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Calling fowl on Tyler's chicken laws: Space requirement for chickens reduced

Before Wednesday, 50 feet of space between a coop and property line was required to keep chickens in a backyard. Today, the city of Tyler changed it to 15 feet.

TYLER, Texas — Nikki Aubuchon never thought she'd bring chicks home as pets, but when she was a first-grade teacher, they hatched chickens as part of a school project. And once they were born she formed a special bond with the chicks. 

"I sort of fell in love with them and spent my mornings out here watching them peck around and do their chicky things," Aubuchon said. 

However, after a few months with her chickens, she was shocked to learn she wasn't allowed to keep them. 

"My property did not fit in the regulations for the city ordinance," Aubuchon said. "It was too small and it's a pretty ample yard so it surprised me." 

To house chickens in Tyler, 50 feet of space was required on each side of where they're kept. 

Aubuchon was forced to send her chickens to a new home but she wanted her pets back. She reached out to Tyler's city council and Wednesday the ordinance was changed. 

"We were able to make a recommendation to restrict those setbacks from 50 feet on the sides and back to 15 feet," Tyler's Chief of Police Jimmy Toler said. 

Aubuchon will welcome back two of her former chickens as well as four newly born chicks. 

Six chickens are allowed at one home as long as there's enough space. 

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