Backyard chicken bill making its way through Maine State House

A bill to require cities and towns to allow backyard chickens is flying through the State House and should soon land on Gov. Janet Mills desk. In 2021, Maine was the first state to enshrine a right to food in its state constitution. But after a public hearing, the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee simplified the bill, stating only that “a county or municipality may not adopt a regulation or ordinance that prohibits a person from keeping chickens on that person’s residential property.” The bill passed the House 131-8 and sailed through the Senate without a roll call vote. Cities and towns can regulate backyard chickens through ordinances related to health and safety, but the bill will not allow them to ban them.