AMHERST, NY--Amherst Town Board hatched good news for chicken-lovers in town Tuesday evening.

The board voted to continue to allow the raising of chickens in residential Amherst neighborhoods.

Chickens can only be raised in certain districts with a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals under the new amendment. Dozens of citizens came to the meeting to weigh in on the pros and cons of having domestic chickens in their town. A majority supported the amendment.

One chicken owner said research on the subject deserves consideration.

Longtime chicken owner Karen Marks said, "The fact is that there are limited studies that have been done in regard to six hens in a suburban backyard. And the bulk of the research available online refers to large agricultural and commercial flocks."

The main opposition came from those complaining about the smells and noises that come from chickens.