Had to rehome chickens due to HOA change

[LittleMissCountry]

I am not going into the whole story, but I posted quite a while back about how a neighbor’s dog broke our run and killed a chicken. We worked with animal control and their dog eventually got taken after several repeat attempts. The neighbor got their dog back (paid a fine) but retaliated with harassment. They persuaded another neighbor, HOA president (who was already anti-chickens) to change the HOA rules so that chickens are no longer allowed. I had to rehome mine, and my neighbor had to rehome all 20 of hers, that she has had for years.
Usually you have to have a majority vote but the president is a lawyer and found a loophole in the bylaws, and declared chickens a detriment to the property values.
I am furious and sad. I may lurk a bit on here but until we move (which we are going to do as soon as we get enough equity in our house) I can’t have chickens.

 

[sourland]

I think that I would be talking to a lawyer.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

I think that I would be talking to a lawyer.

Let’s just say the dog owner has money and connections to higher ups in the community. Plus the HOA president is a lawyer. I talked to a friend who is a lawyer and he said it wouldn’t be worth it...they would win. We don’t have the money to pursue it.

 

[featheredplanets]

That’s so sad. I can’t believe that could be allowed! I hope your situation gets sorted somehow

 

[LittleMissCountry]

At least I rehomed the remaining chickens to a good home. It was a young couple who were trying to start a homesteading adventure. They already have ducks, rabbits, and goats, and had been wanting chickens but couldn’t afford to get the coop and run yet. I gave them the coop and run and all my supplies as well. They were going to get a rooster for the girls and let them hatch chicks.

 

[Nay]

I'm so sorry this happened to you, especially after it was their dog that went after your hens. What a shame that it really doesn't seem like there is anything you can do.

 

[Don 27]

I am not going into the whole story, but I posted quite a while back about how a neighbor’s dog broke our run and killed a chicken. We worked with animal control and their dog eventually got taken after several repeat attempts. The neighbor got their dog back (paid a fine) but retaliated with harassment. They persuaded another neighbor, HOA president (who was already anti-chickens) to change the HOA rules so that chickens are no longer allowed. I had to rehome mine, and my neighbor had to rehome all 20 of hers, that she has had for years.
Usually you have to have a majority vote but the president is a lawyer and found a loophole in the bylaws, and declared chickens a detriment to the property values.
I am furious and sad. I may lurk a bit on here but until we move (which we are going to do as soon as we get enough equity in our house) I can’t have chickens.

how sad and annoying is this a permanent thing now in your neighborhood..

 

[featheredplanets]

At least I rehomed the remaining chickens to a good home. It was a young couple who were trying to start a homesteading adventure. They already have ducks, rabbits, and goats, and had been wanting chickens but couldn’t afford to get the coop and run yet. I gave them the coop and run and all my supplies as well. They were going to get a rooster for the girls and let them hatch chicks.

I just rehomed my girls too. I know it sucks. But it’s always something you can come back to in the future. And at least we both found good homes for them

 

[LittleMissCountry]

how sad and annoying is this a permanent thing now in your neighborhood..

Yup. This neighborhood is becoming a “rich” neighborhood apparently. My neighbor who had chickens is also looking to move. She said that when they moved here 20 years ago it was mostly working class people who actually used their 4-5 acre plots. There has been a lot of turnover since then and lots of wealthy people who bought double lots and then don’t use the land. New owners have changed the HOA bylaws over the years. When we bought a few years ago we had no idea of the snobbery in the neighborhood. I mean, seriously, if you have 15 acres and don’t plan on using your land, why impose that same rule on others? My neighbor said the only rule used to be that outbuildings had to be the same color as the original house and you had to keep your front yard neat looking.
We have to get out...at the last annual meeting the president was talking about requiring everyone to have flower gardens in the front yard and the same expensive mailboxes, along with a lot of other nonsense like requiring a certain number of flowering trees in the front yard for aesthetic purposes. No kids toys allowed to be left outside. So we get fined if our kids leave their bicycle on the front porch. We may have to get rid of our basketball goal as well if these pass.
With the no chicken rule, she also made a few other ridiculous rules. One rule is that you can only have one animal for every 2 acres. Dogs and cats don’t count as long as they are indoor or have wireless fences. No above ground fences are allowed anymore. Your house must have shrubbery hiding the air conditioning unit and any part of the foundation that is concrete.
We want no part of that. Land is meant to be used, not hoarded for the purpose of increasing property value. Sorry, rant over.

 

[cottontail farm]

I feel for you. IMHO you should have been grandfathered in when the rules were "updated". When we were looking for a house we went with a township that has NO zoning. Yes, it's a gamble but everyone minds their own business.