9 out of the TOP 10 US News colleges allow chickens!!

Here's Elisa looking at the camera sideways because her eyes are on the sides of her head. She hasn't gotten much press because she's been broody (sitting in her house on imaginary eggs) since early July. Yes - you heard it here first - and it's not too late to beat Davidson!!!

Each year US News and World Report,
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1libartco_brief.php ranks the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the nation and naturally Sewanee is very concerned about where it falls and how it compares. I'm taking the comparison in a whole new direction...

10. Haverford College - http://gcp.esub.net/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=80772&infobase=haverfrd.nfo&softpage=Browse_Frame_Pg42
The town of Haverford, PA makes no distinction between having chickens or farm animals, but you must have a minimum of 1 acre and you are allowed no SNOW LEOPARDS or SHARKS (among other things) NONE.

9. Davidson College - http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12975&sid=33 The town of Davidson, NC does not allow fowl or livestock. Losers.

8. Bowdoin College - http://www.brunswickme.org/clerk/ordinances/Ch004.pdf In Brunswick, ME -there are 3 pages of rules for dogs, but regarding other animals - it simply says not to let them graze or run about town and for goodness sake - don't tie them to a tree.

7. Pomona College - http://www.claremontonline.net/municipalcode.cfm Claremont, CA - home to 3 colleges ranked in the top 30 - allows 3 fowl per household.

6. Middlebury College - http://www.middlebury.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={7DB71523-F11A-4EAD-9E2B-4F894A4FB098} which comes in number 2 on the Grist top 15 "green" colleges and universities http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/08/10/colleges/ has a policy in their town on dogs, but no other animals.

5. Carleton College - http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=13439&sid=23 In Northfield, MN the laws prohibit most wild animals, including, but not limited to jackals and dingos. Guess I won't be moving there... They don't, however, seem to mind chickens - as long as they're not vicious.

4. Wellesley College - http://www.ci.wellesley.ma.us/Pages/WellesleyMA_Health/regulations/chap16 In Wellesley, MA you'll need a permit for your fowl, goat, sheep, swine, llama... if you want roosters or swine you'll have an annual hearing and need to invite your neighbors.

3. Swarthmore College -http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Pennsylvania/swarthmore/codifiedordinancesoftheboroughofswarthmo?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:swarthmore_pa At Swarthmore there's nothing in the town ordinance about livestock or fowl (just dogs). They don't even know why you'd ask... In fact, a couple of years ago the students petitioned the dining hall to only purchase their 10,800 dozen eggs from cage-free chickens
http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2006/04/26/animal-rights-coalition-works-for-cage-free-eggs-at-swarthmore/

2. Amherst -
http://www.amherstma.gov/charter/GENERAL_BYLAWS_Nov_2003.pdf In Amherst, MA they don't want you leading your cattle, goat, horse, fowl, etc. along the sidewalk unless, of course, you're just crossing it. I for one, would like to know why the chicken crossed the sidewalk.

And the NUMBER ONE ranked liberal arts college in America according to US News and World Reports is Williams College in Williamstown, MA where there is no limit to the amount of poultry you may have as long as they're "confined within an adequate enclosure". The law also states that dogs must be "controlled and restrained from killing, chasing or harassing livestock or fowls".
http://s230494718.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/Code-of-Williamstown.pdf

When you look at ordinance after ordinance after ordinance as I have, you see a pattern. There are generally several pages of regulations governing dogs and a paragraph or two regarding fowl and/or livestock.

Not to be redundant, but - what's the big deal?