Englewood chicken fight: Homeowner says neighbor lets roosters, chickens roam free outside home

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An Englewood resident contacted the I-Team, claiming her neighbor lets his chickens and roosters roam freely in front of his home every day and she's had enough. But some neighbors say they enjoy the livestock and want the birds to stay.

But is it even legal in the city of Chicago?

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The resident sent the I-Team video of chickens and roosters on 57th and Loomis. When we visited the block, everyone the I-Team spoke to said they had seen the birds. The reaction was mixed.

"It's kind of cool. I haven't seen that many chickens since I left Mississippi," said neighbor Frankie Love.

"It's fun. People laugh when they see them all together," Brenda Ferdinand said.

Art Lewis has lived in the community for nearly 20 years and said the sight is anything but cute.

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"Free range chickens in the city? No. If you have to have your dog on the leash, keep your chicken in the yard," he said.

Not only is he opposed to the chickens and roosters walking around freely, he also takes issue with the noise.

"I'm not really that cool with hearing one at like 3 in the morning and I have to be up at work. No. I have a snooze button but i can't snooze someone's chicken," Lewis explained.

Some people in the community said the chickens bring life and color to the neighborhood. Lewis disagrees.

"Block parties are colorful and fun. Chickens are nasty," he said.

Neighbors said the chickens and roosters are often in the backyard of the home, but when the owner comes to the front they usually follow. The i-Team tried to talk to the owner, but he wouldn't come to the door.

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Marie Lewis, who lives across the street, said the owner of the livestock is a nice man and she thinks he's adding something special to the neighborhood.

"City people, they don't get a chance to see stuff like that," she said.

But Lewis believes it's time to have this addressed.

"When is the city going to step in and say what's what, and what's not," he said.

The city of Chicago said residents are allowed to keep chickens, but per city code "it shall be unlawful for any owner to allow his or her animal to cross outside the property line of its owner."

While some neighbors welcome a visit from the city, others hope the livestock will stay.

"Leave the man and his chickens alone," said Ferdinand. "It probably would break his heart for his chickens to be moved."

The city said it did not see any previous animal-related concerns at the address in question. City officials encourage anyone with an animal-related complaint to report the issue to 311.

Alderwoman Stephanie Coleman told the I-Team, "My office just recently received a complaint from a household the 5700 block of Loomis. Upon receiving this complaint, we have reached out to Animal Care & Control as well as the Department of Human Relations. I will be working with ACC and the legislative reference bureau to address this matter, as the city does not have any general prohibitions on owning or maintaining chicken and livestock in residential areas, however, there are several city code provisions regarding various aspects of owning or maintaining chickens and/or livestock that could apply. Specifically, city codes which prohibits 'excessive animal noise' that 'unnecessarily disturbs the comfort, quiet, peace or repose of any other person in the vicinity, at any time of the day or night.'"