Backyard Chicken Dispute Settled

A dispute over backyard chickens has been settled in Barre Town.

Kathy Rubalcaba will be allowed to keep three roosters on her quarter-acre lot after a mediation session with Barre Town officials Tuesday.

The Times Argus says Rubalcaba also has agreed to drop a lawsuit against the town and must bring the roosters in at night. The town, in turn, will dismiss tickets issued to her under its animal nuisance control ordinance.

Earlier this month, the select board ordered Rubalcaba to pay $600 in fines, get rid of all but one of her roosters and keep her chickens penned up after neighbors complained about wandering birds and loud roosters.

Rubalcaba had three dozen roosters earlier this month before she had most of them slaughtered.

Information for this report came from The Times Argus