Hello BYC'ers.
A few years ago we got our first chicken. He was a solo RIR rooster. We were inexperienced chicken owners and let him stay outside all the time and crow. These neighbors who's backyard backs up to ours complained to the city and sent us a letter saying we needed to get rid of him (we ended up just keeping him a house chicken). We didn't know at the time that it was them who called. Long story short, we found out it was them and my mom talked with them. She asked them if if we were able to get a special use permit and kept him quiet if they would be okay with it and they agreed.
These people have been known to complain about everything.
Now we have 5 chickens. 3 silkie hens and 2 OEGB roosters. They are part-time house chickens and part-time outdoor chickens. They are mostly house chickens but spend time outside every day. They sleep inside at night and the boys come inside if they crow. We do NOT let them crow more than twice in a row before they come inside. And even when they do crow, their crows aren't nearly as loud as our RIR's were.
Today I was outside with the chickens just sitting next to them and supervising them when I heard the neighbors come out to their porch. The roosters hadn't crowed AT ALL yet. Before I knew it, the son pulled out his phone and took pictures of me sitting with my chickens. At the same time the wife leaned over the railing and gave us a kind of warning-ish look. I immediately grabbed up all the chickens (yes, I can carry 5 chickens at a time) and put them inside.
Now I am really worried that they are going to try to turn us in. But they don't know that we don't have a special use permit yet. And the thing is... we're not sure what they could complain about. For all I know the city of Olathe is okay with you owning chickens as long as they don't interfere with the sound ordinance and are taken care of. None of our chickens have ever attacked anyone. They stay in our yard, and are taken care of very well, even pampered a little. They are all small, super cute, and fluffy. Who could get mad at such adorable little fuzzballs? Dogs are more annoying than our chickens.
My chickens mean everything to me and I will NOT give them away because they are a little bit 'annoying' to someone. People don't even know what they're doing when they make someone get rid of a loved pet just because they want to have it a little better.
If these darn people are getting ready to call the city on us I am ready to go up and talk to them personally. I ain't going down without a fight.
What do you think about this? Could they turn us in? Please help me.
A few years ago we got our first chicken. He was a solo RIR rooster. We were inexperienced chicken owners and let him stay outside all the time and crow. These neighbors who's backyard backs up to ours complained to the city and sent us a letter saying we needed to get rid of him (we ended up just keeping him a house chicken). We didn't know at the time that it was them who called. Long story short, we found out it was them and my mom talked with them. She asked them if if we were able to get a special use permit and kept him quiet if they would be okay with it and they agreed.
These people have been known to complain about everything.
Now we have 5 chickens. 3 silkie hens and 2 OEGB roosters. They are part-time house chickens and part-time outdoor chickens. They are mostly house chickens but spend time outside every day. They sleep inside at night and the boys come inside if they crow. We do NOT let them crow more than twice in a row before they come inside. And even when they do crow, their crows aren't nearly as loud as our RIR's were.
Today I was outside with the chickens just sitting next to them and supervising them when I heard the neighbors come out to their porch. The roosters hadn't crowed AT ALL yet. Before I knew it, the son pulled out his phone and took pictures of me sitting with my chickens. At the same time the wife leaned over the railing and gave us a kind of warning-ish look. I immediately grabbed up all the chickens (yes, I can carry 5 chickens at a time) and put them inside.
Now I am really worried that they are going to try to turn us in. But they don't know that we don't have a special use permit yet. And the thing is... we're not sure what they could complain about. For all I know the city of Olathe is okay with you owning chickens as long as they don't interfere with the sound ordinance and are taken care of. None of our chickens have ever attacked anyone. They stay in our yard, and are taken care of very well, even pampered a little. They are all small, super cute, and fluffy. Who could get mad at such adorable little fuzzballs? Dogs are more annoying than our chickens.
My chickens mean everything to me and I will NOT give them away because they are a little bit 'annoying' to someone. People don't even know what they're doing when they make someone get rid of a loved pet just because they want to have it a little better.
If these darn people are getting ready to call the city on us I am ready to go up and talk to them personally. I ain't going down without a fight.
What do you think about this? Could they turn us in? Please help me.
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