City Of Bristow Approves Ordinance Allowing Chickens In City Limits

After years of debate, the City of Bristow approved a new chicken ordinance for residents this week.

Mayor Kris Wyatt said the ordinance was considered about five years ago and voted down.

Now chickens will be allowed in city limits with certain restrictions. No roosters will be allowed and residents will need a permit to house the chickens.

Mayor Wyatt said Bristow was one of the few cities in Oklahoma that did not allow chickens to be housed in city limits.

Residents have expressed some concerns about the impact this could have near their homes. Some neighbors said their concerns include chickens getting out, the smell, and the noise.

Mayor Wyatt said she is hopeful this change can work for everyone.

"One of the biggest proponents for this is a group of FFA students. We’ve also seen a lot of support from homeschool families that want to use this as a sort of educational route. There’s also the pandemic, did a lot, changed a lot of minds on a lot of things, having fresh eggs literally every morning," Mayor Wyatt explained.

Mayor Wyatt said the current ordinance states if someone has a complaint, a city inspector can cite the chicken owner if they aren’t following guidelines.