May 2, 2012 the Soap Lake City Council passed the new chicken ordinance for Soap Lake!! Soap Lake residents are now allowed 4 chickens (no roosters). Residents must file an application with city hall. Fees are a one time inspection fee of $50. and an annual licence fee of $10. Remember you must submit your application and have your inspection BEFORE you buy those chicks. Please read
Soap Lake Chicken Ordinance.

Soap Lake Chickens in the Media!!

Soap Lake drafting chicken ordinance
Columbia Basin Herald

Articles on the benefits of Urban chickens!!

Benefits of Urban Chickens

10 Benefits of Backyard Chickens

Eight benefits of raising backyard chickens

Benefits of Backyard Chickens

Benefits Checklist for Urban Chickens

Backyard Chickens in Marin = eco-friendly benefits!

Backyard chickens: Local residents laud the benefits of hens

Chicken Chatter: Health benefits of backyard chickens

Urban Chickens: Frugal Fad or Pricey Pastime?

Benefits of Raising Chickens

Chickens in Soap Lake

Most of us can easily name off the benefits of having chickens. Chicken manure is great for the garden, great garden pest control, and lets not forget the fresh nutritional eggs the feathered companions give. What about the concerns? Here are a few from local Soap Lake residents…

What about the noise?

Roosters are loud and will not be allowed with in city limits. Female chickens (hens) are quiet for the most part and automatically roost quietly at night.

What about the smell?

In larger farm flocks the aroma is pretty noticeable. In an Urban setting (10 or less hens) the aroma/smell can be kept to a minimal with routine care.

What if chickens get out?

There are many ways to keep your chickens safe. A proper chicken run is essential when keeping backyard chickens. Chickens flying the coop can be minimized here are 3 ways can be putting netting at the top of the run, 5+ tall fencing for runs, or clipping hens. This is also why the SLUH organization will exist…to work out solutions to concerns meaning at times working one on one to solutions.

What if a dog kills one of my chickens?

If chickens get out and are attacked or killed this is the responsibility of the chicken owner to keep their flock safe with in the ordinances guidelines. If dogs come onto a chicken owners property it is the dog owners responsibility to keep dogs with in the ordinances guidelines.

Have more concerns send me an email at sluh@nctv.com or check out our many article that allow comments and questions!

What Washington States allow chickens...MOST OF THEM!

There are 207 cities in Washington State. I could find 156 ordinances relating to livestock/chickens; many cities don't even have an animal title/ordinance. BUT out of the 156 I found 138 allow chickens!! That is an 88%!!

City	allowed
Aberdeen	Yes
Airway Heights	No
Algona	Yes
Anacortes	Yes
Arlington	Yes
Asotin	Yes
Auburn	Yes
Bainbridge Island	Yes
Battle Ground	Yes
Bellevue	Yes
Bellingham	Yes
Benton City	Yes
Bingen	Yes
Black Diamond	Yes
Blaine	Yes
Bonney Lake	Yes
Bothell	Yes
Bremerton	Yes
Brewster	No
Bridgeport	Yes
Brier	Yes
Buckley	Yes
Buren	Yes
Burlington	Yes
Camas	Yes
Carnation	Yes
Cashmere	Yes
Castle Rock	Yes
Centralia	Yes
Chehalis	Yes
Chelan	Yes
Clarkston	No
Cle Elum	Yes
Clyde Hill	No
Connell	No
Cosmopolis	Yes
Covington	Yes
Dear Park	No
Des Moines	Yes
Dupont	No
Duval	Yes
East Wenatchee	Yes
Eatonville	Yes
Edgewood	Yes
Edmonds	Yes
Ellensburg	Yes
Elma	Yes
Entiat	Yes
Enumclaw	Yes
Ephrata	Yes
Everett	Yes
Everson	Yes
Federal Way	Yes
Ferndale	Yes
Fife	Yes
Fircrest	Yes
Forks	Yes
George	Yes
Gig Harbor	Yes
Gold Bar	Yes
Goldendale	Yes
Grandview	No
Ilwaco	Yes
Issaquah	Yes
Kalama	Yes
Kelso	Yes
Kenmore	Yes
Kennewick	Yes
Kent	Yes
Kettle Falls	No
Kirkland	No
Kittitas	Yes
La Center	Yes
Lacey	Yes
Lake Forest Park	Yes
Lake Stevens	Yes
Lakewood	Yes
Leavenworth	Yes
Liberty Lake	Yes
Longview	Yes
Lynnwood	Yes
Maple Vally	Yes
Marysville	Yes
Mattawa	Yes
McCleary	Yes
Medina	Yes
Mercer Island	Yes
Mill Creek	Yes
Millwood	Yes
Milton	Yes
Monroe	Yes
Montesano	Yes
Moses Lake	No
Mount Vernon	Yes
Mountlake	Yes
Mukiteo	Yes
Naches	Yes
Napavine	Yes
Newcastle	Yes
Newport	Yes
Normandy Park	Yes
North Bend	Yes
Ocean Shores	No
Olympia	Yes
Omak	Yes
Oroville	Yes
Othello	No
Pacific	Yes
Pasco	Yes
Pateros	No
Port Orchard	Yes
Port Townsend	Yes
Poulsbo	Yes
Prosser	Yes
Pullman	Yes
Puyallup	Yes
Quincy	No
Rainier	Yes
Raymond	Yes
Redmond	Yes
Renton	Yes
Richland	No
Ridgefield	Yes
Ritzville	Yes
Roslyn	Yes
Royal City	Yes
Sammamish	Yes
SeaTac	Yes
Seattle	Yes
Sedro-Woolley	Yes
Selah	Yes
Sequim	Yes
Shelton	Yes
Shoreline	Yes
Snohomish	Yes
Soap Lake	YES
South Bend	Yes
Spokane	Yes
Stanwood	Yes
Sultan	Yes
Sumner	Yes
Sunnyside	Yes
Tacoma	Yes
Toppenish	No
Tukwila	Yes
Tumwater	Yes
Union Gap	Yes
Waitsburg	Yes
Walla Walla	Yes
Washougal	Yes
Wenatchee	Yes
Westport	Yes
White Salmon	No
Woodinville	Yes
Yakima	Yes
Zillah	Yes