Some supporters of urban farming have shelved an ordinance that would have made it easier to keep a handful of chickens in backyards in Denver.

District eight city councilwoman Carla Madison said the ordinance would have streamlined the livestock permit process and would have allowed up to three hens in Denver backyards, no permit required.

But Madison said supporters of urban farming opposed the bill because it did not do enough to promote urban agriculture.

“With three or four chickens, you'd get one to two eggs a day,” said Lisa Rogers, founder of Feed Denver: Urban Farms and Markets. “In my family, we go through three dozen a week, so four chickens wouldn't take care of us.”

Rogers said the city needs to consider allowing larger livestock in Denver backyards so that residents can become more self-reliant and produce their own food.

“Having 100 head of cattle is not appropriate for a city,” she said. “But having one small cow, the size of a large dog producing two gallons of milk is very appropriate for a city yard.”

Kate Johnson, who lives in Denver’s Congress Park neighborhood, runs a small urban farm in her backyard and has seven chickens. She said people who want to own chickens should not have to get a permit for them, the same way people who own dogs or cats do not need a permit.

“I just think the current process is really cost-prohibitive,” said Johnson, who has spent close to $200 to try to get her hens approved. The zoning board rejected her request after some of her neighbors complained that the chickens should be on a farm rather than in her yard.

Johnson has until July 3 to get rid of her chickens and has not decided whether to pay hundreds of dollars more to appeal the decision in district court.

Johnson said she knows of many city-dwellers who are quietly raising chickens in their yards, unbeknownst to city officials.

“Most of them are still flying under the radar in keeping their chickens because it’s not worth going through it,” she said. “I think the city and county are going to have to try to keep up with some zoning laws because I think the lifestyle is way ahead of them.”

City officials said despite the stalled urban chicken ordinance, you can still request a livestock permit for chickens or other livestock in your yard.

Along with paying a $150 fee, applicants have to get permission from the zoning board, undergo an environmental health inspection of their chicken coop and allow for a 15-day waiting period for public complaints.