Kaplan adopts new poultry ordinance

In 20 days, a new law will take effect in Kaplan, prohibiting residents from owning more than five poultry within the city limits. On Tuesday, the Kaplan City Council approved a new poultry ordinance limiting the number of poultry each person can own.
The new ordinance states that a person can have no more than five birds at their home. If it is poultry, there can only be two roosters out of the five. It limited the number of roosters because of their crowing.
The new ordinance also carries a stiff $ 200-a-day fine.
Five years ago, poultry owners in Kaplan celebrated after a newly proposed ordinance that would have limited the number of domestic poultry a person could own in Kaplan was voted down by the then-council.
Since that defeat, Kaplan residents could own as many roosters and hens as they could fit in their yard. The old ordinance stated that the birds had to be in cages and could not roam the city.
The phone calls and complaints from residents near those raising 20 to 50 roosters and hens continued.
Kaplan Mayor Mike Kloesel, who first introduced the ordinance that limited the number of fouls a person could have in the city five years ago, brought a different bird ordinance up at last month’s meeting.
The old ordinance, defeated five years ago, said a resident could have only eight birds. The new ordinance now says a resident can only own five birds.
On Tuesday, the city council approved the foul ordinance, with no opposition from bird owners. No one attended the city council meeting, and it was approved unanimously.
“I want to thank this council. Five years ago, the other council fought me and voted against the ordinance,” said Mayor Kloesel.
The new ordinance not only limits the number of birds you can own, but also imposes an expensive fine.
A Kaplan resident who owns at least 30 birds, half roosters and half hens, learned of the new ordinance.
“I have no plans to move my birds,” said the resident who has been raising hens and roosters for the last three years. “I have a lot of money invested in these birds. I can not just get rid of them.”
The resident has at least 15 cages on the side of his house, each containing roosters and hens. He said he makes his money by breeding and selling roosters.
“This is a business for me. I asked my neighbors before I started raising the birds, and at the time, they all gave me the OK. New neighbors have moved in. So, I do not know what is going to happen.”
He and other poultry owners in Kaplan will find out in 20 days.