The Chicken Decision

   The hubby and I have seriously been thinking about buying some chickens and/or ducks lately.  We spend the weekends pondering where to put them and how to effectively maintain them.  I have read the blogs of some very insightful individuals who Twitter daily about the benefits of having your own fowl.  And just when I am actually about to hop in the car and go pick up some fluffy protein providers, I make the mistake of mentioning my afternoon trip to a relative or friend.  They smile kindly and then say, "Don't you know that chickens are really dirty?"  or "I had a friend who had chickens/ducks and they now have an incurable lung disease."  The mother in me then panics.  How could I, a responsible parent, bring such a monster into our yard.  But is this the truth or some urban legend about urban fowl?
     A quick search of the internet found no human diseases associated with chickens expect the common salmonella.  Now I'm not saying that it doesn't exist since I didn't do extensive research in a medical library first, but there does not appear to be a lung disease connected with exposure to chickens.  Proper cautions with chickens will certainly prevent salmonella.  Not letting the children play with the chickens seems a good rule even if disease wasn't an issue.  Moreover, I don't plan on gathering the eggs and then going to make dinner without a thorough handwashing.  Please feel free to comment if you have found a disease I've overlooked.
     I guess now the only roadblock is our subdivision.  One of our neighbors cannot stand clothes lines.  I'm certain that he'll call the proper authorities immediately once he hears the gentle clucking of a chicken.  Our property is not within the city limits, and we have no home owners association.  However, the county is a little hesitant to give me a straight answer on whether I can have chickens or not.  I would be the first in the neighborhood to have the little cluckers, but not the first to have farm animals.  Another neighbor has goats.  I think they smell a chicken poop storm brewing and want to stay out of it as long as they can.  We'll keep you posted.