they can't borrow an egg in Rock Island.

Bettendorf

Are you really surprised by this?  Bettendorf does NOT allow chickens unless your area of the city is still zoned agricultural.

Back in 2017, there was a petition going around to try and change that.  But with only 271 people signing it, the great chicken crusade was crushed.

Maybe now that the folks in Bettendorf are paying $6 for a dozen eggs they will join the rest of the Quad Cities and make it a chicken paradise.