Regulations for Rural MO??

I live in rural Cape County Missouri. I would like to know how I find out my rights as a chicken owner. We have lived 17 miles out of town for many years. There are only 3 houses on our rural lane. Last year one sold. She first asked me to move my barn as it was not attractive enough. Then wanted me to get rid of all chickens as they were a health hazard. We placed a 250 foot privacy fence between our properties and made 2 pens 5 feet high and approx 100 ft. square for 2 flocks of chickens. They have multiple places to get water, and I feed them twice daily. They are well loved and taken care of. Three times she has had the police out to our house because a "chicken" was in her yard. I work and have no way of knowing if i have a "rogue" hen who gets out and back in. The police just tell me it is my "responsibility" to be in control of all poultry/livestock at all times. They said I could be taken to court? How do I find out. I have googled everything I can think of. PLEASE HELP - I don't want to be in trouble, but I don't want to get rid of my girls either.

I am sorry I cannot help you because I live in henderson Nv. But I think that since you have a fence and everything you need for the chickens that you should be ok. I personally think that the person who moved into the house should have known that if you move into a rural place you will have to deal with the animals if you don't like them. She shouldn't have moved if she doesn't like them.

I feel the same way. I understand that when you move from town to country you think you still have all the rules and regulations of a neighborhood, but she knew in advance what I had and for some reason, felt I should change when she moved in. I do not wish her any ill will, I only want to be left alone and not fear that I am the one who is in the wrong.
Thanks for replying -

I don't think you're in the wrong. Have the police issued you any type of citations? Have the police ever actually witnessed "your" chicken on her property? What a pain in the rear end... I'll never understand why some people feel like their neighbors have to live the way they want them to. I don't really have any advice to give you, just some moral support. Idk... maybe if you can figure out how the chicken might be getting out you can figure out how to keep it in?

I have checked the fence multiple times. Unless one is flying over and then back I do not know. I was thinking about clipping their wings. The police have not issued a citation. I just hate the fact that this is happening! I wanted to be a good neighbor, but this is getting a little old. I just don't want to come home to a flock of dead chickens, or have animal control take them away. I just want to know who to contact to get the truth about MY rights. Thanks for the reply.

I think you have gone out of your way to be a good neighbor. Some people are just never satisfied.

You could always contact a lawyer, just for a consultation which should either be free or cost next to nothing and they should be able to give you some basic information about where you stand legally. At least then if you do get into any kind of trouble later on you'll have someone to go to who can represent you if need be.

Since you're outside of city limits maybe you could call the county and just ask them straight up where you stand.

I know you have a lot of area to cover but maybe you could get some type of netting or something inexpensive to cover the run with.

Good luck!

I know some one that has chickens and their white ones constantly fly out of the fence. Many people think that chickens can't fly but they actually can. they are slightly related to the jungle fowl which can fly. life is not fair. I would suggest that the easiest way out of this is to clip their wings.
I would also suggest checking the bottom of the fence on the outside. chickens will defenitly try to dig in the dirt and make a hole by the fence to get out. sometimes the holes are not very easy to see. Good luck and hope everything works out.

You should be able to find any ordinances online, and if not, go to the county and ask for a copy of all of them. I'd stand right there, read it and ask questions while still there. Since you are rural, I doubt they have restrictions like we do in the cities. I am sooooooooooo tired of folks thinking they know what's best for others and how they should live. It's one thing to cause harm to someone or their property, and entirely another to just not "like" something about them or their property. Go over and kindly ask this meddler if she would like to purchase your property for top dollar so she can make it the way she wants....

When you get a copy of the laws for your area--keep them handy! Most officers are not always going to know the law for livestock. Today clip the wings, check for holes and think about investing in a motion style camera--this could be a big help in finding out which chicken or IF one is even getting on to her property. you might call your extenstion agent for help with knowing you zoneing laws--but i called the county!! I'm so glad we are ag1. My donkey makes a ton of noise, but No more coyotes!
When we moved to our 2 acres, our neighbors had 10 hunting beagles and a rooster!! They always asked us if the animals were causing a problem, My answer? I moved to the country and that comes with it. I am glad the rooster died and he is down to 2 beagles!!

Find out exactly what county ordinances there are about animals At Large. You have a moral (and probably a legal) responsibility to keep your chickens (and all your other animals) on your own property. If you have a bird that gets out and onto her property, they probably have the right to do with it what they will. Look along the bottom of the fence for areas they are digging under, consider raising the height of the fence, and/or removing anything they are using as a "step" towards flying over the top. Consider putting pigeon spikes along the top of the fence, or adding a strand of electric fencing atop it. Unless the fence is short, most chickens that can fly over fly to the top, perch there and then hop down. Very few actually fly over without a stop; not impossible, but not usual.