people with house chickens

[VelvetDragon]

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Yeah, ChuChu and the chicken will get separate out times. I think ChuChu might accidentally hurt a chicken even if she didn't mean to, she does have that big can-opener attached to her face. Hehe.

Here's hoping their wedding goes smoothly and your next neighbor is chicken-friendly!

 

[iluvcks]

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Well... no...

I thought it was taken care of. I talked to a gentleman at the Michigan Dept of Agriculture. We discussed the case in detail. He brought up[ my house with the coop on the satilite map. He assured me everything would be fine. He told me to print off and go thru several parts of the GAAMP. For istance the manure practices. Then I had to write a Poultry Operations Guide. All equipment and feed that I use. Everything that I do for and with my chickens from the day I bring them home to the day they are buried in the ground (not less than 2 feet below the surface of the ground). Anyway I emailed him that last week. He is looking over my paperwork then he is going to come and inspect us and certify us a farm. Sounds great.

This morning we got our certified letter from the Township it says we have 30 days to get rid of the chickens. Plus there are ordinace problems because we are on a corner lot. They say we have two front yards. No building can be built in front of the house. Our coop is. Page wire fencing is not allowed on a corner lot. thats what we have. And NO animal shall be housed closer than 100 feet from the property line. Ours is about 20.

So now I have to wait untill at least tuesday to find out if the Farm law will cover the rest of the violations. Anyway you cut it this whole thing sucks. The word is theTownship Trustees are already talking about taking us to court to get rid of the chickens.

Just the thought of having to hand my girls over to someone makes me want to throw up. Non chicken people just don't understand its like having someone take their dog or cat.

Everyone thinks we should keep the chickens, not because they are chickens but because they think the Township should not be able to dictate what you do on your property when you are hurting no one.

When this all started we started getting signatures to change the ordinace about keeping chickens. We spoke to 310 people in 3 days. We got 300 signatures. Only 3 didnt want chickens any where near them. The others wished us well but just don't sign anything. We have had such a warm outpouring from the community it makes us take new hope in the human race. But the Township is run by old outdated people that just don't care about civil liberties. They are to busy worrying what kind of wire I'm using to worry about more pressing township issues. Its all such BS.

Anyway thats life. Thanks for thinking of me. Hope everything is well for you and everyone on the Mi thread.

 

[Alex961]

I have a question about house chickens how can you stand the smell of their poop? I mean I have brought my Silkies inside before but it smells is horrible unless you are constantly cleaning up or is it just my chickens?

 

[t4dbirds]

That's the most bazaar thing I've heard. Ok maybe not the most... but two front yards? So your not allowed to build a fence either?? I mean they can't expect people who live on corners never to have fences to keep their dogs in the yard or to be able to build a patio/deck/ bbq area? Basically they are saying you can't use your backyard for anything since it's a 'front yard'. If they let you have a fence then how can they say it's two front yards??? anyway their argument is just ridiculous. I wonder how many other corner lots don't have anything in their backyards. I mean it's a coop not another house.

Anyway I feel for you and I'm praying for you and your chicks.

 

[iluvcks]

We can have a fence that is see thru. I think they are talking chain link NO page wire (which is what we have). It can only be four foot high, so everyone can see over it. We wanted a 6 ft privacy fence. They said we have to pay 250 to go in front of the zoning board to ask for a varience on our property, so they can turn us down. We then decided we want a picket fence, goes with the whole farm look. But we are unsure that will be aloud either. If I knew then what I know now I would have never bought this house. Its on 2/3 of an acre who the hell would ever think your not actually allowed to use it.

 

[schellie69]

I am so sorry you are going through this, I was upset that I had to move my coop 50 feet due to a complaint the only thing the neighbor doesn't realize is I don't have to move the pen which is where my rooster does his morning crowing

so they are out of luck they rent I own they can move sorry

just got upset that they move in and want me to get rid of my chickens that I had long before they moved in to bad the chickens stay as long as I do. I hope you win your fight I can't believe that they are telling you how you can and can not use your own property I don't understand the privacy fence issue we have a 6 foot privacy fence in the back yard, this make great neighbors I want to put a fence in the front yard but have not had the funds for that. good luck and I will keep you in my prayers hopefully the gentleman you were talking to will help.

 

[jojo54]

I think the corner lot thing has to do with accidents at the intersection because of people not being able to see through a tall fence but it should only apply to a certain distance from the corner - the rest should be able to be taller for privacy.

Every place is different with its dumb rules.

I got hit twice in two different situations in intersections that had nothing to do with visibility (one was winter and ice and someone going through a stop sign - the other was a teenager speeding to get to school on time and clipping my back fender).

People speed and people don't watch what they are doing anyway.

We are lucky here because the front yard has a cedar hedge around it that is over 10 feet tall - people can't see in and more important - animals can't get in to harm my chickens (they have a wire fence inside the cedars).

I love the fact that Lulu can roam the front yard (since the other chickens have most of the back) and is safe from the dumb dog across the street that roams free. We have gates that shut across the driveway as well.

Sorry you have to fight dumbheads - anyone with half a brain would know how great chickens are!

 

[hen-thusiast]

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can we see a pic of your sweetie?

Here she is helping me in the garden. She's been through so much in her short life. We got her (along with her sister behind her) in January from a bad situation. Both lost most of their toes to frostbite, but she also lost her entire foot. They were also skin and bone and had a horrible case of mites. For the first three weeks all she did was sleep and eat. A lot of their feathers are still ragged from the mite damage and from being stepped on (before we got them) by the rest of the flock because they couldn't walk due to the frostbite.

They've been inside since January and were just moved outside to their specially designed coop a couple of days ago and they LOVE IT! Not sure what will happen next winter, but if the cold bothers her, she'll come back in.

They were supposedly at point of lay when we got them in January, but I think they had to put all their energy into recovery because she didn't start laying until a couple of weeks ago.

 

[jojo54]

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What a pretty girl! I like her coloring. She looks like she's coming along fine. Good for you for allowing her to have a better life than she did. They all deserve to have love, food, a good home and someone to watch out for them.

 

[hen-thusiast]

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Thank you for the kind words.

I couldn't agree more, I can't handle it when I hear about or see animals suffering. She's such a joy to have around because she loves life... and being cuddled.