City Issued a Citation and claims we aren’t allowed to have chickens due to neighbor’s complaint. What are my options?

[NatJ]

Two thoughts:
Quail
Lawyer

If the zoning ordinance is clear that no chickens are allowed, then a lawyer cannot do anything to allow chickens while the ordinance stays the same.

For changing the ordinance, consulting a lawyer might be a good idea.

 

[All4Eggz]

Two thoughts:
Quail
Lawyer

I asked the guy specifically about quail.

You’ll never guess what he said. Ha.

Big fat NO to that too. A NO to everything. No to fresh eggs, No to living a peaceful life.

 

[classylady4063]

I asked the guy specifically about quail.

You’ll never guess what he said. Ha.

Big fat NO to that too. A NO to everything. No to fresh eggs, No to living a peaceful life.

Sounds like the neighbors need to get a life...

 

[paradisepentacoop]

I asked the guy specifically about quail.

You’ll never guess what he said. Ha.

Big fat NO to that too. A NO to everything. No to fresh eggs, No to living a peaceful life.

yeah, thought that was going to be the case. Now that the issue is brought up into people's attention, everything will be under extra scrutiny. As for peaceful life, I don't think this is an apocolypse. It sucks, majorly, yes. However, if you can get the zoning changed or look to the books for how you can live how you want in the area you are, I think you can get back to what you want in a way that also jives with the laws/area you live in.

I specifically looked into the zoning of the areas I was looking to move to since I wanted to have a small flock. Was worried that I would run into something like this. My area has straight up rooster farms, with rows and rows of roos and you can tell in the mornings.

 

[All4Eggz]

Is your property big enough for electric poultry netting?

We have poultry netting around the area we let the chickens out, so technically yes. it could be electrified if we wanted it to but we don’t see a need.
I don’t think that would stop rats. They can come from anywhere and get in through anything

 

[wkyongae]

Well, good news, after you clean up the chicken mess and kill all the rats in the neighborhood after a couple years or so you might be able to apply to raise chickens again. But. Beware they will be watching your every move. And you have to be okay with them doing it.

 

[All4Eggz]

I understand your take is that chickens should never be raised in a city or county community, or near either of these.
Unfortunately an input with this kind of belief is not very helpful to my case.

And fortunately that is not the case and there are numerous cities and county communities that allow backyard chickens.
Including every single city surrounding my city. Which means that one way or another chicken keeping for residential areas with less than 3 acres will be legal in my city. And if it’s not going to be legal I’ll be sure as heck glad that I put in everything to try to make it a reality.

 

[SourRoses]

Just putting this out there... when we had trouble, we found they had no control over animals *inside* the house unless they are a protected or permit only species.
We gave up after a while because keeping them in the garage just wasn't good for them... but in retrospect, we could have made it nicer with greenhouse lamps and bringing sod inside, stuff like that. They were majorly annoyed they couldn't do anything about the chickens in our garage! But with no coop on the property or outside chickens, their control ended at the doorway. This was in FL though.
If you have two or three pet hens that you particularly love, you could do diapers and indoor life, or set them up in a garage. It's up to you if you think you can make life nice enough for them.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Here’s my 2 cents.
When we joined this forum I recall the rules stating that some folks on here raise chickens (and other birds/animals) as food and some raise them as pets, and we should respect opinions other than our own.
Although not stated by BYC, it seems to me that some of us raise animals in farm or large area setting, and some of us raise them in our backyard should follow the same rules. I understand you don’t believe this @wkyongae but I think you could be more understanding of those of us that do.

Backyard chicken owner in metro Atlanta, 3 hens no roosters, less than an acre, and happy to be able to raise them.

 

[wkyongae]

Here’s my 2 cents.
When we joined this forum I recall the rules stating that some folks on here raise chickens (and other birds/animals) as food and some raise them as pets, and we should respect opinions other than our own.
Although not stated by BYC, it seems to me that some of us raise animals in farm or large area setting, and some of us raise them in our backyard should follow the same rules. I understand you don’t believe this @wkyongae but I think you could be more understanding of those of us that do.

Backyard chicken owner in metro Atlanta, 3 hens no roosters, less than an acre, and happy to be able to raise them.

Oh I understand more then you think and I'm glad you're good and safe for now. But be warned it's only a matter of time before they shut you down. And that's my whole point I want to see more farms like us. Small the way it used to be. The local butcher shop alive and well. Believe me if you where able to get a fresh eggs at a cheap price before you you got your hens would you have. Other then the fun of being around chickens you have more cost involved then we do. Just to get an egg or two as a bonus.