AUBURN — Councilors had no problems with a zoning change to allow residents to keep small flocks of chickens.

Councilors voted unanimously to amend city ordinances to allow small flocks. They’ll vote on the change a second time at their next meeting.

Chicken flocks are allowed in the city’s agriculture and outlying zones, but not in the smaller residential zones that are closer to the downtown.

Councilors said they have heard from constituents interested in raising their own poultry and asked staff to draw up a simple ordinance allowing that.

Staff proposed a new rule that doesn’t require residents to get permits, does not need staff oversight but limits the number of birds to six per half-acre.

City Manager Glenn Aho said the staff plans on changing two pieces of language in amendment before it comes back before councilors.

The first is a definition that puts poultry in the same category as pets. The second makes the change valid citywide. The current language allows residents to keep the birds “in all city zoning districts.”

“It’s just something to keep consistent with the language used in the rest of the city code,” Aho said.