For five years, a woman known as the Chicken Lady of South Jersey urged local officials in Haddon Township, New Jersey, to allow her and other residents to keep chickens in their backyards. She eventually won them over — but that was just the beginning.
The woman, Gwenne Baile, became a traveling chicken guru for residents and local leaders in nearby towns who wanted to pass similar laws. In the eight years since her first victory, Baile has helped residents in another 27 New Jersey and Pennsylvania towns lobby successfully for backyard chicken laws, while advising officials on how to craft such ordinances.
“You don’t need a farm to have hens,” Baile said. “Chickens can eat your food waste and provide great fertilizer for the garden. People in the chicken movement want to have some control over their food supply.”
