Westbrook's chicken controversy

I am sad to hear about the Westbrook chicken situation. As much as a pain in the behind as the Almeida flock can be at times, they really are family pets and I can't imagine being told we had to get rid of them.

Ledoux has kept a small flock of chickens in his backyard for about 10 years. His family and neighbors enjoy the fresh eggs, and his children treat the birds like pets, calling them by name. Ledoux says it's soothing for him to simply watch his chickens cluck and preen. But a neighbor who finds the chickens nerve-wracking and recently complained to the city that they're too noisy and smelly.

Even when a dog got loose and ate one of our chickens, we handled things amicably with our neighbors. No one wants to live in a place where people can't act like adults and work out their differences.

With city officials now involved in Westbrook, I'm not sure anyone will really "win" in the end.