MERRIMACK, N.H. —

In Merrimack, a new rule about chickens is not going forward.

In a meeting Thursday night, the town council decided to not approve the rule, which would have put a limit on the number of chickens a person can raise in their backyard. The rule would have also put a ban on roosters and limited households to 10 chickens.

The purpose of the rule, as it was written, was to allow keeping domestic female chickens on a lot for the enjoyment of the resident. Any violators of the rule, if it had passed, could have had to pay fines between $100 and $500.

The rule was put together at the request of the town council, which asked to host a public hearing on the rule before the council voted.

Emails from residents were sent to the council prior to the meeting. Of the 34 that they r

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