SHEFFIELD LAKE, Ohio — Jennifer Tomanek is fed up with her neighbor who owns more than 50 chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys.
"I have two boys, they're not able to play outside in the front yard on hot days, can't sit on our porch and enjoy our porch," said Tomanek.
Tomanek lives in Sheffield Lake right across the street from the huge family of fowls and she says that's exactly how they smell.
"The odor just comes this way and its nauseating," she said.
Tomanek says the noise is also a problem, but she's all for her neighbor having at a few animals.
"If she wants to have chickens, she wants to have those animals, OK, but I don't think she understands how bad the smell is," she said.
"They bring her a huge deal of happiness, they're very social and loving animals," said Elizabeth Purcell.
Purcell is friends with the woman who owns all of the fowls. She agreed to speak with News 5 because her friend, Katherine Fisher, says her attorney wouldn't allow her to be interviewed.
"I come down here almost daily to help her. I help feed, I help take care of them," said Purcell. "Controlling someone's pets is understandable to a point, but when they're not living inside of your house, I don't see what see what the big deal is."
Fisher says her house sits on just under two acres of land and she thinks that's more than enough space to care for all of her animals.
To finally end this chicken fight, the city of Sheffield Lake is stepping in.
"It's gotten a little bit out of hand and the residents have come down and complained," said Sheffield Lake Mayor Dennis Bring.
An ordinance is on the table to limit fowl ownership to four. That covers chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and more.
Its final read-through and eventual vote will happen next month.
If it passes, residents that already have more than four birds can keep them, but once they pass away they cannot be replaced.
"They want to just make it four chickens and that's a little low," said Purcell.
"We're not totally against everyone having chickens, its just an obscene amount of chickens or hens or roosters," said Tomanek.
