MINOT, N.D. (KXNET) — More and more people have been looking for ways to raise their own food, even in residential neighborhoods. And some residents in Minot think they have found a way to crack the spiraling cost of eggs.

“The main reason for me for wanting chickens, and I believe the majority of others, is to be more self-sufficient. There’s been a lot happening over the last two years,” said Bailee Saltzman, a Minot resident backyard hen supporter. “You’ve recently allowed permitted folks to have six animals, six dogs or six cats, why can’t someone just have four hens?”

Saltzman has flocked 257 resident signatures together in support of the chickens.

She presented the council with rebuttals to other neighborhood concerns regarding noise, disease, and cleanliness.

She states hens operate normally at 50-60 decibels, which is the level of a normal human conversation; whereas a dog’s bark reaches 90-110 decibels.

According to a Veterinarian for the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, Ethan Andress, there have only been two avian flu outbreaks in our state from backyard chickens since 2015.

Still, some neighbors aren’t too keen on the idea.

“Would we buy a house that had a chicken coop or chicken coops next door? My answer would be a definitive no. Chickens are noisy, they have a definite unpleasant odor, and they also create dust,” said Elizabeth Hoppman, a Minot resident opposed to backyard chickens.

During the meeting, Saltzman also laid out possible guidelines for the purposed ordinance to be lifted.

To own hens, a permit could be required, a maximum of four hens and no roosters could be implemented, and the coop would have to be 20 feet from a neighbor’s house or five feet from the property line.

She believes allowing these backyard pets would support businesses, and handymen, and reduce waste by feeding them kitchen scraps.

Saltzman said, “Hens could be more than just a pet to those who get them. There’s a lot of time money and research going into them. And these animals will be feeding our families. So, I think those who will be getting them will put a lot of work into making sure they are clean, healthy, and safe. So, I would like to ask it to be put on a future agenda.”

Moving forward, the council agrees and will discuss the possibility of allowing these pets.

Council members say both sides would have a chance to express their opinions on the matter, when and if that time comes.

The fowl ordinance (7-6) was also fought to be lifted by residents in 2017 but was ultimately shot down by council members in a 5-2 vote.