Chicken houses dot the landscape of the Eastern Shore, but what happens when they are no longer in use?
Many sit idly by or are sometimes transformed into a storage facility for other farm equipment.
When a farmer wants to rid their property of a former chicken house, it’s not as easy as just demolishing it, says Molly Porter, Executive Director of the Delmarva Chicken Association.
“Many, many of these chicken houses have been around for 60-70 years. I mean they’re not ones that are new,” says Porter.
The cost to remove one professionally can be upwards of five figures. There are also regulations in place which bars farmers from demolishing disused chicken houses on their own. “I think quite honestly that’s been the challenge,” says Porter, “I think there are a number of folks out there who would be interested in possibly removing them. Especially if they have farm fields that they would like to turn into again raising a crop, but there’s financial implications. I mean having somebody come in and professionally remove them gets expensive.”
Councilman Josh Hastings tells WBOC he would like to see the county work with the state and federal agriculture departments to find more ways to assist farmers remove disused or abandoned chicken houses.
Got a love it when the government tells you you can’t tear down something that you own!!
“There are also regulations in place which bars farmers from demolishing disused chicken houses on their own.”
Government: You can’t do that.
Also, Government: We’ve got to find a way that you can do that.
Start by getting rid of the regulations – especially the permit requirements!
Government is in the way too much – especially over what we can do with and on land that we own!
Government screws things with regulations. Government then has fault with the consequences of their own regulations. President Donald J. Trump understood these issues from being a businessman (victim) of this crap. He did away with many unwanted, unnecessary laws. Another thing the simpletons hated about the good man.
The person that Hastings said got in trouble for burning down a chicken house may be a pal of his and McCain’s who got off when others have been fined for violating the law. What’s his name?
It’s amazing that there aren’t more empty chicken house fires.
1:51
Harold S
Big land owner
Harold Shockley