The Harrisonburg City Council is considering whether to allow people to keep egg-laying hens on their property.

Lonny Wenger says he's in favor of allowing chickens.

"There's nothing better than being able to walk ten steps out your back door and collect eggs instead of having to go to the grocery store," says Wenger.

Wenger is a member of the Harrisonburg Backyard Chicken Project. He had egg-laying hens on his property until November when he got a letter from the city.

The letter included photos of the hens on Wenger's land and it said he had 30 days to get rid of the birds.

Now, the Harrisonburg City Council is considering whether to allow hens in the city.

Council member Dave Wiens says one ordinance would require the hens to be on a property that encloses at least two acres. This ordinance would exclude many of the people who want to have chickens within the city.

"I think what we have in front of us doesn't satisfy anybody," says Wiens.

The council is also considering a second ordinance that says the property has to be at least 12,000 square feet for chickens to be allowed.

Vice-Mayor Richard Baugh and Council member Ted Byrd spoke Tuesday about whether or not to allow chickens in the city at all.

"I'm strongly willing to support something on at least the larger lots," says Baugh.

"For myself, it's no chickens," says Byrd.

Wenger and his wife have decided they can't wait for an answer. The animal issue is one of several reasons they've decided to move out of Harrisonburg and into Rockingham County.

"We want to have chickens. We want to have a few more animals, and the peace and quiet that goes with the country as well," says Wenger.

The Virginia Poultry Federation and the USDA have expressed concerns about this issue. They cite the potential for avian flu and the possible dangers to the large poultry industry in Rockingham County.

The city council will hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinances July 28. They're looking for a large venue in which to hold the hearing because they don't think council chambers will accommodate everyone they're expecting at the hearing.