From John Jewell and 

Kathleen Rinear

Monroe

To the editor:

A lonely feeling swept over me this morning when I walked on our back deck. 

The four chickens (our “girls”) who usually come racing to the edge of their yard looking for goodies, went to their adopted home yesterday. We are moving and could not take them with us.

We got our chickens immediately after the City of Monroe narrowly passed the ordinance allowing chicken keeping. 

As our little flock joined the neighborhood, children and grandchildren of our neighbors enjoyed watching and feeding our girls. Not to mention the fresh eggs we were able to share.

There was opposition to keeping chickens in the city to be sure, but I must say that our girls were model citizens. Never once did they attack other people’s dogs as they walked by. Not one mail delivery person was bitten; there was nary a complaint at night or a visit by the police because of fowl language, noise or irritating the neighbors and our girls never asked the city for one dime for a chicken park where they could run and play.

We’ll miss our girls… a lot. 

They had distinct personalities, were intelligent and provided hours of fun as well as the most delicious fresh eggs. And watching them evenings sitting on our deck provided wonderful entertainment, sometimes hilarious. I called it “Chicken TV.” 

We are grateful for all those who pressed on three years ago and made chicken keeping a possibility here in Monroe. That included Tom Miller, who was our alderman at the time, along with many others.

We thank you.