Spoke at my city hall meeting about ordinances

[YRofROOSTER]

After posting on this forum, joining SV Chickens and another yahoo group I tried getting people to give me some advice and info on how to go about asking my city to change the ordinance. A member on SVC replied to my post asking if anyone can help but not 1 response.

I didn't get much help here either so I went by myself to this meeting.

I was told by a city employee to go to the meeting and speak with a public comment. Unfortunately this was the wrong time to do so. The Mayor told me to contact the city manager. I got the city manager and assistant manager's card and emailed them last night requesting they change the ordinance to allow chickens in Pittsburg CA.

I gave them links to the map that shows cities that allow and how many, links to ordinances and reasons to have chickens.

I am waiting to hear back from them.

In the mean time I'm looking at the stuff I will need to buy, water'er, food dispenser, heat lamp and reflector, grit food and electrolyte mix and such. I got some card board boxes from work that should do well for the brooder as we have an infinite supply of these boxes.

I have coworkers and friends who also live in the same city, they say they hear roosters all the time and people dont complain, so im thinking I will just go ahead with the hens in a month or so anyways.

hopefully our city will make some changes so it will be all legal,

wish our city luck.

Mike W

 

[rgearhead]

following along...my city has an ordanance about having any live stock-farm animals, even states chickens.. we dont own any pets, no dogs or cats ect,ect... me and my wife are into organic foods and gardeneing.. when she first asked if we could get chickens i was against it.. till i started reading about them..learning..So now we are moving a head with chickens, jusy 2 of them and a small out of the way coop in our yard..our chicks are 3.5 weeks old. i have leveled off a shadey spot next to our shed for the coop : )

i got to to pick the coop up next weekend (a friend bought one and now is going diffirent route) gonna try do this stealth chickens,lol.. but will follow here to see if you have any luck..




thanks..

 

[YRofROOSTER]

I got a reply from the city manager, he said they are going to do a formal review and get back with me in a week and half.
hope its good news.

 

[egghead@1265]

Summary of issues with reason to NOT have concern on, regarding the keeping of chickens! Often it is brought up that Chickens smell or they make too much waste! Well, about 4-6 chickens make about as much waste as the family dog! Plus, the dog waste (or cat) is WASTE and is difficult to reuse! Whereas Chicken waste, when composted CAN be used for fertilizer, in fact some people even sell it or use it on their own gardens!

Some links with some great information!


Smell & Waste Concerns of Poultry keeping

The Real Bounty of The Coop (Hint: It’s Not Eggs)

http://www.nwedible.com/2012/02/the-real-bounty-of-the-coo.html




http://www.urbanchickens.net/2009/02/what-to-do-with-urban-chicken-poop.htmlWaste from Chickens
Chicken waste when composted makes great fertilizer!
For instance-4 Chickens make less waste than one Dog!

Many sites explaining how to use the small amount of chicken waste and turn it into valuable garden fertilizer.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4800618_use-chicken-manure-garden-fertilizer.html

http://duluthcitychickens.org/faq

Myth 3. Waste and Odor. http://www.bigrstore.com/blog/view/1402
Fact: a 40 pound dog generates more solid waste then 10 chickens. To be more specific, one 40 pound dog generates about ¾ pounds (.75 pounds) of poo every day. Ten chickens generate about two-thirds pounds (.66 pounds) daily poop.

 

[egghead@1265]

AWFUL!

That is incredibly slow! Gee, they don't have to reinvent or recreate the wheel, DO THEY? Many cities, towns, etc. are allowing chickens and/or other animals/poultry! After all, it wasn't much more than 100 years or so ago, and a person wouldn't think twice about not having chickens! Chicago allows chickens!

Check this link out, for more info and also for the quote below!

http://www.woodlotfarms.com/Legalize_Chicken_Hens.html

The second you start raising chicken hens you lower your families carbon footprint. The practice of urban homesteading and raising chicken hens has a POSITIVE effect on the local environment. Raising backyard chickens is now synonymous with sustainability.

Chickens are pets with a purpose. Hens lay eggs their entire life and live up to over 15 years old. By providing a high protein food source chicken hens pay for themselves.
In our current troubled times, raising hens for eggs will save families money.

There are so many great articles on this site, I hope it works out for you!

 

[NFlaGator]

>City Council will need to initiate the study for this municipal code change<

Perhaps you can help get the ball rolling faster. Is there another city (in a somewhat close proximity to yours), that has changed their ordinance to allow chickens? If so, perhaps you could get a copy of the study THEY did and hand it directly to the City manager.
Get a petition started, get signatures of others that would be in support of changing the ordinance.
See if there is a 4H club in your area, and don't forget people at the County Extension office, local colleges, feed stores. Round up as many people as you can to help you.
If you're really solid in your conviction, maybe you could pursue getting the item on your local election ballot.

Best of luck!

 

[egghead@1265]

http://www.al.com/specialreport/mobileregister/?regulations.html

Check this article out from Alabama!

AL is also a southern state, and the comments and topics discussed within it demonstrate the truly baseless arguments for not having chickens that have been brought up!

Chickens are NOT a nuisance!

Chickens are safer to the community than many typical allowed household pets!

In essence hens and even Roosters are less noisy than dogs or screeching cats or many yard or garden equipment!


And more!


The chicken underground or secretly in backyards across America and the World!

I vote in favor of any and All who support responsible pet ownership, and surely it is most apparent chicken keepers should be part of that!

after all, haven't you already named them?!!

 

[Themehmeh]

Good luck!! Trying the same thing here in New Braunfels Texas. Everyone in miles gets chickens but us, but I got a promising letter from the mayor saying they've been getting lots of requests and would look into it. Here's to hoping they weren't just shutting me up.

 

[nh104]

One thing you could look into is if the ordnance has always been this way or if it has been amended over time and why. My personal opinion is that some towns and cities have a ban on chickens because of roosters and the possible noise at 4am in residential areas and also so there isnt any flocks of 100 birds running wild. Maybe chickens were just lumped into a rule that was mostly ment for goats, cows, pigs, ect..... you know what i mean. The ordanance could also have been all about creating peace and quiet for neighbors at one time.

Rules can be changed. Show them what other towns are doing and not having any issues.

 

[egghead@1265]

Great!

Chickens are Wonderful, and offer so much to life!

Hope it goes well, update when you hear the good news!