They are taking my chickens away.

[8hickory]

Generally they only squack if you have rooster.

 

[Blooie]

Only in a perfect chicken world, 8hickory. <sigh> The pages of this forum are chock full of threads where people have had a few hens for a year or two and suddenly they have officials peeking over fences and sending letters warning them to get rid of the chickens.

Welcome to BYC, by the way!!

 

[chick-adee]

Okay, got your research hat on? Pencils sharpened? Bifocals at the ready? Pot of coffee on? And, of course, your temper tucked firmly in your pocket? Good, then here we go.

As I see it the first place to start is research. That's going to mean burning some midnight oil because you're on a tight time frame here. You first need to find out which nearby communities in your area allow chickens. See how their regulations are written. Do they limit the number of chickens? Rooster restrictions? Permit required? What are the setback requirements for where to locate a coop. What are the enforcement options of the town or city if an owner is found to be in violation? Are there any definitions that differ from town to town - in other words, some communities list poultry, then list chickens separately. I've never understood that delineation, but officials being officials sometimes the more words they put into an ordinance the more meat they think it contains, even if they are comparing apples to oranges.

Okay, now that you have that it, put it into a concise document. It doesn't have to be fancy - at these meetings nothing will shortchange your efforts like presenting 50 pages of stuff that they don't have time during a meeting to read. You could simply put, "Mainsville. Limit 4 chickens. No roosters. Set backs ___ feet from neighboring properties, ____ feet from fencing, ____ feet from public roadways. Enforcement - warning 1st offence, fine 2nd offence. Removal of poultry and fine 3rd offence. Then list the next community, and so on. Have I lost you yet?

If not, read on. Now find people in those areas and in your area who have chickens. Here's where you have to spend a little money. Put brief ads in the local papers, asking for fellow poultry owners to attend the meeting with you and answer concerns that they have overcome in their setups. All you have to say is something like, "Looking for help from local chicken (specify chicken!) owners to form a group in order to facilitate keeping of backyard chickens in ___________________(name of your community)." Then when they contact you, try to pin them down. Will they provide documentation from local ordinances and explain their positive experiences? Do they have an existing group you can join?

Now you need approval from your neighbors. That approval has to be more than, "George has chickens and it reminds me of growing up on the farm, plus I like the eggs. Thank you." That ain't gonna cut it. You need them to affirm that your facility is kept clean, that you take good care of the birds, that you are diligent in not allowing your chickens to be a nuisance, and that they would have no objection to you continuing your hobby.

Okay, you have your neighboring communities' ordinances. You have put it into a concise outline. You have your newly formed Poultry Guild members (or have joined an existing one). You have written approval from all of your neighbors. Now you need an ounce of courage, a pint of confidence, a quart of humor, and a gallon of courtesy. You are ready. Now go get 'em!

Thanks! I really will look into this. Tomorrow is Memorial Day so I have some time to look into it some more.

 

[Blooie]

Good luck! I know that was a lot to take in, but I spent time working on my town's Planning and Zoning Commission and 4 years on Town Council. So my suggestions come from someone who's been on the other side of the fence, and who was part of crafting our community's first animal control ordinance.

 

[chick-adee]

*whistles* That's alot! Ya, tomorrow I'll put this all together. I'll get some pop or tea instead of coffee. I'm not a big fan. But I'll do it if it will help me think!

 

[Percheron chick]

Bring up management issues before they do. Noise, how much does the average hen make. No geese, no roosters. Waste disposal. Is composting promoted in your community? Tie that in with the reduction in landfill. Reduction in pesticides with hens consuming larvae and bugs. Think on your feet but don't try to snow them. If you don't have a good answer, tell them you don't know but will get it for them.

 

[Blooie]

Bring up management issues before they do. Noise, how much does the average hen make. No geese, no roosters. Waste disposal. Is composting promoted in your community? Tie that in with the reduction in landfill. Reduction in pesticides with hens consuming larvae and bugs. Think on your feet but don't try to snow them. If you don't have a good answer, tell them you don't know but will get it for them.

<Smacking forehead>

@Percheron chick , How did I forget that???? Sheesh! It is indeed really important to go in there armed with not only the information I suggested, but chick-adee's own plan as well, with photos of the current setup if possible. Duh, Diane! I meant to put that in and totally spaced it, so I'm really glad you caught that!

 

[chick-adee]

Bring up management issues before they do. Noise, how much does the average hen make. No geese, no roosters. Waste disposal. Is composting promoted in your community? Tie that in with the reduction in landfill. Reduction in pesticides with hens consuming larvae and bugs. Think on your feet but don't try to snow them. If you don't have a good answer, tell them you don't know but will get it for them.

Yep, I will add that in. I've been trying to think of a cool acronym for my group........ Maybe I'll just not waste my time on that. I found a poultry group near me, but I don't yet know if they'll help me.

 

[sheetmetaltom]

good luck, would hate to lose my chickens and ducks.

 

[chick-adee]

Thanks! I need all the luck I can get!