Little Red and Red, hens who live with Jim and Carol Finney on Maple Lane in Ellisville, can now legally rule their roost.

Ellisville's City Council approved an ordinance Feb. 1 establishing regulations for keeping chickens at single-family homes.

Under the law, up to four hens are allowed, though roosters are chicken non grata. Chickens must have an outside run, although they can be "cooped up" in a garage or basement.

The law also says any slaughtering of chickens can't be visible to neighbors.

Red and Little Red don't have to worry about that, at least from the family, Jim Finney said.

The chickens, born last March, live in a 4-by-8 foot by 8-foot tall "chicken hotel" — a converted deer stand in the Finney's back yard.

They get along famously with Bruno, a 3-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, and Allie, a Rottweiler, and Sammy, a cat, both about 9 years old.

"When we first got the chickens last year, we had five, but Hawk, Browney and Whitey were killed by a hawk," he said.

Finney said he couldn't understand why a city would have a law against keeping chickens, which his family got for the eggs. He's hoping the city will reconsider the four-hen limit.

"They don't start laying until they're 4 or 6 months old, and they stop in a couple years or so, so you need more than four to provide eggs for a family," Finney said. "They only lay about five eggs a week per chicken."

Mayor Matt Pirrello said the city will look at possibly increasing the number allowed, adding that Creve Coeur recently approved a similar law, permitting up to 12 hens depending on the home's lot size.

"I know there are residents that have chickens already, not realizing there was a law against having them," he said.

Dan and Marsha Weiman, who live in the historic Kiefer House on Kiefer Creek Road, can't wait to get chickens for their fresh eggs.

"I'm a breast cancer survivor, and my husband has heart problems," Marsha Weiman said. "A lot of meats are injected with hormones and antibiotics, and, if you get acclimated to them, they no longer work for you, so we want healthy eggs that taste delicious from hens not raised on a production line."

She also hoped the city would allow more hens.

"I don't want to be Tyson, but it's best to get as many as you can in case some kick the bucket," Marsha said.

To see the entire new law, visit www.ellisville.mo.us.