A half dozen people attended the first of two community forums on backyard farming on Thursday, May 7.

Many had different views on the practice of having farm animals in town, something the Town of Mancos currently has no restrictions on.

Mancos Town Administrator Andrea Phillips told the group that she hoped to gather as much public comment as possible to guide the town in the future regarding animals in town. In addition, Phillips told the group that the town sent out 400 surveys.

A computer survey sent out in 2013, she said, didn't give a good picture of how Mancos residents felt about backyard farming.

"It was hard to tell who was in town and who was out of town and if it was the same two people filling out the survey," she said. "We are trying to get as much public feedback as possible."

Those that spoke Thursday had their comments recorded for the public record.

The issue, Phillips said, goes back to 2012 when there were complaints against roosters. There were also reports of miniature horses in town.

Carolyn Towle was there to talk chickens.

"I'm here to defend my chickens," Towle said. "I feel like it's important nowadays to grow your own vegetables and food."

She added that chickens helped her to fall in love with Mancos

"When we first moved here, our neighbors gave us a dozen eggs," she said. "I like it the way it is. Keep it the way it is. We all help each other out."

John Dalton said that growing your own vegetables and raising animals was a good thing, but it needed limits.

"What we do in a town always affects our neighbors," Dalton said. "When I look at the idea of animals in town, I look at what animals I want to live next to. Roosters, that was a nightmare."

Celeste Aurorian spoke in favor of chickens.

"I've had chickens for eight years in town. I had roosters, the neighbors complained, and I got rid of them," Aurorian said. "I don't have a problem with the cows and horses as long as the property is large enough to maintain them in a humane way."

Lucia Garcia spoke on behalf of her mother, who lives next to a resident with a cow.

"The manure smell is really, really bad," she said. "She can't have a backyard barbecue."

In addition, Garcia said, the church nearby no longer can open its windows.

Julio Archuleta said that the animals in town attract flies and smell.

"I don't think we should have large animals in town," Archuleta said.

Kevin Cooke said he would like to see restrictions.

"I think it's fair that you should not keep the coop itself as far away from you and as close to your neighbors as possible, which has been done," he said.

Randy Smith also came out against roosters and said chicken coops should be well kept.

Jennifer Guy said she moved to town to get away from farm animals.

"If I wanted the noise and smell of farm animals in my life, I would live in the county," she said.

She said that animals with hooves should not be allowed in town.

Bradley Hussel said he lived across the street from someone with a cow and he actually enjoyed it.

"We are not against the dairy cow in town. It's kind of a fun thing, and it speaks to the character of this place," he said.