The joy of chicken keeping, for now

[By JoAnn R. Walter]

For Village of Owego resident Tamara Gates, the new “Comfort Cottage Hens” chicken coop in her backyard is a sanctuary of sorts, a place to seek refuge and peace. It’s there she greets, feeds, and spends time with eleven of her new feathered friends.

Tamara explained that when she’s not having a good day, visiting the chicken coop quickly changes her mood, and the experience uplifts her and has become an extension of support for her well-being. Tamara requires full use of a wheelchair due to the loss of use in her legs, and her immune system is compromised due to medical issues. 

Tamara’s partner, Doug Weeks, put his many talents to work in the early spring to build what the couple believes is the first ADA-Compliant Chicken Coop and Run in the state. For Tamara, it’s a welcome addition where she can more easily tend to the chickens.

Backyard chicken keepers often name their chickens, too, as Tamara and Doug have done, and, in turn, become part of the family just like any other animal raised at home.

They officially dedicated the new chicken enclosure on July 11.  

Doug researched commercially built coops first, to see if any could be adapted for Tamara’s needs. However, he was unable to find any options that provided a wide enough door or offered the ability to move Tamara’s power chair in a three-foot turnaround inside the coop space. 

Doug is thankful he had a friend to help with the build and chuckled, “Several designs later, we started to build.” 

The eight-foot by eight-foot structure includes a 22-foot run. Eventually, the new Buckeyes will also have an enclosed tunnel so they can explore more of the backyard at the Front Street home.

The Buckeye chickens easily adapted once introduced to the new coop and run. The Ohio heritage breed boasts rich red plumage, is cold-weather hardy, and is a good egg layer. They are also known for being friendly.

Tamara and Doug’s Front Street property rests along the river and is well shaded with plenty of trees. The couple shared that neighbors on either side of their property have been very supportive of their chicken keeping. In fact, one neighbor enjoys chattering or singing with the chickens when she comes out to her backyard.

In addition to the Buckeyes, four other chickens are housed in a separate chicken coop and have a separate tunnel to get out and explore while staying contained in the yard.

And yes, part of their total flock includes roosters as well.

There are several positive points that Tamara and Doug shared in regard to raising chickens at home. Eggs produced at home are of higher quality and ultimately a healthier food source; raising chickens aids the local economy (Tamara and Doug buy all of the feed they need locally), owners donate eggs to local food banks or other charities, and chicken waste is compostable (to be used as fertilizer), to name a few.

A Facebook page the couple started last year called “Owego Backyard Chickens” has grown to nearly 300 members.  The intent of the page, the couple noted, is to give people the chance to ask questions and share experiences, from keeping chickens safe from the cold, controlling rats or other predators, feeding/watering tips, and design ideas for runs, to any other topic about chicken keeping.

One of the key reasons residents oppose having roosters in the Village is the noise factor. A popular DIY solution to manage crowing is the use of a night box. Doug and Tamara opted to give a night box a try.

A night box, or rooster “sleep box,” is a small, ventilated space that isolates roosters overnight in a quiet, dark environment. The box helps limit crowing in the early morning hours until the owner lets it out. Doug recently built his own from a repurposed kitchen cabinet, an idea he learned via Cornell University. So far, so good; the roosters seem to be catching on to the new idea.

Opinions in the Village of Owego are mixed about keeping roosters or chickens, and discussions and debates have been active over the last year.  Keeping roosters within the Village of Owego may soon change, and according to the Village Board’s legislative intent listed in a proposed law, “is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Village residents by regulating the keeping of roosters and preventing noise disturbances and related nuisances.”  

At the June 20, 2026 meeting of the Village Board, the board scheduled a public hearing on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 at 7 p.m. regarding their proposed Law No. 5 of the Year 2026, “A local law amending the code of the Village of Owego to prohibit the keeping of roosters.” Chickens were not noted in this particular proposed law.

Village residents are welcomed to attend the Public Hearing to voice their opinions and concerns.

You can view the proposed local law, which includes a definition of a rooster within the law, monetary penalties for offenses, the phase-out of existing roosters, and more, via www.villageofowegony.gov.

Click on “Boards & Committees,” follow to “Board of Trustees,” “Agendas,” then “7-20-26,” and scroll to Page 4.