wondering about berkeley county wv poultry laws

Date sort Score sort
prov31gal

prov31gal

Songster
10 Years
Apr 29, 2009
410
3
131
over the mountain
i cant find them anywhere. im looking all over the place, but i must be missing something. ive looked on all the county websites, in wv code, all over, but i cant find them. i can find hundreds of info an barking dog ordinances and , dog laws, and permits for agricultural buildings......................uuugh.... anyone know where i should be looking.
 
if you find out please let me know. i talked to a former mayor of my town and he says there are no laws against chickens in town and that everybody had them in their yards 75 years ago. i asked one of the md's i work with (also a chicken owner)and he says to class my chickens as "exotic pets" and then no one can make you get rid of them.

on an interesting side note i called everybody and their brother to check into laws pertaining to selling a few zebra finches last year. i called everyone from dept of ag, commerce, health dept,to dnr. guess what? nobody in chas wv has a clue. i spent 6 hrs on the phone spoke to dozens of people.

it makes me wonder if there are any state laws on (pet)chickens at all? i was told there was a town ordinance against chickens but i asked for a copy of it and it doesn't exist. lol so i still have my girls and the animal control is still out and about searching for a clue.
 
Last edited:
States and counties rarely have laws restricting the keeping of animals unless they are endangered or wild, such as keeping a gorilla or a lion, in which case they are likely to either forbid it or require specific permits. The state's deprartment of sgriculture in all liklihood has regulations pertaining to farm animals, particularly commercial raising and sale of animals that go into the food supply (meat or dairy). There are almost certainly regulations about commercial egg production.

But issues such as whether you can or cannot have them, placement of coops and such tend to be covered by local (city or town) ordinances and zoning.
 
i have looked , hunted, searched, and torn apart every governmental, county, city, or town ordinance i can find, nothing for our county and nothing that i can find for martinsburg or gerrardstown or hedgesville or anywhere near where i am. so i just dont know what else to do. i actually dont particularly care, we have and have had for ages a coop and chickens. no one cares but occasionally i get someone who says they wont tell"wink wink" . whatever. i just wondered. looks like ill have to keep wondering!
 
In your state the power to regulate all things dealing with agriculture starts with the state Agriculture Commissioner.

That is where I'd start.

The other logical place is with your local Zoning board.

The law isn't likely to mention chickens at all, they will mention poultry or fowl.
 
looked and looked there too, and nothing relating to poultry or fowl regarding anything but sale of or buthchering live birds or egg sales. thats pretty mich all i can find. our subdivision covenants prohibit chickens, but we live on a back road in the woods, and no neighbors cared whether we had them or not when we initially asked . no one cares, so i guess if they dont , i dont. its been years now, and all neighbors enjoy free range eggs. i was just wondering our of curiosity, as it seems there is probably SOME mention or regulation in regards to poultry, but i cant find a thing.
 
You need to look in the Codified Ordinance. Go to the City of Martinsburg home page- then planning department- click Code Enforcement- It will bring up the link to find all the Codified Ordinances of all local areas

I live in Martinsburg, WV. I bought my first 6 chicken for daughters for Easter and I read a lot about how great they are for gardening. I live in the City and found out that a 1966 Ordinance band chickens. Here is my Facebook Page. Any help would be GREAT. I just called my councilmen this week for his help,but I am trying to get as much publicity/internet help as possible. Please join Me. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChickenInTheYard.MartinsburgWV/
 
I live near Martinsburg too... covenants in my neighborhood "prohibit poultry"... its a shame!!! We have very large lots (builders are responsible for stripping the land THEN build because they lack discipline) and would be a PERFECT place for egg layers!!! I will join the fight to have my own chickens!! I want the best for my family, and our environment! I hope we can band together in creating a little more freedom what we can do on our land, but also keeping in mind appearances. I will strive for an aesthetically pleasing building for poultry with proper permits and anything else I should abide by. ( dont want to be awakened by a rooster) Good luck to us all!! Blu
 
I wanted to give an update to the county ordinances. I called Berkeley County, at 304-264-1923. I spoke to a young girl, she put me on hold to ask someone, and came back to tell me that it IS ALLOWED in county, unless otherwise noted by a covenant in a neighborhood under an HOA. If the house is in an "unrestricted" zone, then it is allowed also.
As for the city areas, it is NOT allowed. Just wanted to write an update. Also if you want to see the exact ordinance it is on the website as suggested in earlier posts is: Ordinance 15-01-01, Bill No. 14-46.

Best, Blu
 
When I google search that ordinance it says its for Berkely County SC, not WV. I am so confused, bc I still cant find anything one way or another. I guess I will need to call.
 

Similar threads

Ankaa
Lake County, Florida Laws for breeding and selling chickens/hatching eggs?
Replies
2
Views
227
SourRoses
SourRoses
Cregg McMuffin
Backyard Fowl Ordinance
Replies
1
Views
241
LaurenRitz
LaurenRitz
SokeyDokey
chicken coop on wheels considered an accessory structure?
Replies
3
Views
1K
Brooks_
Brooks_
C
    • Like
Plantation, FL Ordinance Change Thread
Replies
5
Views
3K
pcgboca
pcgboca
C
Chickens in Howard County, MD
Replies
2
Views
2K
MROO
MROO

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom